2012 Lexus Es350

The 2012 Lexus ES350 has 3 recalls, all centering on the front passenger airbag inflator, which can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death.

All three recalls address the same underlying defect in the front passenger-side airbag inflator module, a well-known issue tied to the Takata inflator crisis that affected vehicles across the industry. Over time, the inflator's propellant can degrade, causing the inflator to rupture with far more force than intended during a crash deployment. When that happens, the metal inflator housing can fragment and scatter shrapnel toward the front passenger and others in the cabin rather than safely inflating the airbag. One filing covers a broad range of model years across the Toyota and Lexus lineup, while a second targets vehicles that were sold or registered in high-humidity states and territories, where moisture accelerates the propellant breakdown and makes the risk more acute. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the issue for all affected vehicles, which is why multiple campaigns exist for what is fundamentally the same defect.