Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Lexus LS, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Wheels1
- Engine1
- Unknown or other1
- Exterior lighting1
- Tires1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.2–11.1 L/100 km (about 21–26 mpg US), CO₂ 213–269 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| LS 500h AWD · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 10.1 | 8.1 | 9.2 |
| LS 500 AWD · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.8 | 8.7 | 11.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
24V275000 · Air bags17 Apr 2024 · 509 vehicles
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."
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 LS: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 11003643 | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, |
| 11003642 | Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. L-PG004-94. The entire bulletin has been updated. |
| 11003641 | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborn |
| 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 |
| 11003588 | Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfaces can occur. Acid rain damage can typically be identified on vehicles by the presence of stains on the paint surface that resemble hard water spots. Unlike water spots however, acid rain damage cannot be removed by regular washing procedures. Also, because acid rain can etch and soften the paint, |
| 11003587 | Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to remove the RapgardTM protective film within 90 days from initial application. SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin No. L-PG004-94. The entire bulletin has been updated. |
| 11003586 | Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, red or brown particles on the paint surface. These particles are often difficult to see on dark color paints but can be easily felt when brushing a hand across horizontal body surfaces such as the hood, roof, or deck lid. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to clean vehicles that may have been subjected to contamination by airborn |
| 10253239 | TSB: Some 2018 ? 2023 model year LS 500 and LS 500h vehicles may exhibit a knock/clunk noise from the rear of the vehicle when applying the brakes while driving forward and/or in reverse. The noise is most noticeable when coming to a complete stop. Improved rear brake pads are available to correct this condition. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 10245475 | TI: TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR 22LC01 DATA COMMUNICATION MODULE (DCM) REPROGRAMMING CERTAIN 2021 MODEL YEAR IS300, IS350, LC500, LC500h, LC500C, LS500, LS500h, NX300, NX300h, RC300, RC350, RC F CERTAIN 2021-2022 RX350, RX350L, RX450h, RX450hL CERTAIN 2022 GX460 |
| 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)