YearToAvoid

2011 Lexus ES Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 27 airbag complaints for the 2011 Lexus ES, 59% of all 46 complaints filed for the year. Most describe delayed Takata recall repairs and airbags that failed to deploy in crashes, with 3 crashes and 2 injuries reported; median mileage at failure is 50,200.

Airbags complaints
27
59% of 46
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
50,200 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report front airbags failing to deploy during head-on and side-impact crashes at highway speeds.
  • Many describe long waits for Takata recall parts, with passenger front airbags left unreplaced for many months after the May 2016 recall notice.
  • Some owners say they avoided using the front passenger seat entirely while waiting for the airbag replacement.
  • Several complaints describe dealers unable to give a repair date and parts backordered into 2017.
  • A few owners report no warning lights appeared even though the airbag did not deploy in a collision.

When 2011 Lexus ES airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 1, 2016, latest May 1, 2024.

2011 Lexus ES airbags complaints: complaints filed per month4Aug 2016Jan 2017Mar 2017Jun 2017Oct 2017Dec 2017Nov 2023May 2024
27 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2016 to May 2024; peak Apr 2017 (4).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 Lexus ES

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Airbags complaints by ES model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200510 (17%)
  2. 20067 (58%)
  3. 200734 (27%)
  4. 200837 (54%)
  5. 200914 (50%)
  6. 201020 (49%)
  7. 201127 (59%)
  8. 201219 (61%)
  9. 20133 (9%)
  10. 20140 (0%)
  11. 20152 (40%)
  12. 20161 (11%)
  13. 20170 (0%)
  14. 20181 (20%)
  15. 20196 (18%)
  16. 20208 (44%)
  17. 202125 (89%)
  18. 20220 (0%)
  19. 20230 (0%)
  20. 20242 (22%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Are airbag problems common on the 2011 Lexus ES?
Yes relative to other years of the ES. Airbag complaints make up 59% of all complaints filed for the 2011 model year, the highest share among ES model years listed.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2011 Lexus ES?
The complaints reference the Takata airbag recall (NHTSA campaign 16v340000), though the JSON here lists no related_recalls entries tied directly to this component page.
Did the airbag issue cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 3 crashes and 2 injuries linked to airbag complaints on the 2011 Lexus ES, with no fires reported.
At what mileage do airbag problems appear on the 2011 Lexus ES?
The median mileage at failure among reported airbag complaints is 50,200 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.