Lexus ES Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 227 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Lexus ES across 20 model years. The 2008 model year has the most (37). The words owners use most often: “passenger seat” (11% of reports).
- 227air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 39mention a crash
- 31mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 6%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 24 of 227 complaints (11%)
- Takata airbag: mentioned in 12 of 227 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 68 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 227 complaints, 39 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 31 an injury.
Lexus ES air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ES | 2 | 22% | 3,072 |
| 2021 ES | 25 | 89% | — |
| 2020 ES | 8 | 44% | — |
| 2019 ES | 6 | 18% | 18,400 |
| 2018 ES | 1 | 20% | — |
| 2016 ES | 1 | 11% | — |
| 2015 ES | 2 | 40% | 110,000 |
| 2013 ES | 3 | 9% | 45,000 |
| 2012 ES | 19 | 61% | 51,500 |
| 2011 ES | 27 | 59% | 50,200 |
| 2010 ES | 20 | 49% | 70,000 |
| 2009 ES | 14 | 50% | 93,500 |
| 2008 ES | 37 | 54% | 77,000 |
| 2007 ES | 34 | 27% | 140,000 |
| 2006 ES | 7 | 58% | 112,000 |
| 2005 ES | 10 | 17% | 13,425 |
| 2004 ES | 4 | 25% | 167,500 |
| 2003 ES | 3 | 13% | 20,000 |
| 2002 ES | 3 | 11% | 115,000 |
| 1999 ES | 1 | 13% | 35,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Model years: 2020, 2021
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Air bags:knee bolster
Model years: 2019
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Lexus ES vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a driver knee air bag assembly mounted to the lower instrument panel (IP) that may have been improperly installed, possibly affecting the deployment of the knee air bag in the event of a crash.
Risk: In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the knee air bag does not deploy properly.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver knee air bag assembly, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 8, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are KLD and KLE.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are 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…
On May 13, 2026, while traveling at approximately 31 mph under normal driving conditions, a critical right-front suspension or steering component suddenly suffered a catastrophic structural failure on its own. This spontaneous mechanical failure caused the vehicle to immediately and violently veer…
I've had my car for 3 years now and it randomly decided to throw a SRS airbag malfunction warning that will not go away. I know most of the last gen es350 had airbag recalls but the 2019 model year really didn't and I think its something similar. The car runs fine but the fact that my airbags wont…
Lexus of Sarasota Fl confirmed a Faulty brake actuators causing brake , skid control and ABS light to come on which created an immediate and extremely dangerous driving situation as I was on an interstate highway driving at 70 mph. Itâs been confirmed that multiply Lexus models and years have had…
The contact owns a 2002 Lexus ES 300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH in the driveway and turning into the garage, the vehicle unintentionally accelerated, hit a beam, drove through the garage wall, and into the dining area of the residence, crashed into the furniture, and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Lexus ESs have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 227 owner complaints about air bags for the Lexus ES. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Lexus ES air bags?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Lexus ES?
The most frequent phrase is “passenger seat”, in 24 of 227 complaints, followed by “takata airbag” (12).
See all Lexus ES problems.