RoadVitals

2021 Lexus ES Hybrid

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Sep 26, 2024
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Dec 20, 2023
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Lexus ES Hybrid, most frequently naming the driver assistance, electrical and seat belts categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 115 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance133.3%
  • Electrical133.3%
  • Seat belts133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
23V865000

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Dec 20, 2023
999,901 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The remedy: 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.
Toyota Motor Engineering & ManufacturingManufacturer number 23TA15, 23LA03View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP22005ClosedDefect Petition

Pedestrian alert sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023
Closed Aug 7, 2023

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEMLed to recall 22V063000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Seat belts
Filed Sep 26, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 300H. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and attempting to stop, the front driver’s side seat belt failed to retract. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

NHTSA ID
11616651
Incident
Sep 26, 2024
Mileage
60,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 24, 2023

On Nov 9, 2022 I first noticed the problem. When I drove back to home Vancouver, WA from California I used cruise control all the way. I was driving at 70 and ahead of me was traffic. The car in front of me slowed down and the cruise control was on which was supposed to detect the car ahead and slowed down using the brakes but it didn’t and my rpm went high almost 4-5. I called the dealership about the incident while on the way. I was asked if there were any issues like lights, warning/message but there was nothing. I have a video about it. When I arrived home turned off the car. Woke up the next day, took it to the dealership and the car is working fine. I showed one of the service reps the video and he stated they cant fix the car because there is no issue coming up in the computer. At the time the mileage was 46,313. After this incident it didn’t happen again. However after 60k miles when I drove over 6-7hrs the problem came up again. I almost got in an accident because the car didn’t slow down and stop. I called the lexus headquarters and they communicated with the same dealership to look into it. My car is at the dealership right now and don't know if they will find the issue and if it will get fixed. I don't feel safe driving this car because of the close encounters Ive had to an accident. I rely on my car for my job and by leaving it at a dealership for many days Im losing income. I hope they can find the issue and fix it right away.

NHTSA ID
11503312
Incident
Nov 9, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

L-SB-0021-25

ENGINE

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.

L-SB-0021-25

ENGINE

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.

L-SB-0057-22 Rev2

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.

L-SB-0004-26

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation System, require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev2

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-TT-0326-23 Rev2

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist those customers with user issues, user errors, and compatibility issues with other vehicle systems and external applications encountered while operating telematics features.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Lexus ES Hybrid by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025010—
2024020—
2023020—
2022311—
2021Viewing211—
2020121—
2019111—
2018501—
2017101—
2016701—
2015611—
2014101155.1
2013811—
2012000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.