2018 Lexus GS350

The 2018 Lexus GS 350 is a mid-size luxury sedan known for its reliability, comfortable ride, and refined interior. It’s generally praised for its smooth ride, quiet cabin, and user-friendly infotainment system. However, some owners find the infotainment system’s touchpad interface less intuitive compared to touchscreen systems, and the rear seat legroom can be a bit tight for taller passengers. The GS 350 comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 311 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. While the GS 350 is the most common model, the GS also has other models that feature different engines and transmissions.

Engine

3.5L V6

• Water Pump Leak
  • Description/Symptoms: Coolant leaking from the front of the engine, overheating, low coolant level.
  • Solution: Replace the water pump and coolant.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $800 - $1,200
  • Recalls: None Found
• Fuel Injector Leak
  • Description/Symptoms: Fuel odor, poor fuel economy, rough idling.
  • Solution: Replace the faulty fuel injector(s).
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $300 - $600 per injector
  • Recalls: None Found

Transmission

8-Speed Automatic

• Harsh Shifting
  • Description/Symptoms: Rough or jerky gear changes, especially during downshifts.
  • Solution: Software update for the transmission control module (TCM). In more severe cases, valve body replacement.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $150 - $300 for software update; $1,500 - $3,000+ for valve body replacement
  • Recalls: None Found

Suspension

• No Issues Found

Electrical

• Infotainment System Freezing/Rebooting
  • Description/Symptoms: The infotainment system screen freezes, becomes unresponsive, or randomly reboots.
  • Solution: Software update for the infotainment system. If the issue persists, the infotainment unit may need to be replaced.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $100 - $200 for software update; $1,000 - $3,000+ for infotainment unit replacement
  • Recalls: None Found
• Battery Drain
  • Description/Symptoms: The vehicle’s battery drains overnight or after a short period of inactivity, making it difficult to start.
  • Solution: Diagnose and repair parasitic drain. This may involve replacing the battery, alternator, or addressing a faulty electrical component.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $150 - $300+ for battery replacement; $300 - $500+ for alternator replacement; $100 - $1,000+ for parasitic drain diagnosis and repair
  • Recalls: None Found

Exterior

• Automatic High Beam Malfunction
  • Description/Symptoms: Automatic high beams do not function correctly, randomly activate or deactivate, or fail to turn off when oncoming traffic is detected.
  • Solution: Recalibrate or replace the windshield camera.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $200 - $500
  • Recalls: None Found

Interior

• Navigation System Errors
  • Description/Symptoms: Inaccurate GPS location, routing errors, or failure to load maps.
  • Solution: Update navigation software. If the issue persists, the navigation unit may need replacement.
  • Estimated Cost to Fix: $100 - $200 for software update; $1,000 - $2,000+ for navigation unit replacement
  • Recalls: None Found

Summary

The 2018 Lexus GS 350 generally proves to be a reliable vehicle, but some owners have reported issues, primarily related to the engine, transmission, electrical components, and infotainment system. The most common issues involve water pump leaks, fuel injector leaks, harsh transmission shifting, infotainment system glitches, and automatic high-beam malfunctions. Repair costs can range from a few hundred dollars for software updates to several thousand dollars for major component replacements. While these issues may not be widespread, potential buyers should be aware of them and have a pre-purchase inspection performed by a qualified mechanic.