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?
2021 Lexus ES airbags problems
moderate 25 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
All 25 complaints involve NHTSA Campaign 23V865000 affecting 2021 Lexus ES models (ES250, ES300H, ES350). Owners received recall notices stating the passenger airbag may not deploy in a collision. The core issue: repair parts remain unavailable, often for over a year after recall notification.
Owners contacted dealers repeatedly and were told parts are not yet available and no remedy exists. Several mention calling dealers for a year or longer without resolution. Lexus dealers informed owners that parts distribution is delayed and repair timelines are unknown—one dealer said possibly Q3 2024. One owner notes an "Interim notice" status, preventing vehicle registration renewal.
No narratives describe actual airbag failures or deployments. The complaints center on the unresolved recall itself: prolonged unavailability of parts to fix a safety defect. Owners express frustration about the gap between being notified of a serious safety risk (passenger airbag non-deployment) and having no way to address it. One owner with a 12-year-old passenger reports safety concerns; another describes the situation as "not being remedied in a timely manner." Dealers offer no temporary fixes, loaner vehicles, or compensation during the wait.
Failure modes owners describe
Passenger airbag non-deployment (NHTSA 23V865000)
Recall issued for 2021 Lexus ES models alleging passenger-side airbag may not deploy in a crash, increasing injury risk. Root cause not specified in owner narratives.
When: Recall issued; part availability delayed over 1+ year from notification
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received for passenger airbag non-deployment risk; No actual failure reported by any owner
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 23V865000, NHTSA 23V865
Repairs/costs cited: Repair parts unavailable at time of complaint. Dealers unable to schedule repairs. One dealer mentioned possible Q3 2024 availability; no remedy date confirmed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 23V865000 recall issued December 2023. Lexus acknowledged prolonged parts unavailability. Status: 'Interim notice' in at least one case; no official timeline provided to owners.
Passenger occupant classification (OCS) sensor issue
One narrative mentions 'passenger side airbag OCS sensors' (occupant classification sensors). These sensors determine whether an adult or child is in the seat and should adjust airbag deployment accordingly. Failure to properly classify occupants would prevent appropriate airbag response.
When: Recall issued December 2023; unfixed through date of complaints
Symptoms owners cite: OCS sensor failure preventing correct passenger classification; Airbag may not deploy when it should
Codes mentioned: NHTSA 23V865
Repairs/costs cited: No repair parts available. Owners awaiting parts with no confirmed ETA.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 23V865 issued; parts on back-order indefinitely.
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 18 most recent
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…
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…
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.
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…
Still no parts for fix
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…
The contact owns a 2021 Lexus ES 350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bag) 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…
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…
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 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…
Had airbags trouble with your 2021 Lexus ES?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2021 Lexus ES?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 25 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/Lexus/ES.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.