Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints 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.
9
Latest Jan 25, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
17%
of 52 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Lexus ES300 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Jan 25, 2011
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS ES300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE SIDE SWIPED HIS VEHICLE, CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A CEMENT WALL. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND SHOULDER AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT HIM. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 09/19/11
NHTSA ID
10378612
Incident
Oct 20, 2010
Mileage
68,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 13, 2011
Crash reported2 injuries reported
MY 1998 LEXUS HIT A CEMENT WALL AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I CALLED AND WROTE TO LEXUS HEADQUARTERS THREE TIMES AND THEY NEVER RESPONDED. I WANT TO HEAR FROM LEXUS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ID
10376579
Incident
Oct 20, 2010
Mileage
60,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 30, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported
AIR BAG, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S, FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION THAT DESTROYED VEHICLE. DRIVER WAS ONLY PERSON IN CAR AND FROM THE SEAT/LAP BELT SUFFERED SEVER BRUISING ON TORSO, ABDOMEN AND THIGHS. LEFT KNEE BADLY BRUISED FROM CONTACT WITH STEERING COLUMN. THE SEAT/LAP BELT DID NOT FAIL. THE CAR WAS A 1998 LEXUS ES300 WITH APPROXIMATELY 157,000 MILES AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. HAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, I BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE STILL HAD SOME BRUISING BUT THE BRUISING WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS SEVERE AND LESS PAINFUL AND HAD SHORTER RECOVERY TIME. 30 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I STILL HAVE BRUISES SHOWING AND HAVE SEVER LARGE LUMPS UNDER THE SKIN WHERE THE BRUISES EXISTED. I STILL HAVE MANY TENDER AND SORE AREAS FROM THE BRUISES. *TR
NHTSA ID
10247267
Incident
Sep 28, 2008
Mileage
157,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 18, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported
THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE AIRBAGS IN MY WIFE'S 1998 LEXUS ES300 NOT DEPLOYING WHEN IN A FULL FRONTAL ACCIDENT AT 35-45 MPH. *JB
NHTSA ID
10066411
Incident
Apr 15, 2004
Mileage
96,659 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 26, 2001
THE SRS (SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM) FLASHING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CONTINUES TO COME ON. WE DO NOT KNOW IF OUR AIRBAGS OR SELTBELTS WOULD WORK IN AN ACTUAL COLLISION. THE AUTOMOBILE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM 5 TIMES. THEY HAVE REPLACED ALL KINDS OF THINGS, BUT NOTHING HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM. ARE WE SAFE? *AK
NHTSA ID
754941
Incident
Jun 5, 2001
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Sep 22, 1999
Crash reported
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT; VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED ON PASSENGER'S SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH OR MORE. PASSENGER WAS FORCED OVER TO DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK PROPERLY, AND BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIM.; SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
NHTSA ID
848453
Incident
Sep 5, 1999
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Sep 3, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING VEHICLE COLLISION CAUSING INJURIES TO PASSENGERS ELBOW, CHEST, NECK AND BACK, PASSENGER IN THE REAR ALSO SUSTAIN INJURY TO THE CHEST, NECK AND BACK FROM THE SEATBELT. NLM
NHTSA ID
548346
Incident
Jul 17, 1999
Airbags
Filed Feb 1, 1999
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING COLLISION. YH
NHTSA ID
608814
Airbags
Filed Jan 19, 1999
1 injury reported
WHILE TRAVELING AT 10MPH VEHICLE HIT A CURB, CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. A CHEMICAL RELEASED BY THE AIR BAGS CAUSED INJURY TO THE PASSENGER'S EYES. DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS ALSO SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
833674
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.