2008 Lexus ES Problems, Recalls & Reliability
354 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Lexus ES, alongside 0 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 48/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 65,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all ES years
What owners report
“Takata recall was told by the dealer that fix will not be available until mid 2017. Unacceptable for a safety issue.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 ES
“When driving at 60mph, after removing foot from gas pedal, vehicle will continue to maintain a speed of 40mph. Have to apply brakes to slow car down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 ES
“The dashboard was melting, i called the lexus corp today and found out that the warranty has expired since last year but i just discovered the problem last sunday.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 ES
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 114 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 46,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 19,000 and 77,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls
No recall campaigns on file for the 2008 Lexus ES.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Led to recall campaign 07E082000.
Technical service bulletins
186 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2008 Lexus ES. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Lexus ES reliable?
The 2008 Lexus ES drew 354 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 48/100, scored against the model's worst year (2007).
What are the most common 2008 Lexus ES problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Lexus ES are airbags (207 complaints), speed control (41), and other (26).
At what mileage do 2008 Lexus ES problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Lexus ES problems around 46,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 19,000 and 77,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Lexus ES have recalls?
No recall campaigns are on file for the 2008 Lexus ES. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check the VIN before buying.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.