There are 5 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2009 Lexus ESin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2009 Lexus ES350. The contact stated that the dashboard had become sticky and had started to melt. Over time, the contact stated that glare had started to reflect from the windshield onto the dashboard, obstructing visibility while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was acknowledged that the defect was a known failure. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that the Extended Warranty coverage had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
DASHBOARD ON 2009 LEXUS ES 350 HAS BEGUN TO MELT AND ON SUNNY DAYS THE REFLECTION ON THE WINDSHIELD POSES A SAFETY HAZARD AND REDUCES VISIBILITY. IN ADDITION THE MELTING PLASTIC IS VERY STICKY AND COULD BE HAZARDOUS FOR DRIVER NOT TO MENTION THE POISON EXPOSURE TO ITS VAPORS. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON 2007 AND 2008 MODELS. THE 2009 IS IDENTICAL IN DESIGN AND LEXUS SHOULD FIX THIS. I CONTACTED THEM AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY A SMALL PORTION OF THE $1700 REPAIR COSTS.
THE DASHBOARD ON THIS VEHICLE IS MELTING. THE SMELL IS TERRIBLE. I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THAT THE ORDER COMING FROM THE MELTING DASH IS TOXIC. EVEN THOUGH LEXUS HAS A RECALL ON THE 2008 MODELS FOR THIS VERY SAME REASON THEY ARE REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS. THIS IS NOT A SAFE SITUATION TO BE DRIVING UNDER. PLEASE HELP!!
VEHICLE DASHBOARD IS MELTING AND CREATES A DANGEROUS ROAD GLARE WHEN DRIVING ON SUNNY DAYS OR HOT DAYS. IT IS ALSO A VERY STICKY SURFACE THAT IS STICKING TO EVERYTHING. THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM ON LEXUS AND TOYOTA CARS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS ES350. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD OVERHEATED AND MELTED FROM THE SUN. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD EMITTED AN ABNORMAL ODOR WHEN MELTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,549.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026