LexusES3502008Overview/lexus/es350/2008/base/

2008 Lexus ES350

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 ES350.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2008 Lexus ES350 is a passenger car equipped with an automatic six‑speed transmission and an engine that calls for 6.4 qt of 5W‑30 API oil, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 19/27/22 mpg. It belongs to the ES line that spanned 2007‑2018, during which the 2008 model recorded 323 owner complaints, with air‑bag issues being the top complaint area and five recalls issued. Compared with the highest complaint year (2007, 664 complaints) and the lowest (2018, just 5 complaints), the 2008 ES350 sits mid‑range in the model’s reliability history, reflecting a moderate level of owner‑reported problems.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/27/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnAUTOOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-55R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter17801YZZ06
Fuel filter233000A020 alt 232170C010
Spark plug9091901247
Front wiper blades8522233241 alt 8521233231
Serpentine belt90916A2010
Thermostat90916A3002 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter8713907010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 27 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume95 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 · SAE J1703 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · SAE J1703
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.4 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Main Bearings16
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.17 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.11 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-199 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 46 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.983 in / 0.334 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Rack & Pinion Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Cabin Air Filter (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 model recorded 323 complaints, a steep decline from the 664 complaints reported in 2007 but still higher than the 173 complaints seen in 2009. Recalls remained constant at five units, matching the 2007 figure and exceeding the two investigations recorded in 2009, while the number of investigations fell from four in 2007 to two in 2008. Technical Service Bulletins totaled 186 for 2008, positioned between the 190 recorded in 2007 and the 153 in 2009. The primary complaint category, Air Bags, accounted for 204 reports, though the data does not specify a root cause. Given the pronounced drop from 2007 and the continued downward trajectory into 2009, the 2008 ES350 represents a clear improvement over its immediate predecessor and constitutes a solid, though not optimal, choice for a used purchase.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
186
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
323
Owner complaints
34 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 323 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags204
Vehicle Speed Control33
Unknown Or Other18
Structure11
Electrical System8
Engine5
Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper3
Visibility3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V741000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/10/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front…

17V006000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2017

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA… Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 186 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific ES350. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 ES350 take?

6.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 ES350 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES350 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined mpg.