2021 Lexus ES

Routine

Owners filed 28 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags25
000
Steering2
100
Unknown or Other1
001

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification23V865000
Filed Dec 20, 2023999,901 vehiclesToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Defect. 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.

Risk. An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other1 injured
Filed Jul 29, 2026NC

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 quickly closed on my arm. It trapped my right forearm. I could not get my arm out for several minutes and attempted to open the window with both the switch and manually using all my force from my upper body to try to free my right arm. The associate also tried to push the window back open but it would not budge. I had also tried opened the driver’s door to see if that would cause the window to release. Nothing I could do would budge the window open for me to pull free and the force was very strong against my arm. I finally freed my arm and the window closed quickly on both hands at my knuckles before I could pull them out. Which I also had to struggle against with great force.That's how fast the window was going. I did think I was going to loose my hand. The incident resulted in injury to my right arm. Based on my understanding, the power window did not stop or reverse as I would have expected from the vehicle’s anti-pinch safety feature. This unexpected window movement created a risk of serious injury. I am concerned that this may indicate a defect in the power window system or its safety features. I am submitting this report so the incident can be documented and inve

Air Bags
Filed Dec 17, 2025CA

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 repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 29, 2025CA

Still no parts for fix

Air Bags
Filed Sep 30, 2025CA

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 amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 30, 2025CA

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 Jun 17, 2025NJ

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed May 13, 2025MD

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES350. 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 repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 16, 2025CO

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 unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 8, 2025VA

AIR BAG RECALL IN DECEMBER 2023 STILL NO REMEDY AVAILABLE !

Air Bags
Filed Mar 27, 2025CA

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES300H. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 14, 2025CA

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES350. 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 repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 25, 2025CA

I received a DMV notice of Vehicle Safety Recall, I contacted the Dealer and they notify me that as of now there is no repair for it. That it is on "Interim notice". That if you need a documentation from the that they can provide it for me. Please let me know how to go about it asap. I like to renew my vehicle registration and I can't do it because of the Recall on my car. Thank you.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 24, 2025AZ

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 repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 13, 2025CA

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 250. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 9, 2025CA

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES. 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 not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Dec 31, 2024TX

Front seat passenger air bag recall and it has been over a year and they are still waiting for the parts. The recall says that the air bag may not deploy when it is supposed to and could cause injury to the occupant. I would think this would be a high priority for Lexus to fix the problem. Can you help us get this taken care of?

Air Bags
Filed Nov 15, 2024FL

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 350. 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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Nov 4, 2024CA

This vehicle has a recall for the passenger side airbag OCS sensors NHTSA 23V865 as of December 2023 and there is still no remedy available per NHTSA. This is not being remedied in a timely manner.

Air Bags
Filed Nov 1, 2024CA

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 21, 2024TX

The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts unavailable.

20 of 28 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2007
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20254110Routine
20249200Routine
202310200Routine
20229000Routine
2021 — this page28100Routine
202018100Routine
201934100Routine
20185000Routine
20172000Routine
20169000Routine
20155000Routine
20144000Routine
201333000Routine
201231010Routine
201146000Routine
201041000Routine
200928000Routine
200868000Routine
2007125010Routine
200612000Routine
200558000Routine
200416000Routine
200323000Routine
200227050Routine
20012000Routine
20006030Routine
19998130Routine
19981100Routine
19972100Routine
19961000Routine

Compare every ES year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 20, 2023. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.