repaired · 2026 Q3
Sensor: occupant classification
Risk. An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
2021 Lexus ESProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 28 owner complaints about the 2021 Lexus ES, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 23V-865 the manufacturer reports only 59% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 29, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2021 Lexus ES has problems
28 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
25Air bags
2Steering1 crash/fire/injury
1Service brakes
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 25 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2021 Lexus ES recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lexus.
Best & worst years
2021 vs. every other ES year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the ES median. How we score
'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What ES owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES-300H. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time…
The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 300H. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags). The contact called the dealer for over a year for parts availability updates and was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had…
Recall on my vehicle has been out for 1.5 years. Dealer states no parts yet & that I should be fine. But I don’t feel safe if my passenger air bag won’t deploy in any emergency.
Own a 2021 ES?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.