Most common 2008 Lexus ES350 problems
Share of the 255 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus ES350 complaints by model year
Best ES350 years: 2018, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2009, 2010. Compare all years →
2008 Lexus ES350 recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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,…
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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,…
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…
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
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…
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat.
Remedy: Toyota filed an amended defect report on November 25, 2009, stating that dealers will modify the accelerator pedal and, on certain vehicles, alter the shape of the floor surface under the pedal.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2008 Lexus ES350:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
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, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Unwanted acceleration, floor mat
The driver side floor mat will not interfere with the throttle pedal if properly secured using the retaining hooks provided by Toyota.however, if the all weather mat is unsecured and moves forward from its intended position it can entrap the throttle pedal at the fully open position after it has been depressed.this can happen regardless of whether or not another mat (carpet) is underneath.when this occurs, some…
What 2008 Lexus ES350 owners say
Air bags all 170 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. While accelerating from a stop light and attempting to avoid a curb on the left, the contact veered to the right and crashed into the driver side of another vehicle. When the contact attempted to steer to the left, the vehicle independently accelerated and rolled over. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained leg injuries and the rear driver side passenger sustained head injuries. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V340000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V340000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact experienced the failure during a crash. While at a stop light, the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained back injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and repaired. The failure mileage was 64,000.
Speed control & acceleration all 39 →
The contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light showed that the tire pressure was low. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired. While attempting to reverse out of a parking lot, the vehicle independently accelerated forward at 60 MPH. The contact was able to maneuver the vehicle out of the parking lot to avoid a crash. The vehicle decelerated independently. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. After waiting for a while, the contact drove the vehicle home at slow speeds. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 49,000. The contact deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive and decided to sell it. The vehicle was sold to Carmax instead of to the dealership because they offered more money. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. While accelerating from a stop light and attempting to avoid a curb on the left, the contact veered to the right and crashed into the driver side of another vehicle. When the contact attempted to steer to the left, the vehicle independently accelerated and rolled over. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained leg injuries and the rear driver side passenger sustained head injuries. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V340000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 189,000.
Body & structure
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured and melted. The fracture began from the passenger side to the ignition area. The dashboard was broken into pieces and exposed the ignition, which caused the key to be loose. The contact spoke with sterling mccall Lexus (10025 southwest freeway, houston, tx 77074, [phone]) and was informed that the vehicle's warranty had expired. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that the dashboard replacement program had expired for the 2008 Lexus ES350. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Lexus ES350. Due to the glare of the sun, the dashboard melted and become very sticky. The vehicle was taken to chatham parkway Lexus (located at 1120 chatham pkwy, savannah, ga 31405, [phone]) for a routine oil service and the contact informed them of the dashboard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not available.
2008 Lexus ES350 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Lexus ES350 a good car?
Based on 255 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 ES350 rates avoid: 3.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the ES350 at the same age. It is one of the ES350 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Lexus ES350?
The air bags — 170 complaints, 67% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the speed control & acceleration (39) and body & structure (12).
How many recalls does the 2008 Lexus ES350 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Lexus ES350, the most recent from October 17, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus ES350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2009 and 2010. See the full Lexus ES350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Lexus ES350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 29,000 miles; 62% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.