2021 Lexus ES Hybrid Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Lexus ES Hybrid, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- 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.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .