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Lexus · Midsize Sedan

2021 Lexus LS

Hybrid Gas

Midsize Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

87 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 6

Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2021 Lexus LS is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the LS 500h, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 6 complaints, most often about the wheels.

Lexus LS — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Lexus LS · Photo: HJUdall · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
LS 500h	Hybrid	RWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 311V Li-Ion	25	33	28	$2,950
LS 500h AWD	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 311V Li-Ion	23	29	26	$3,150
LS 500	Gas	RWD	3.4L 6-cyl turbo	18	29	22	$3,750
LS 500 AWD	Gas	AWD	3.4L 6-cyl turbo	17	27	21	$3,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43742, 43743, 43489, 43490.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
LS 500h, LS 500h AWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
LS 500, LS 500 AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.4 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Engine Output

Horsepower

416 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	10

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Optional: Automatic emergency braking, Forward collision warning, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 500 Core, 500 F Sport). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	206.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.8 in
Height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	123.2 in
Track, front	64.6 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	4,938–5,225 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	51/49 to 53/47

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 500 4-door Sedan, 500H 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

24LA03

509 vehicles 82% reported repaired

Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Lexus LS500 and 2018-2020 Lexus LS500 Hybrid vehicles equipped with the "Executive Package." The front passenger seat may have been assembled with interference between internal parts that can cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor to incorrectly detect the occupant. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." Risk Incorrect detection of an occupant may result in improper air bag deployment during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will inspect and repair the front passenger seat, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 7, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 24LA03.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V275000 reported Apr 17, 2024 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

●moderate

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

22TA03, 22LA01

458,110 vehicles 98% reported repaired Hybrid only

Problem Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems." Risk Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V239000 reported Apr 13, 2022 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021. On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject mat

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific LS

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Lexus publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Lexus’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Lexus LS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

6complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

18 per 10,000 built · Lexus reported 3,406 LS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2022: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 2

Most-cited components

Unspecified 2

Wheels 1

Tires 1

Exterior Lighting 1

Engine 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

My vehicle has the V6 twin turbo engine that’s been recalled on other years and models and was diagnosed with an internal engine failure. The mechanic at the dealership couldn’t figure out the problem so an expert TAS Lexus specialist was called in and couldn’t figure out the problem either.

Engine May 26, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11740217

Both headlight assemblies on a 2021 Lexus LS 500 show external lens delamination, along with visible condensation inside the sealed units. The vehicle has been garage kept, has not been involved in any accidents, and has no external damage to the headlight assemblies.

Exterior Lighting Apr 29, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11734508

OEM Bridgestone Turanza EL440 RFT 245/45 R20 These tires have not retained recommended air pressure for more than a few weeks at a time since new. Inspection earlier this year by a Bridgestone dealer found no problem with a tire that had lost 5 psi in a week.

Tires Nov 21, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11626674

The car slipped because of tread wear on the inner side of all four tires. Car has manufacturer installed tires

Wheels Jan 14, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11565488

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 187

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-30

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 187 service bulletins

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Structure, Engine, Wheels.

L-SB-0028-26 Service bulletin
2026-09-30 · Service Brakes
Some 2018 – 2023 model year LC 500, and LC 500h, 2021 – 2023 model year LC 500c, 2018 – 2023 model year LS 500, and LS 500h, 2015 model year RX 450h, and 2018 – 2022 model year RX 450h vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the brake, ABS, and/or TRAC warning lights are on and/or a Check VSC message displays. One or more of the following specific Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) C1391, C1252, C1
L-SB-0026-26 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Engine
This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Repair Manual while performing the battery rescue charge. The GRX-5100 should be used wherever the Repair Manual references the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) charger. The charging instru
L-SB-0040-20 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-09-22 · Engine
OBSOLETE NOTICE September 22, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0026-26
L-SB-0057-22 Rev2 Service bulletin
2026-02-02 · Electrical System
OBSOLETE NOTICE February 2, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0004-26.
L-SB-0004-26 Service bulletin
2026-01-23 · Electrical System
Some 2018 – 2025 model year Lexus vehicles equipped with the Enform™ 2.0 Navigation System, require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-12-15 · Structure — Body
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interio
L-TT-0326-23 Rev2 Service bulletin
2025-08-19 · Electrical System
Some customers may experience operational difficulties with some telematics features which they cannot resolve on their own. These resources, in conjunction with the Repair Manual, are for dealership personnel to assist those customers with user issues, user errors, and compatibility issues with other vehicle systems and external applications encountered while operating telematics features.
L-SB-0043-23 Rev1 Service bulletin
2025-06-13 · Electrical System
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
C1252 C1252 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1253 C1253 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1256 C1256 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins
C1391 C1391 on Lexus →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Service Brakes · Brake pads →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

LS by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 0 21 mpg 2025 B 3 3 25 mpg 2024 B 2 0 25 mpg 2023 A 2 1 25 mpg 2022 A 1 0 25 mpg 2021 this page B 2 6 28 mpg 2020 B 2 0 28 mpg 2019 C 4 7 28 mpg 2018 C 4 19 28 mpg 2017 A 0 2 19 mpg 2016 A 0 6 20 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 LS

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Lexus LS have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Lexus LS. The most serious on file is 24V275000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Lexus LS?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2021 Lexus LS yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it B (87/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Lexus LS?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Lexus LS, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Lexus LS?

Transport Canada measured it at 206.3 in long, 74.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 123.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,938–5,225 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Lexus LS?

Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Lexus LS, most often about unspecified, wheels, tires. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Lexus LS?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Lexus LS runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Lexus LS?

The manufacturer has filed 187 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Lexus LS, most often covering equipment, electrical system, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-09-30. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	6	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	none	NHTSA NCAP	NHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins	187	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	1	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	Open and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	13 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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