YearToAvoid

2011 Lexus GS 350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

38/100

#6 most-complained of 9 GS 350 years

The 2011 Lexus GS 350 has a complaint index of 38, ranking 6th among 9 model years with data. NHTSA lists 4 complaints, 3 recalls, and 1 crash, with Airbags as the top problem area, making it relatively low-risk compared to 2013–2015 GS 350 years.

Complaints
4
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
18.5 city / 25.5 hwy

Top 2011 Lexus GS 350 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags2 (50%)
  2. Electrical System1 (25%)
  3. Structure & Body1 (25%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the Takata front passenger airbag recall left them unable to safely seat a passenger, with one owner noting Lexus would not fix or buy back the car.
  • One owner said a crash occurred while the car was parked and the airbag did not deploy, raising doubts about the airbag's condition after repair.
  • A separate report describes no remedy being available for a front passenger airbag recall notice at the time of the complaint.
  • One owner reported the dashboard melting and causing glare that made it hard to see through the windshield, at 80,000 miles, with the dealer finding no applicable recall.
  • Another owner reported an inaudible turn signal indicator, with the dealer stating the vehicle was operating as designed.
2011 Lexus GS 350 complaints: complaints filed per month1Feb 2017Aug 2017Jun 2018Jan 2020
4 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2017 to Jan 2020; peak Feb 2017 (1).

2011 Lexus GS 350 recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V432000Jun 26, 2018Fuel System114,998 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 and GS450h, 2006-2013 Lexus IS350 and 2010-2014 Lexus IS350C vehicles, equipped with 3.5L V6 2GR-FSE gasoline engines. The diaphragms in the fuel pulsation dampers may harden over time and develop cracks, possibly causing a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with a new pipe that has improved pulsation dampers, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2018. Owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is JLF.

  2. NHTSA 14V647000Oct 15, 2014Fuel System422,509 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Lexus LS vehicles manufactured May 9, 2006, to July 20, 2010, 2006-2011 Lexus GS vehicles manufactured January 6, 2005, to September 10, 2010, and 2006-2011 Lexus IS vehicles manufactured August 30, 2005, to September 10, 2010. Due to anti-corrosion plating remnants, fuel may leak from where the fuel pressure sensor is attached to the fuel delivery pipe.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will clean and reseal the fuel pressure sensor mounting area, free of charge. The recall began March 3, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

  3. NHTSA 13V395000Sep 4, 2013Engine101,584 vehicles

    Engine

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 vehicles manufactured June 19, 2006, through July 12, 2011; and model year 2006-2011 Lexus IS350 vehicles manufactured May 27, 2005, through July 13, 2011; and model year 2010-2011 Lexus IS350c vehicles manufactured November 25, 2009, through July 19, 2011. These vehicles, equipped with the 2GR-FSE engine, use bolts to secure the housing and sprocket of the Variable-Valve Timing (VVT) system gear assembly. These bolts could become loose due to abnormal impacts generated within the gear assembly immediately after a cold start-up.

    Risk: The loose bolts could cause the VVT gear housing and sprocket to separate and result in the engine stopping while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will replace the VVT unit free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

2011 Lexus GS 350 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
25.5 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,900
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other GS 350 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201020112013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution637321
2011No verdict384320.5
2013Avoid10026322
2014Avoid8816122

All Lexus GS 350 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Lexus GS 350 reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2011 GS 350 has a complaint index of 38, the 6th lowest (best) among the 9 GS 350 model years with data, indicating relatively few reported problems compared to worse years like 2013 (index 100) and 2014 (index 88).
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Lexus GS 350?
Airbags is the top problem area, accounting for 50% of complaints, followed by Electrical System and Structure & Body issues, each at 25%.
Does the 2011 Lexus GS 350 have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2011 GS 350, covering the fuel delivery pipe, fuel pressure sensor mounting area, and the VVT unit in the engine.
Should I avoid the 2011 Lexus GS 350?
Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2011 GS 350 is not among the years flagged as Avoid; years like 2013, 2014, and 2015 have notably higher complaint indexes.

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.