2007 Lexus IS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
122 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
82,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2007 model year. Data snapshot: . 68 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 122 complaints (23.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 10 | 8.2% |
| Braking behavior | 6 | 4.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 3.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 3.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure | 29 |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 |
| Air Bags | 22 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 20 |
| Structure:Body | 17 |
| Steering | 11 |
| Electrical System | 10 |
| Engine | 6 |
Structure: 29; Unknown Or Other: 27; Air Bags: 22; Visibility/Wiper: 20; Structure:Body: 17; Steering: 11; Electrical System: 10; Engine: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 19 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 14 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 6
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 54 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 32 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2012: 4; 2013: 5; 2014: 32; 2015: 5; 2016: 9; 2017: 9; 2018: 1; 2019: 16; 2020: 18; 2021: 7; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 1; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Structure leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10502237 · 2013-03-10 (March 10, 2013)
VEHICLE OWNER OBSERVED NOISE THAT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. AT LOW SPEEDS SUCH AS BACKING UP, WITH LARGE STEERING MOTION, NOISE IS MOST PRONOUNCED. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE TENDS TO "SKIP" AND "JUMP" TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, AS IF STEERING BECOMES LOOSE AND JERKS ONE DIRECTION OR THE OTHER. NOISE AND MOTION HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SINCE THE INCIDENT DATE. ON OR ABOUT 2/18/13, OWNER BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THAT SHOP CONFIRMED THE NOISE, BUT STATED IT …
Owner-reported narrative. 101,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502237 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10550938 · 2013-11-05 (November 5, 2013)
AS I JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY WORK, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY FROZE. I WAS ABOUT TO PARK IN AN OPEN SPOT, SO THE SPEED OF THE CAR WAS VERY LOW. AS I WAS REVERSING INTO THE SPOT, THE STEERING WHEEL JAMMED AND WOULD NOT TURN. I TRIED SHUTTING DOWN AND RESTARTING MANY TIMES BUT THE WHEEL WAS STUCK, AND REQUIRED ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF POWER TO TURN EVER SO SLIGHTLY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LEXUS DEALER. THEY WERE ALSO UNABLE TO TURN, AND UPON THEIR REVIEW, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN TIMING COVER, WHI…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10550938 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10449447 · 2012-02-27 (February 27, 2012)
I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL COUNTRY ROAD AT ABOUT 15-20 MPH (HAVING JUST COME OUT OF A SHARP TURN). WHEN I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR AFTER THE TURN, IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO "GUN", AT WHICH POINT I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND TO MY HORROR GOT NO RESPONSE. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE ACCELERATOR CONTINUED TO REV OR GUN HORRIFYINGLY AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPEED UP. AT ANOTHER SHARP TURN I WENT OFF THE ROAD AND SIDESWIPED A TREE, DROVE THROUGH THE BEDROOM OF A HOUSE (IN ONE WALL AND OUT THE OTHER) AND FINALLY STOPPED IN ANOTHER TREE. AFTER A…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10449447 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191273 · 2007-05-20 (May 20, 2007)
VSC WARNING LIGHT CAME WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. PULLED IN A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD CAR WAS OK TO CONTINUE DRIVING BUT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. LEFT DEALERSHIP, WENT APPROX 0.5 MILES TO GET GAS. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR THERE WERE LOUD SCRAMBLING NOISES LIKE AN ANIMAL WAS LOOSE IN THE DASH. POPPED THE HOOD, COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING- LOOKED UNDER CAR AND ALL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS POURING OUT. HAD CAR TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP. STILL WAITING FOR VERDICT. CAR IS ONLY 7 MONTHS OLD AND THIS WILL BE MY 3RD TIME IN THE SHOP. AT 3 MONTHS HAD …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191273 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10825227 · 2016-02-09 (February 9, 2016)
MELTING DASHBOARD REFLECT SUNLIGHT ON WINDSHIELD WHICH IS BLINDING AT TIMES. ALSO MELTING DOORS STAIN AND RUIN CLOTHES. VSC SENSORS ALSO STAY ON EVEN AFTER DEALERSHIP "REPAIR" THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING TRANSMISSION @$5K BUT NO GUARANTEE PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10825227 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10787718 · 2015-11-02 (November 2, 2015)
THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME OFF AND ON 3 YEARS OR SO AGO WHEN I HAD STARTED THE CAR AND SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER THE WARNING LIGHT WAS OFF, AND THE DEALER CHECKED BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CODE. AT THE TIME MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOW THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN JUST AS I WAS DRIVING OUT AFTER THE CAR WAS SERVICED BY THE SAME DEALER. THEY CHECKED THE CODE AND SAID I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAG WIRING HARNESS FOR $2,798. THE DEALER OFFERED TO PAY HALF OF THE COST SINCE I AM …
Owner-reported narrative. 95,261 miles reported. Look up ODI 10787718 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11011884 · 2017-07-31 (July 31, 2017)
THERE'S A LOUD RUBBING SOUND WHEN I TURN MY WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN DRIVING MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP THAT ONLY WORKS ON TOYOTA AND HONDA. THEY QUOTED ME $3000.00 TO FIX IT. I COULDN'T REEMEBER WHAT PART EXACTLY THEY WERE GOING TO FIX. I WAS MORE STUNNED THAN LISTENING AT THAT POINT. I CERTAINLY DID NOT WANT TO SPEND THE MONEY I DON'T HAVE TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. BUT IT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ON A BUSY STREET, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I ALMOST SLAMMED INTO A CAR IN THE LANE NEXT TO M…
Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11011884 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217382 · 2019-06-02 (June 2, 2019)
TAKATA RECALL. I BOUGHT MY CAR ONLY TWO YEARS AGO AFTER MY FIRST LEXUS LASTED ME UPWARDS OF 350,000 MILES. KEEPING THIS IN MIND I FOUND MY 2007 IS250. I WAS AWARE AFTER BUYING THE CAR (BUT 2 DAYS OUTSIDE OF MY DEALERSHIP WARRANTY *FISHY*) ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG RECALL. THE DASHBOARD SITUATION IS HARSH. THERE IS A VERY CHEMICAL SMELL COMING FROM MY DASHBOARD, IT FEELS AND PEELS OFF LIKE THE FOAM UNDER IT. IT GETS RIPPED AND TORN TO SHREDS FROM VERY LITTLE FRICTION. I HAVE READ THAT SOME PEOPLE BECAME VERY CONGESTED AND ILL FROM THIS SMELL. …
Owner-reported narrative. 152,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217382 at NHTSA ↗