What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lexus ES?

Air bags lead the list with 96 complaints. Electrical and structure reports are far smaller.

Does the 2012 Lexus ES have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data shows 3 recalls. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

Is the 2012 Lexus ES reliable?

The complaints are concentrated in one group, with the rest spread thin. These are unverified owner reports, so read the sections above and the Recalls section together.

What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Lexus ES?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the figures.

2012 Lexus ES Problems, Recalls and MPG

Q: How many complaints does the 2012 Lexus ES have?

NHTSA has 120 owner complaints on file.

NHTSA has 120 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Lexus ES^[1]. The air bags group stands far above the rest with 96 complaints^[2].

120owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

22MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

3★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the stories we read, biggest first.

Air Bags. 96 complaints^[2]. Owners describe waiting a long time for recall repair parts after a letter arrived. Some describe a part of the air bag system hurting a passenger in a crash.
Electrical System. 7 complaints^[6]. Owners describe smoke from a heated seat, a horn that cut out, and door locks that stopped responding.
Structure. 6 complaints^[7]. Owners describe a dashboard that turned soft and sticky and threw glare onto the windshield. One owner describes a sunroof that shattered on the highway.
Unknown Or Other. 5 complaints^[8]. These reports do not fit a named group.
Speed Control. 3 complaints^[9]. Owners describe the car surging forward while parking, with brakes that did not stop it in time.
Latches/Locks/Linkages. 3 complaints^[10]. Owners describe doors that would not lock.
Visibility/Wiper. 3 complaints^[11]. These reports touch on seeing out of the car.
Brakes. 1 complaint^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2012 ES is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V741), October 2019. About 928,220 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death.^[13]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (19V005), January 2019. About 1,299,448 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: explosion, injury, death.^[14]
Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module (17V006), January 2017. About 577,875 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, death. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
ES 350, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	19 / 27 / 22	$3,050

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	3	4	2	4	10.9%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2012 Lexus ES with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[16]	268 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
ES 350 4DR SEDAN FWD^[17]	191 in	72 in	57 in	109 in	3,580 lb

How 2012 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each ES model year. The 2012 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	38	1
1996	38	1
1997	47	2
1998	53	1
1999	35	0
2000	62	0
2001	31	0
2002	180	2
2003	139	0
2004	190	2
2005	200	2
2006	79	0
2007	664	4
2008	323	4
2009	173	5
2010	179	5
2011	199	3
2012	120	3
2013	70	1
2014	46	1
2015	27	1
2016	37	1
2017	26	1
2018	15	2
2019	40	4
2020	24	3
2021	35	1
2022	16	1
2023	11	2
2024	9	2
2025	5	1
2026	1	0

NHTSA's counts for the ES show 120 complaints and 3 recalls for 2012^[3]. Among the 32 model years listed, 22 have fewer complaints than 2012 and 9 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (1) and the most are for 2007 (664)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2012 ES?

The complaint record is heavily tied to one group, air bags^[2]. Some of those stories are about waiting for a recall fix rather than a failure on the road. The by-year data lists 3 recalls, so check the Recalls section for this car^[3]. The other groups are small by comparison^[6]^[7], though the speed control stories describe frightening moments and 8 complaints mention a crash^[1]. Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Lexus ES?: Air bags lead the list with 96 complaints^[2]. Electrical and structure reports are far smaller^[6]^[7].
Does the 2012 Lexus ES have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data shows 3 recalls^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2012 Lexus ES have?: NHTSA has 120 owner complaints on file^[1].
Is the 2012 Lexus ES reliable?: The complaints are concentrated in one group^[2], with the rest spread thin^[6]. These are unverified owner reports, so read the sections above and the Recalls section together.
What is the gas mileage of the 2012 Lexus ES?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the figures.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Lexus ES

2002 180 complaints, 2 recalls
2003 139 complaints, 0 recalls
2004 190 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 200 complaints, 2 recalls
2006 79 complaints, 0 recalls
2007 664 complaints, 4 recalls
2008 323 complaints, 4 recalls
2009 173 complaints, 5 recalls
2010 179 complaints, 5 recalls
2011 199 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 this page
2013 70 complaints, 1 recall
2014 46 complaints, 1 recall
2015 27 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the Lexus ES

All Lexus models

Similar cars from 2012: midsize cars

2012 Nissan Sentra 180 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 Subaru Legacy/Outback 384 complaints, 16 recalls
2012 Toyota Camry 645 complaints, 2 recalls
2012 Toyota Prius 449 complaints, 7 recalls
2012 Volkswagen Passat 484 complaints, 11 recalls
2012 Acura TL 130 complaints, 3 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 120 owner complaints on file for the 2012 Lexus ES (8 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 11 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
96 complaints name the air bags component group (6 crashes, 1 fires, 8 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Lexus ES model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for ES 350, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 27 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 3 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 2 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,250). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 79,000). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the speed control component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the latches/locks/linkages component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the visibility/wiper component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the brakes component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 19V741, filed October 17, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V005, filed January 9, 2019: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V006, filed January 9, 2017: Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module. NHTSA recall database
EPA Test Car List, 2012 Lexus ES with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 268 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, ES 350 4DR SEDAN FWD: length 191 in, width 72 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 109 in, curb weight 3,580 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2012 Lexus ES: problems, recalls and fuel economy