RoadVitals

2021 Lexus LS

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.
5
Latest May 26, 2026
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 Apr 17, 2024
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.
0
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 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 Lexus LS, most frequently naming the engine, exterior lighting and other / unspecified categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 34 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

  • Engine125.0%
  • Exterior lighting125.0%
  • Other / unspecified125.0%
  • Tires & wheels125.0%

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

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

Apr 17, 2024
509 units potentially affected
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Lexus LS500 and 2018-2020 Lexus LS500 Hybrid vehicles equipped with the "Executive Package." The front passenger seat may have been assembled with interference between internal parts that can cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to incorrectly detect the occupant. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: Incorrect detection of an occupant may result in improper air bag deployment during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the front passenger seat, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 7, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 24LA03.
Toyota Motor Engineering & ManufacturingManufacturer number 24LA03View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Engine
Filed May 26, 2026

My vehicle has the V6 twin turbo engine that’s been recalled on other years and models and was diagnosed with an internal engine failure. The mechanic at the dealership couldn’t figure out the problem so an expert TAS Lexus specialist was called in and couldn’t figure out the problem either. They’ve had the car for 3 months and since they don’t know how to fix it they are telling me to just replace the engine with a used engine at a cost of $25,000. The vehicle is just out of warranty and Toyota/Lexus is refusing to cover any of the costs. The vehicle was serviced regularly so this shouldn’t have happened. This is a common problem with this model of engine. I believe it’s a design flaw as this model engine is assembled at different plants/locations and over long periods of time that would indicate a design flaw and not due to Toyota’s official stance of debris left in engine block during assembly. Toyota should recall and replace all these engines at no charge to the owner of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11740217
Incident
Feb 21, 2026
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 29, 2026

Both headlight assemblies on a 2021 Lexus LS 500 show external lens delamination, along with visible condensation inside the sealed units. The vehicle has been garage kept, has not been involved in any accidents, and has no external damage to the headlight assemblies. The outer lens surfaces are deteriorating, and moisture is present inside components that are designed to be sealed. The condition has progressively worsened over time. These issues reduce headlight clarity and light output, negatively affecting forward visibility during nighttime driving and creating a potential safety hazard.

NHTSA ID
11734508
Incident
Jun 1, 2025
Filed Apr 14, 2025

I was driving and my sunroof exploded sounding like a gun shot. The sunroof shattered and was blown apart on all 4 sides. Glass fell in my face and all over me

NHTSA ID
11654618
Incident
Apr 13, 2025
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 21, 2024

OEM Bridgestone Turanza EL440 RFT 245/45 R20 These tires have not retained recommended air pressure for more than a few weeks at a time since new. Inspection earlier this year by a Bridgestone dealer found no problem with a tire that had lost 5 psi in a week. The tire subsequently began making a rotational noise that the Lexus dealer diagnosed as a slipped belt. Having replaced the defective tire, I now have the same noise symptoms arising in another tire. The dealer can find no reason for the chronic air loss in the two left side tires which, given the developing rotational noise, I expect will soon have similar belt failure. Dealer personnel admit that these tires are problematic. Bridgestone customer service has been unresponsive.

NHTSA ID
11626674
Incident
Jul 12, 2024
Other / unspecified
Filed Jan 14, 2024

The car slipped because of tread wear on the inner side of all four tires. Car has manufacturer installed tires.

NHTSA ID
11565488
Incident
Jan 7, 2024

Manufacturer communications

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

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.

L-SB-0043-23 Rev1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.

L-TT-0341-25

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system and are only to be used when requested by FTS and/or FPE.

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 LS by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000
2025120
2024020
2023120
2022000
2021Viewing510
2020010
2019110
2018142050.4
2016500
2015200
2014300
2013500
2012500
2011900
2010800
2009130035.9
2008431041.8
2007451046.2
2006171048.6
2005520
2004820
2003110
2002720
2001320
2000120
1999310
1998210
1997100
1996100
1995200
1994400

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.