Reliable Auto DB

2021 Lexus ES reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Lexus ES holds 28 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 0 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 ES years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

2019 Lexus ES 350
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

28

Per year

0

Recalls

1

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (25 of 28), then Steering (2) and Service brakes (1). The most filings arrived in 2025 (14 of 28). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 ES has 18 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Lexus ES. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall air bags, sensor, occupant classification 2023-12-20 · NHTSA campaign 23V865000
Summary 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.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Complaints by component (28 total)

Air bags
25
Steering
2
Service brakes
1
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1202312202414202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "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…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-29
  • "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.…"
    Air bags · filed 2025-12-17
  • "Still no parts for fix"
    Air bags · filed 2025-10-29
  • "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…"
    Air bags · filed 2025-09-30
  • "Recall on my vehicle has been out for 1.5 years. Dealer states no parts yet & that I should be fine. But I don’t feel safe if my passenger air bag won’t deploy in any emergency."
    Air bags · filed 2025-06-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Lexus ES 250 4 DR AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Lexus ES 300h 4 DR FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Lexus ES 350 4 DR FWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
ES 250 all-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 25 34 28 MPG $2300
ES 300h 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S6) Front-wheel drive 43 44 44 MPG $1450
ES 350 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 32 26 MPG $2500
ES 350 F Sport 3.5L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 31 25 MPG $2600

Specs and fitment

7th generation, 2019–2025
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 (ES 350); 0W-16 (ES 250) , 5.7 qt capacity
Tire size 215/55R17, 235/45R18, 235/40R19

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V-288 covers certain 2019 ES vehicles whose driver knee air bag assembly may have been improperly installed, which can affect knee air bag deployment in a crash; dealers inspect and replace the assembly if necessary. Recall 20V-012 and its expansion 20V-682 cover certain 2019-2020 ES 350 vehicles, among many other Toyota and Lexus models, where the low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail and stall the engine while driving; dealers replace the fuel pump, with 20V-682 specifying an improved assembly. Recall 23V-865 covers certain 2020-2021 ES 350 and ES 250 and 2020-2022 ES 300h vehicles (among many other Toyota and Lexus models) where a short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying; dealers inspect and replace the sensor as necessary. Recall 24V-124 covers certain 2023-2024 ES 250, ES 300h, and ES 350 vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor, along with 2023 Toyota Mirai and Lexus LS 500 and LS 500h and 2024 Lexus LC 500 and LC 500h vehicles, where incorrect parking-assist ECU programming can keep the rearview camera image from displaying within a couple of seconds of shifting into reverse; dealers update that software.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Lexus ES See every Lexus ES model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Lexus ES reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Lexus ES holds 28 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 0 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 13 ES years on this site. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

What are common problems with a 2021 Lexus ES?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (25 of 28), then Steering (2) and Service brakes (1). The most filings arrived in 2025 (14 of 28). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2021 Lexus ES more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 ES has 18 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2022 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has more complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Lexus ES been recalled?

The 2021 Lexus ES has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Lexus ES?

Owners have filed 28 complaints about the 2021 Lexus ES with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Lexus ES get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Lexus ES is 30.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 Lexus ES?

7th generation (2019-2025).

What oil does a 7th-generation Lexus ES take?

0W-20 for ES 350 (~5.7 qt with filter); 0W-16 for ES 250 (~4.8 qt). Confirm your engine in the owner’s manual.

Is the 2026 Lexus ES a new generation?

Yes. Lexus launched the eighth-generation ES for 2026 with hybrid and battery-electric models in the U.S.