2008 Lexus ES350 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2008 Lexus ES350 has impressive safety ratings in various crash scenarios. It received a 5-star rating for both the front crash driver side and the front crash passenger side, as well as a 5-star rating for the driver side in the side crash test and a 4-star rating for the passenger side in the same test. The car is equipped with standard electronic stability control, which enhances safety by helping drivers maintain control during sudden maneuvers. Additionally, it offers an optional forward collision warning system to alert drivers of potential collisions ahead.

Despite its strong safety performance, the 2008 Lexus ES350 has received a relatively high number of complaints, totaling 316. Furthermore, there have been 5 recalls issued for this model, suggesting that there may be some issues that need attention to ensure the continued safety and reliability of the vehicle. It is important for owners of this car to stay informed about any potential recalls and address them promptly to maintain optimal safety on the road.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

316

Recall Count

5

Investigation Count

2

Safety Rating

Not Rated

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Safety Features

2008 Lexus ES350 w/SAB Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2008 Lexus ES350 w/SAB

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Optional
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2008 Lexus ES350 w/SAB Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2008 Lexus ES350 w/SAB Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2007 Score 2008 Score 2018 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 4
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 5 5 5
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5 4

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2007 Score 2008 Score 2018 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 5 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 4 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated Not Rated 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated Not Rated 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2007 Score 2008 Score 2018 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated Not Rated 4
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 4

Complaints for the 2008 Lexus ES350

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"car was recalled for faulty air bags.i have tried numerous times to speak with someone,always with the same result-i am transferred 2 or 3 times and then i am promised a call back.i have not received a call back as of 6/20/2022.i think the first time i called was over a year ago.i am sure i called at least 4 times and spent many hours on hold being transferred.i have other things to do than sit on hold.i would like the problem fixed."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2021-01-06

Complaint:
"vehicle was involved in front end collision. airbags did not deploy. injury caused."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2019-04-09

Complaint:
"i keep getting mail about the recall and have spoke to lexus several times in the past 2 years about the takata airbags each times someone tells me something different but there is no lexus dealer in my city and the closest is over 100 miles away in which i don't have money to take a trip. i'm worried about this situation because now they say don't even ride no one in the passenger seat that's a inconvenient i use this car to transport my kids to school,my job and lexus isn't helping and it's really they fault that i'm in this situation. if i could take the car to a shop in my city where i'm purchasing the car i would take the car to the shop but over 100 miles out and a 100 miles back home i can't afford that."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2016-11-12

Complaint:
"takata recall: i was notified nearly a year ago of the safety recall required on my lexus. i have called 4-5 times over the past 12 months but have yet to be contacted by my dealership regarding replacing the airbag. what is the recourse for having this work done? is the dealer my only recourse? i have little doubt that they are responding to those customers who purchased their vehicles from the dealership (a friend of mine had the recall work done several months ago). this is an extreme inconvenience as i am unable to use the passenger seat of my vehicle, for nearly a year. what can i do?"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-01-06

Complaint:
"the passenger side airbag is being disabled by a defective sensor in the seat and lexus is informing customers that they don't have the parts to fix the issue. therefore, the passenger airbag is essentially permanently disabled. this is a serious concern since any person traveling in the front passenger seat will no longer have a working airbag."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-11-04

Complaint:
"tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 lexus es350. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v340000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact called north park lexus of san antonio at (210) 308-8900 (611 lockhill selma rd, san antonio, tx 78216) where it was confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. the manufacturer was notified and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-11-05

Complaint:
"i received a recall notice with instructions to contact the dealer. i have called the dealer 5 or 6 times over the past 2 months, and each time they tell me no one is available to talk to me and they send me to voice mail to leave a message. i have done that but no one has ever called me back about this. the dealer is plaza lexus in creve couer, missouri."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-04-01

Complaint:
"takata recall. despite 3 notices received, dealer still does not have the parts in stock to perform the recall"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-09-01

Complaint:
"tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 lexus es350. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v340000 (air bags). the parts to do the repair were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact called valley lexus at (209) 248-4611 (4701 mchenry ave, modesto, ca 95356) where it was confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-11-05

Complaint:
"tl* takata recall. the contact owns a 2008 lexus es350. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags). the parts to do the repair were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the dealer (ira lexus, 99 a andover street, danvers, ma 01923 (978) 739-8705) was contacted several times, but was unable to confirm when parts would be available for the recall remedy. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2019-03-11

Recalls for the 2008 Lexus ES350

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4runner, 2003-2006 tundra, 2003-2013 corolla, 2009-2010 corolla matrix, 2004-2005 rav4, 2002-2007 sequoia, 2011-2013 sienna, 2008-2012 scion xb, 2008-2009 lexus is-f, 2007-2012 yaris and lexus es350, 2010-2017 lexus gx460, 2002-2010 lexus sc430, 2006-2012 lexus is250 and is350 and 2010-2015 lexus is250c and is350c vehicles. these vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. the inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling."
Consequence:
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL > PASSENGER SIDE > INFLATOR MODULE
Date of incident: 2019-10-17

Recall:
"toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain 2012 toyota 4runner, corolla, corolla matrix, sienna, yaris, scion xb, lexus es350, gx460, is-f, is250, is350, is250c, is350c, and lexus lfa vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, toyota is recalling certain 2009 toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, yaris hb, scion xb, pontiac vibe, lexus, es350, is250, is350, and is-f vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia, or "zone b." additionally, unless included in "zone a" or "zone b" above, toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 lexus is250 and..."
Consequence:
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL > PASSENGER SIDE > INFLATOR MODULE
Date of incident: 2017-01-09

Recall:
"toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 scion xb and lexus is f, 2009-2011 toyota corolla and corolla matrix, 2006-2011 toyota yaris, lexus is250 and lexus is350, 2010-2011 toyota 4runner, lexus is250c, lexus is350c and lexus gx460, 2011 sienna, 2007-2011 lexus es350, and 2009-2010 pontiac vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 scion xb and lexus is f, 2007-2008 toyota yaris, 2006-2008 lexus is250 and lexus is350 and 2007-2008 lexus es350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee,..."
Consequence:
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy:

Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for interim notification for this campaign are G1P (Toyota Zone A), G1R (Toyota Zone B), G2G (Lexus Zone A), and G2H (Lexus Zone B). Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), GLG (Lexus Zone A), and GLH (Lexus Zone B).

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL > PASSENGER SIDE > INFLATOR MODULE
Date of incident: 2016-05-23

LEXUS Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

LEXUS ranks 23 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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