2012 Lexus ES Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ES years
- Far more complaints than other years 8th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Lexus ES. That ranks 8th out of 30 ES model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (19 complaints, 61%), typically at around 51,500 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
_Auto_Zuerich_2025_DSC_3061.jpg){kind=link}
- 31owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 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 | 19 | 61% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 16% | 76,750 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 13% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 73,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Lexus ES recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2012 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owned a 2012 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle was rear-ended by another vehicle, causing the vehicle to rear-end the vehicle in front, resulting in a three-vehicle crash. The impact caused the hood to unlatch, and the hood flew up. The air bags did…
The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the reflection from the melted dashboard reflected onto the windshield. In addition, the contactâs vision was impaired while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, but no…
Incident Description: The instrument panel (dashboard) and interior trim panels of my 2012 Lexus ES 350 have suffered a complete material failure, transforming from a solid surface into a viscous, melting adhesive. This is a known manufacturing defect documented under Lexus Customer Support Program…
I have a 2012 lexus es350 purchased used from an authorized dealer. I was not told about the melting dashboard issue when i purchased the car and it just started happening. I can't drive the car due to the safety issue as there is glare on the windshield in sunlight that obscures my view. The lexus…
Driving down the interstate and out of the blue my sunroof exploded. It sounded like a gunshot and I was driving 80mph. I almost ran into another driver due to glass falling on me.
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 | 31 | 0 |
| 2011 ES | 46 | 0 |
| 2010 ES | 41 | 0 |
| 2009 ES | 28 | 0 |
| 2008 ES | 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
Embed this 2012 Lexus ES badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lexus ES?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, structure problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Lexus ES?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2012 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 2012 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.