2021 Lexus ES problems & reliability
28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Lexus ES, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Lexus ES vehicles were involved in 16 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 25 | 89% |
| Steering | 2 | 7% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“On or July 28, 2026, I experienced a safety incident involving the driver’s side power window on my 2021 Lexus ES. The vehicle was running, and I reached through the driver’s side window to retrieve an item being handed to me. Without me pressing or activating the window switch, the driver’s window unexpectedly…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 29, 2026
“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 for the recall…”
Air Bags · filed Dec 17, 2025
“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 exceeded a reasonable…”
Air Bags · filed Sep 30, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
48 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Lexus ES. The 10 most recent:
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
L-SB-0021-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2026
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
L-SB-0021-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 27, 2026
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0057-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 2, 2026
Some 2018 – 2025 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.
L-SB-0004-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 23, 2026
Some 2005 – 2026 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…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 15, 2025
Some customers may 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…
L-TT-0326-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 19, 2025
The specific condition covered by this program is for a small engine coolant leak that can occur from the flow shut-off valve that can allow coolant to drip on other parts of the vehicle. This can cause "Engine…
24LE02 · Service Campaign · issued Aug 7, 2025
Some 2021 model year ES 250 and 2019 – 2021 model year ES 300h and UX 200 vehicles equipped with an A25A-FKS, A25A-FXS, or M20A-FKS engine may exhibit a condition in which an “Engine Maintenance Required” message is…
L-SB-0051-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2025
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…
L-SB-0009-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2025
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 13, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2021 Lexus ES has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 Lexus ES?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.