Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 46 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Lexus ES, most frequently naming the airbags, electrical and body & structure categories. 55 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2011 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 2011 | 3 | 4 |
| May 2012 | 1 | 5 |
| Jun 2012 | 1 | 6 |
| Jul 2012 | 1 | 7 |
| Oct 2013 | 1 | 8 |
| Sep 2015 | 1 | 9 |
| Aug 2016 | 2 | 11 |
| Dec 2016 | 1 | 12 |
| Jan 2017 | 2 | 14 |
| Feb 2017 | 1 | 15 |
| Mar 2017 | 2 | 17 |
| Apr 2017 | 4 | 21 |
| Jun 2017 | 2 | 23 |
| Sep 2017 | 4 | 27 |
| Oct 2017 | 2 | 29 |
| Nov 2017 | 2 | 31 |
| Dec 2017 | 1 | 32 |
| Jun 2018 | 1 | 33 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 34 |
| May 2020 | 1 | 35 |
| Sep 2021 | 1 | 36 |
| Oct 2022 | 1 | 37 |
| Nov 2023 | 2 | 39 |
| Apr 2024 | 1 | 40 |
| May 2024 | 1 | 41 |
| Aug 2024 | 1 | 42 |
| Nov 2024 | 1 | 43 |
| Dec 2024 | 1 | 44 |
| Aug 2025 | 1 | 45 |
| Jul 2026 | 1 | 46 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
I AM GETTING A PARASITIC ELECTRICAL DRAW OF 12% OVERNIGHT. ON A NEW INTERSTATE BATTERY. I HAVE CHECKED LIGHTING AND ALLSTATE MILEWISE MONITOR AND NEITHER APPEAR TO BE THE SOURCE. IS THERE A COMMON ISSUE ON A 2011 ES350?
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed fluid leaking from the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,912.
I purchased the car on Feb 9, 2014 at the above Lexus Dealership. $26,596. My dashboard is melting and it’s definitely a safety hazard. When materials used in the dashboard are prone to melting or degrading in extreme heat, potentially obstructing the driver's view and impacting visibility. At times I couldn't see and I almost had an accident when the sun reflected in my eyes. It’s a defect that Lexus is aware of because they offered to fix it under the Customer Support Program (Takata Economic Loss Class Action Settlement). Furthermore, by way of legal agreement, the ZLZ warranty enhancement coverage extends to my vehicle until January 8, 2026. However, I should not have to rely on this legal agreement to get Lexus to take care of this repair which has been determined as a defective product/material. I contacted Lexus HQ 716-941-2295 on November 21, 2024. Lexus said they would not be responsible. The law recognizes concepts of negligence and strict liability to hold sellers liable for defective goods even when no contract existed. Furthermore, regarding this dashboard defect, there is liability based on the breach of a warranty for the sale of this defective product. Regarding negligence and strict liability, the law has expanded the scope of warranty protections for consumers. This is true both of liability for express promises made by the sellers regarding the quality of products, and the protections the law presumes when sellers offer goods for sale. Lexus knows that when a seller makes a representation at the time of sale regarding the quality of the product, that product is said to be under warranty. Lexus should not continue to avoid responsibility using the excuse of time limitations on the warranty item. Lexus should authorize the repair.
We purchased this vehicle in mid 2018. In October of 2018 Lexus issued a customer support process ZLZ which covered our vehicle for problems with the dashboard. At that time, we had no deterioration of our dashboard so we did not respond. The Lexus program expired in 2021. In the last two years, our dashboard has deteriorated quite substantially becoming sticky and more importantly, becoming very reflective. This condition is a serious safety issue for day and night driving as light reflects up on the windshield and obscures vision out of the windshield. We took the vehicle to Lexus San Diego in August of 2024 and they declined to address the repair as a defect and offered to replace the dashboard for approximately $3000. At that time I called the Lexus Corporate Dept and they said that it could fall under the support program again if they re-opened the program. The representative did not offer any timeline for that happening. I sent correspondence to Lexus Corporate in Oct of 2024 and finally heard back on 11/08/2024 that they would only offer a customer paid fix of approximately $2200.00. The dashboard is definitely defective (soon to be inoperable) and creates a very significant safety problem. I do not understand or agree with Lexus not addressing it properly.
I started my vehicle and drove about 1/2 mile when the car started acting like it was running out of gas. I pulled over and got about 1gallon of gas in a gas can and put it in the vehicle. I turned the car back on and drove about 2 blocks when the vehicle started jumping like it was going to run out of gas again. The vehicle then shut down while I was driving it. I made it to the side of the road and put the vehicle in park and turned off the ignition with the push start button. I tried to start the vehicle again with the push start button and the vehicle would just try to start but just crank and not turn on. This ended up being a fault fuel pump. After some research I was able to find out Lexus had several thousand vehicles of the same year make and model recalled due to a faulty fuel pump that goes out while driving causing a dangerous driving condition which is exactly what occurred in my vehicle. I contacted Lexus and was told my vehicle was not included in the recall which I don’t understand due to the fact that my fuel pump went out while was driving. I am requesting this issue be investigated and the vehicle be added to the list of recalled vehicles with faulty fuel pumps
The contact owned a 2011 Lexus ES 350. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, another vehicle crossed over into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact's wife was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for injuries to her right shoulder, left hip, left femur, and left foot, requiring surgery on her shoulder, hip, and femur. The contact also stated that it was required that a stint be placed in his wife's heart. The contact mentioned the injuries sustained resulted in over $1 million in medical treatment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the passenger’s side air bag warning light was flashing constantly. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Occupant Classification Sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the Occupant Classification Sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags). The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
I own a 2011 Lexus ES350. I understand there were several times in the past when repairs for a melting dashboard was fixed with no cost to the car owner. I don’t recall receiving information on this offer in a timely manner and now the offers have apparently expired. I think most customers were concerned about the cosmetic damage of the dashboard, but I have valid safety concerns. Sometimes when the sun is out, the line of vision is blurred due to the reflection of the melted dashboard. I want this to be repaired before I have an accident.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may trap water and cause the paint to stain from the trapped moisture, especially on horizontal surfaces such as the hood, roof, and trunk.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Some 2005 – 2024 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Some 2005 – 2024 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell 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 all model and model year specific 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.
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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 65.8 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 51.4 |
| 2020 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 56.8 |
| 2019 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 53.0 |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 49.1 |
| 2012 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 54.1 |
| 2011Viewing | 46 | 0 | 0 | 46.4 |
| 2010 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 44.0 |
| 2009 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 49.3 |
| 2008 | 68 | 0 | 1 | 50.0 |
| 2007 | 125 | 0 | 1 | 49.7 |
| 2006 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 29.7 |
| 2005 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 54.8 |
| 2004 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 43.6 |
| 2003 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 54.1 |
| 2002 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 54.2 |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
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.