2008 Lexus ES Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Lexus ES. That ranks 2nd out of 30 ES model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (37 complaints, 54%), typically at around 77,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 8 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 68owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Lexus ES problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 37 | 54% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 16% | 162,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 10% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 6% | 245,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 6% | 33,296 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | 50,148 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 37,911 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 40,822 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 1% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 122,444 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Lexus ES recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2008 Lexus ES.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Unwanted acceleration, floor mat (EA07010) — opened Aug 8, 2007, closed Oct 11, 2007, led to recall 07E082000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle: 2008 Lexus ES 350 Issue Description: The dashboard in my vehicle is melting and becoming sticky, causing a reflective glare on the windshield during daylight driving. This significantly impacts visibility and creates a potential safety hazard. The condition worsens with heat and sun…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Lexus ES 350. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 153,000. However, a subsequent Carfax report revealed that the actual mileage was 245,000.
The front control arms, their bushings and ball joints are failing. My car only has 125k miles on it, but it drifts and bounces around as if there is no struts at all. It is very scary to drive, it feels like something terrible is about to happen like a wheel snapping off and causing accident. I…
The contact owned a 2008 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 - 40 MPH, the air bags suddenly deployed independently. The contact stated that his view was obstructed due to the air bag deployment, and he briefly lost control the vehicle and the vehicle came to a…
The dashboard of the vehicle has deteriorated causing an extreme shiny surface all over. This can be seen at even given time of inspection. A recall was released to do this issue but when the LEXUS Newport News, VA dealership was contacted, the response was this vehicle was not included. During…
Other Lexus ES years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 ES | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 ES | 9 | 2 |
| 2023 ES | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 ES | 11 | 0 |
| 2021 ES | 28 | 1 |
| 2020 ES | 18 | 1 |
| 2019 ES | 34 | 1 |
| 2018 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 ES | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 ES | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 ES | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 ES | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 ES | 34 | 0 |
| 2012 ES | 31 | 0 |
| 2011 ES | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 ES | 41 | 0 |
| 2009 ES | 28 | 0 |
| 2008 | 68 | 0 |
| 2007 ES | 125 | 0 |
| 2006 ES | 12 | 0 |
| 2005 ES | 58 | 0 |
| 2004 ES | 16 | 0 |
| 2003 ES | 23 | 0 |
| 2002 ES | 27 | 0 |
| 2001 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 ES | 6 | 0 |
| 1999 ES | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 ES | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 ES | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 ES | 1 | 0 |
See all Lexus ES problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Lexus ES?
Owners most often report air bags, unknown or other, structure problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Lexus ES?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2008 Lexus ES a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other ES model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.