2011 Lexus ES350 Problems

What owners report

Almost all complaints for this model year concern the Takata front passenger airbag inflator recall: owners report receiving notices and then waiting months for remedy parts, and many say they were advised to keep passengers out of the front seat in the meantime. A small number of complaints describe other, unrelated problems such as cooling system and engine damage, a window that would not stop closing, and a sunroof that shattered while driving.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Takata airbag inflator recall parts unavailable

   • 114 complaints (75%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2016–2017

   Owners describe receiving recall notifications for the front passenger airbag inflator and then being told by dealers and the manufacturer that remedy parts were not yet available, sometimes with no estimated date. Many state they were advised not to let anyone sit in the front passenger seat until the repair could be done, and some describe being unable to sell or trade the car with the recall open. Complaints span model years covered by several campaigns and appear over a long period, with repeated follow-up calls yielding the same answer. Mostly reported in 2016-2017 on vehicles with roughly 14,000 to 98,000 miles, often by owners in hot, humid states.

   Recall 19V741000Recall 19V005000Recall 16V3400003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check whether the passenger-side inflator recall has actually been completed on the specific vehicle, and ask for documentation rather than a verbal assurance. Some complaints also note that the government recall lookup and the manufacturer site disagreed, so confirm the status with a dealer.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall. I was informed of the recall. No current repair and was advised to not operate with a front seat passenger. Contacted the manufacturer and was told the remedy would not be ready until, at least, first quarter 2017. The dealership is willing to provide a non-comparable loaner vehicle (I would expect a luxury vehicle). My vehicle was purchased with an extended warranty and scratch and dent protection. I have also prepaid for an xm subscription. All of these purchases are being wasted if I accept the loaner. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10889175, filed 2016-07, 66,000 miles

   “Takata recall/no Lexus remedy available due to the fact that Lexus had no plan in place to handle the air bag recall and I did not want to be behind the wheel of a ticking time bomb, I felt that it was in my best interest to trade in/sell my Lexus. I ended up trading my Lexus instead of selling it because I had to inform any perspective buyer of the pending recall and what it entailed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11013033, filed 2017-08
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag did not deploy in a crash

   • 5 complaints (3%)
   • median 29,500 mi at 5.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2014–2020

   A few owners describe collisions in which the airbags did not deploy, including a rear impact at low speed, a side impact, and a high-speed loss of control on a wet road. Complaints describe injuries in some of these events and note that the vehicles were not always diagnosed afterward. Reported at mileages from about 19,000 to 89,000, in crashes between 2014 and 2020.

   What to check: Ask whether the vehicle has ever been in a reported crash and whether the airbag system was inspected afterward; a scan for stored airbag fault codes can show whether the system reports present problems.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2011 Lexus ES350. While driving at 15 MPH, the driver rear ended the preceding vehicle. The driver side air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the head and medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10732581, filed 2015-07, 19,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2011 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact was treated for post concussion syndrome, temporary hearing loss on her left ear and severe left shoulder, elbow, and knee injuries. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 28,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10628724, filed 2014-08, 28,000 miles

Buying note. The dominant item on this model year is the Takata passenger airbag inflator recall, so confirm in writing that the remedy has been performed before purchase. Beyond that, the remaining sample complaints are few and varied, so a normal pre-purchase inspection covering cooling system condition, airbag warning lights, and power window operation is the practical step.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.