Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Lexus ES, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags25
- Steering2
- Unknown or other1
- Service brakes1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 16 2021 ES vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 113 of these cars first registered in 2021 took their annual MOT test. 98% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2021 the figure was 91%.
98%passed first time
91%all cars from 2021
29,300 miaverage mileage at the test (all cars 30,000 mi)
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 0.9% | 3.3% |
| Visibility | 0.9% | 1.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 8.4 L/100 km (about 28 mpg US), CO₂ 197 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| ES 250 AWD · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 9.5 | 7.0 | 8.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
23V865000 · Air bags20 Dec 2023 · 999,901 vehicles
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lexus told its dealers about the 2021 Lexus ES: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011637 | After jump-starting, the vehicle may experience a no-start condition and multiple DTCs including U010087 - Lost Communication with ECM/PCM "A" Missing Message. Upon investigation, it is found that the engine ECU has been damage and needs to be replaced. In several cases, the cause of the ECU damage was improper jump starting. Further investigation found that ECU damage may occur if the negative (ground) cable clamps are attached on or around the engine ECU or mounting bracket. To prevent this condition from occurring, it is recommended that the jumper cables be attached as described in the own |
| 11010366 | After jump-starting, the vehicle may experience a no-start condition and multiple DTCs including U010087 - Lost Communication with ECM/PCM "A" Missing Message. Upon investigation, it is found that the engine ECU has been damage and needs to be replaced. In several cases, the cause of the ECU damage was improper jump starting. Further investigation found that ECU damage may occur if the negative (ground) cable clamps are attached on or around the engine ECU or mounting bracket. |
| 11010352 | Some 2021 2024 model year ES 250, ES 300h, ES 350, RX 350, RX 350h, RX 500h, UX 200, and UX 250h vehicles may exhibit a high-pitched noise coming from the front HVAC blower motor while operating the air conditioner or heater. This condition does not affect the operation of the vehicle, however, a heater cover has been developed to help reduce or potentially eliminate the noise. |
| 11007456 | 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 |
| 11006162 | 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 |
| 11005121 | 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 |
| 11005063 | 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 |
| 11003650 | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible. |
| 11003648 | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation |
| 11003595 | To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer. Consequently, the film should remain on the wheel for as long as possible. |
| 11003593 | The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage can occur. This damage is the result of actual etching of the paint and appears as pitting or water spots. As acid rain droplets on the vehicle surface evaporate, the concentration strength of the acid increases, causing deeper and more rapid damage. This evaporation |
| 10252264 | TSB: Some 2021 ? 2024 model year ES 250 and 2022 ? 2024 model year NX 250 vehicles with A25A-FKS engines may have a MIL ON condition with one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) upon cold soak start up with engine coolant temperatures between 14F ? 41F: ?P030027 ? Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected (Emission) Signal Rate of Change Above Threshold ?P030000 ? Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected ?P030100 ? Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected ?P030200 ? Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected ?P030300 ? Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected ?P030400 ? Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected |
| 10252258 | TSB: Some 2018 ? 2022 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. The SST is used with applicable vehicles to deliver the update, however, the process for generating license keys differs from previous generations. Before attempting to perform a map update, the expiration date of the dynamic subscription (stored in the head unit), must be checked. If the expiration date has not passed, a license key may be generated without the purchase of an activat |
| 10251748 | TSB: Some 2021 ? 2022 model year ES 250 vehicles equipped with an A25A-FKS engine may exhibit reduced engine power and/or a MIL ON condition with one or more of the following throttle body Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) present in freezing temperatures: ?P01201C: Throttle / Pedal Position Sensor / Switch ?A? Circuit Voltage Out of Range. ?P210015: Throttle Actuator ?A? Control Motor Circuit Short to Battery or Open. ?P210019: Throttle Actuator ?A? Control Motor Circuit Current Above Threshold. ?P211172: Throttle Actuator ?A? Control System Actuator Stuck Open. The Engine Control M |
| 10247804 | TSB: Some 2019 ? 2023 model year ES 350, 2018 ? 2023 model year IS 350, IS 300, RC 350, RC 300, 2016 ? 2022 model year RX 350, and 2016 ? 2020 model year GS 350 vehicles equipped with a 2GR-FKS engine may exhibit a knocking noise from the vacuum pump at idle. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to improve this condition. |
| 10247795 | TSB: Some 2018 ? 2024 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit a hybrid system warning lamp occurring in below-freezing temperatures (below 32F or 0C). After performing a Health Check, one or both of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) may be present: ?P1C8449 ? (High Voltage Power Resource Circuit Short during Ready ON) ?P300449 ? (High Voltage Power Resource Circuit Short during Pre-Charge) Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to address this condition. |
| 10244114 | TSB: The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. Follow the procedures outlined in this service bulletin to aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks. |
| 10244110 | TT: A very small percentage of customers 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. |
| 10241386 | TSB: Some 2021 ? 2024 model year Lexus vehicles use hub bolts in place of studs/nuts to fasten the wheels to the vehicle. If non-compatible wheels or hub bolts/nuts are installed, there is increased risk that the wheel(s) could come off resulting in a crash. This service bulletin outlines the physical differences and precautions that should be taken when servicing different wheel and wheel fastener types. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)