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Lexus ES350Model year report

2012 Lexus ES350 Problems

Compared with other Lexus ES350 years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

2/100 0.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
89filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
45,582miles, 14 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
3 / 5stars overall
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 19 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Lexus ES350 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year are dominated by the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator recall: most sampled complaints describe how long the remedy took, with owners reporting dealers had no parts and advised against using the front passenger seat in the meantime. Beyond the recall the sample is thin and scattered — door and trunk latch problems, a sticky dashboard, and isolated reports of unintended acceleration and brake concerns.

  1. Air bags

    Passenger airbag inflator recall parts unavailable

    • 69 complaints (78%)
    • median 40,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • filed 2017–2018

    Owners describe receiving a recall notice for the front passenger airbag inflator and then being told by dealers that remedy parts were unavailable, often with no estimate or a date months away. Many say the notice advised not to carry a passenger in the front seat until the repair was done, and some report waiting many months without resolution. A few mention the airbag warning light staying on, though most state no actual failure had occurred. Reports cluster in 2017–2018, shortly after notices were mailed, and miles are mostly not recorded.

    Recall 17V006000Recall 19V741000Recall 19V0050003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check whether the passenger-side inflator recall has actually been completed on the car, and ask for paperwork showing the remedy was performed rather than just a notice received. Confirm the VIN against open campaigns before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall original recall date sept 2017, per Lexus dealer not available possible december 2017. Nhtsa indicates timely manner , this has been in effect since early[jan-feb 2017]...what does NHTSA define as a timely manner [my opinion a year is not a timely manner especially when dealer states in a letter...until the remedy becomes available, we recommend that you do not operate the vehicle with an occupant in the front passenger seat. We sincerely apologize.....etc no accident has occurred to date.”

    NHTSA complaint #11030343, filed 2017-09, 40,000 miles

    “Takata recall we just bought a lexus350es in september 2016, and were not aware of the takata recall until we received a recall letter on 2/17/17. The letter stated that Lexus is currently preparing the remedy for this problem and will send another notification to all affected owners when the remedy becomes available. And, what should we do? …”

    NHTSA complaint #10955677, filed 2017-02
  2. Latches, locks and linkages

    Door and trunk latches not locking or latching

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe door locks that would not lock, doors that failed to latch securely when closed, and doors locking and unlocking on their own while driving, sometimes with a trunk-open warning. Owners report that dealers diagnosed worn door actuators or a faulty trunk latch, and in some cases the work had not been done at the time of the complaint. Reported from roughly 55,000 to 100,000 miles.

    What to check: Lock and unlock every door from the fob and the switch, close each door firmly to confirm it latches, and check that no trunk-open or door-ajar warnings appear while driving.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the door locks failed to latch securely when the doors were closed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who stated that the door locks needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not subjected to any recalls pertaining to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11343217, filed 2020-08, 59,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the key was detected, and trunk open warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the doors would lock and unlock independently. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the trunk latch replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and agreed to cover the cost of the partial repair. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The VIN was not available.”

    NHTSA complaint #11438493, filed 2021-10, 55,000 miles
  3. Vehicle speed control

    Sudden or unintended acceleration reports

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Two owners describe the car accelerating unexpectedly — one while entering a parking space at low speed with the pedal travelling to the floor, and one while pulling away in traffic, with braking described as not holding the car. Both describe a crash; one vehicle was towed to a dealer without inspection. Reported at about 7,000 and 80,000 miles.

    What to check: During a test drive, check that the accelerator pedal returns freely and that floor mats are secured and not interfering with the pedals.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Was moving slowly in traffic heading toward an intersection (around 15 miles per hour). When I tried to accelerate when two cars in front of me went through the intersection, my car zoomed to around 60 miles per hour (felt like the accelerator went limp). I pumped the power brakes and they would not hold (per Lexus because the car was going to fast for the air brakes). I went through an intersection and swerved around a car and was heading too fast in the lane of traffic that I was going to hit the car in front of me. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10789879, filed 2015-11, 80,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated the person driving saw smoke starting to emit from under the passenger seat, after the seat heater was activated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician found a small burn hole on the left side of the driver seat. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 15,200. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10670928, filed 2015-01, 15,200 miles

Buying note. Most of what owners write about this year concerns the passenger airbag inflator recall and the wait for parts, so confirm that recall work is documented as complete before buying. Otherwise the sample shows few recurring problems — check the door latches, the dashboard surface, and pedal and floor-mat condition on a test drive.

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.

NHTSA recorded 89 consumer complaints for the 2012 Lexus ES350. 14 of the complaints include a mileage, and 50% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 45,582 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 208 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 5 Lexus ES350 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 2 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Takata recall - I got notice that my cars airbags could potentially explode and metal debris can go through the airbag which can cause serious injury or death. I would like the airbags to v e replaced and the problem remedied so I can feel safe driving my car.”

NHTSA complaint #11020323, filed 2017-08, 52,000 miles

Body and structure: “The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the dashboard and instrument panel were melting and sticky. There was no cushion protection on the dashboard. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that the 2012 Lexus ES350 was not eligible for a dashboard replacement, which ended in may of 2017. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing and repairs. The failure mileage was 79,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11113954, filed 2018-07, 79,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

50% of the 14 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 15,200 and 59,000 miles.

7%0–1029%10–2514%25–5029%50–7514%75–1007%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (14 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 45,582 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

20132014201520162017732018201920202021
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Lexus ES350. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
ES350 · sedan FWD★★★☆☆4 / 4224 · 10.9% risk

Neighbouring years: 2013: 5 stars overall. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Lexus ES350 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
ES 350 FWD3.5L 6-cyl6-speed automatic192722$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2012 Lexus ES350 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 208 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 208 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus ES350

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202154,0080526—Not enough data
20205—1526—Not enough data
2019512,8002526—Not enough data
201859,5002524—Not enough data
2017229,1001524—Falling
20162118,0001524—Falling
20151623,0001524—Falling
20142830,00015240 · FewerFalling
20132326,0001524—Falling
20128945,58233222 · FewerFalling
201115350,0003—220 · FewerFalling
201013724,5565—2272 · MoreRising
200914519,8505—2299 · MoreStable
200825529,0004—2293 · MoreFalling
200753932,7834—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Lexus ES350 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lexus ES350?

Owner complaints for this model year are dominated by the passenger-side frontal airbag inflator recall: most sampled complaints describe how long the remedy took, with owners reporting dealers had no parts and advised against using the front passenger seat in the meantime. The issues reported most often: Passenger airbag inflator recall parts unavailable; Door and trunk latches not locking or latching; Sudden or unintended acceleration reports.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Lexus ES350 have?

NHTSA recorded 89 consumer complaints for the 2012 Lexus ES350 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Lexus ES350 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 77 complaints (87% of the total), followed by latches, locks and linkages with 3.

Has the 2012 Lexus ES350 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2012 Lexus ES350 do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2012 Lexus ES350 3 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Lexus ES350 get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Lexus ES350 (ES 350, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 19 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Lexus ES350 reported?

Among the 14 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 45,582 miles and the middle half falls between 15,200 and 59,000 miles; 50% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.