YearToAvoid

2012 Lexus LS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

77/100

#4 most-complained of 14 LS years

The 2012 Lexus LS has 5 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 77 out of 100 — #4 highest of 14 LS model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is airbags (2 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes.

Complaints
5
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 23 hwy

Top 2012 Lexus LS problems

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

  1. Airbags2 (40%)
  2. Brakes1 (20%)
  3. Electrical System1 (20%)
  4. Other1 (20%)
  5. Structure & Body1 (20%)
2012 Lexus LS complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2015Sep 2022Aug 2024May 2025
6 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2015 to May 2025; peak Sep 2022 (2).

2012 Lexus LS recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2012 Lexus LS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
23 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,200
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.

2012 compared with other LS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’18’19’20’21’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution628019
2011Avoid859019
2012Avoid775019
2013Good465019
2014No verdict383019

All Lexus LS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Lexus LS a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Lexus LS ranks #4 of 14 among LS model years (Complaint Index 77/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 5 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lexus LS?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (2 complaints), brakes (1 complaints), and electrical system (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 32,500 miles.
Does the 2012 Lexus LS have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2012 Lexus LS in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Lexus LS?
EPA rates the 2012 Lexus LS at 19 MPG combined (16 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.