vehicle signal
U.S. public vehicle records

Lexus IS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

591 owner complaints analyzed

8 distinct recall campaigns

77,095 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 296 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 114 of 591 complaints (19.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior559.3%
Electrical and battery issues315.2%
Steering behavior315.2%
Engine operation203.4%
Transmission and shifting193.2%
Fuel system concerns152.5%

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.

Unknown Or Other
114
Air Bags
113
Structure
92
Visibility/Wiper
79
Engine
71
Structure:Body
49
Electrical System
39
Fuel/Propulsion System
35
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Unknown Or Other114
Air Bags113
Structure92
Visibility/Wiper79
Engine71
Structure:Body49
Electrical System39
Fuel/Propulsion System35

Unknown Or Other: 114; Air Bags: 113; Structure: 92; Visibility/Wiper: 79; Engine: 71; Structure:Body: 49; Electrical System: 39; Fuel/Propulsion System: 35

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
46
25,000 to 49,999
33
50,000 to 74,999
67
75,000 to 99,999
46
100,000 to 149,999
81
150,000 and above
23
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00046
25,000 to 49,99933
50,000 to 74,99967
75,000 to 99,99946
100,000 to 149,99981
150,000 and above23

Under 25,000: 46; 25,000 to 49,999: 33; 50,000 to 74,999: 67; 75,000 to 99,999: 46; 100,000 to 149,999: 81; 150,000 and above: 23

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (81). 295 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.

2005
2
2006
2
2007
8
2008
3
2009
7
2010
12
2011
1
2012
13
2013
11
2014
113
2015
34
2016
48
2017
38
2018
14
2019
39
2020
71
2021
35
2022
24
2023
24
2024
33
2025
28
2026
31
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20052
20062
20078
20083
20097
201012
20111
201213
201311
2014113
201534
201648
201738
201814
201939
202071
202135
202224
202324
202433
202528
202631

2005: 2; 2006: 2; 2007: 8; 2008: 3; 2009: 7; 2010: 12; 2011: 1; 2012: 13; 2013: 11; 2014: 113; 2015: 34; 2016: 48; 2017: 38; 2018: 14; 2019: 39; 2020: 71; 2021: 35; 2022: 24; 2023: 24; 2024: 33; 2025: 28; 2026: 31

Pattern summary

Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 55 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 31 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 31 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 10189197 · 2007-04-29 (April 29, 2007)

VEHICLE STALLS, BUCKS AND SWAYS ONTO OTHER DRIVERS NOT AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE SWAYS LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS MISSING A SPARE TIRE AND JACK, I ASKED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND WAS DENIED. ALSO, MISSING WEATHER STRIPS ON ALL 4 DOORS THE WIND ENTERS THE CAR AND ONE DAY IT IS GOING TO SWING IT DIRECTLY OFF THE ROAD . *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10189197 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11066838 · 2018-02-03 (February 3, 2018)

CAR RUNS GREAT UNTIL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY VSC AND THEN BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN THOSE LIGHTS COME ON IT RUNS ROUGH AND BRAKES MAKE GEAR NOISE UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD AREA. BRAKE IS VERY SLUGGISH AND ALMOST NON EXISTENT WHEN IT FAILS. LET IT SET, CLEAR FAULT AND RUNS FINE UNTIL WARM AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL BRAKES CHECKED AND IN GOOD CONDITION BY MECHANIC TODAY AND PROBLEM PERSISTS. APPEARS TO BE AN ECU OR OTHER ELECTRICAL AND NOT MECHANICAL PROBLEM. IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MANUFACTURER.

Owner-reported narrative. 203,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11066838 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10582852 · 2014-04-15 (April 15, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS250. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE CODE IN THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS. THE AIR BAG HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000. UPDATED 06/05/2014*LJ UPDATED 06/09/2014 *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 47,378 miles reported. Look up ODI 10582852 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10680937 · 2015-02-03 (February 3, 2015)

EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED BY A COUPLE OF ISSUES LEXUS REFUSES TO FIX. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH 84K ON THE ODOMETER AND LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARISE. THE STEERING IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ASAP. DRIVING ANYTHING OVER 50 MPH THE STEERING STARTS TO BECOME NOTCHY AT THE CENTER AND AT TIMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE STEERING WHEEL WHINES AS I TURN ALMOST AS IF SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO BREAK. LEXUS QUOTED ME $3000 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I WOULD LOVE TO REP…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10680937 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10854914 · 2016-04-11 (April 11, 2016)

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING LOCKED UP OUT OF THE BLUE WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS. ALMOST SEEMED AS IF STEERING WAS FIGHTING TO TURN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION I WAS TURNING.

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10854914 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10650852 · 2014-10-28 (October 28, 2014)

MY VEHICLE STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY CAME BACK WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF MASSIVE CARBON BUILD UP. THEY ADVISED THAT I REACH OUT TO LEXUS CORPORATE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ANY SUPPORT I COULD RECEIVE. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH, LEXUS CORPORATE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE CAR COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY OF THE NECESSARY TROUBLE CODES TO QUALIFY FOR THEIR CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM SURROUNDING THIS ISSUE. AFTER MUCH HESITATION, I AGREED TO PAY $700 TO HAVE THE TOP CL…

Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650852 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10182080 · 2007-02-09 (February 9, 2007)

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS A 2001 LEXUS IS300 THAT WAS PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACTS VEHICLE GOT JAMMED INTO A POLE CAUSING IT TO DAMAGE THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED VEHICLE TO MOVE IT OFF OF THE STREET, THE CONTACT NOTICED RED FLUID COMING OUT THE VEHICLE, AS WELL AS, SOMETHING THAT PENETRATED A RADIATOR HOSE. THE HARNESS BALANCE BROKE AND APPARENTLY FLEW INTO THE HOSE. THE TRANSMISSION LINE SNAP AND A PULLEY FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRACKED. …

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182080 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11438814 · 2021-10-31 (October 31, 2021)

As I prepared to make a right turn onto a busy street, I suddenly could not brake normally. Instead, I was unable to press the brake down as a balloon like feeling pushed it back up, but it also did not return all the way up to its normal position. The result was I was moving with no way to slow down the car. Fortunately, I was not moving at a high speed and immediately shifted into park. I was fortunate this did not occur while I was at full speed. The brake lights did turn on at the time of the issue. An independent mechanic suspects a brak…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11438814 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11081143 · 2018-03-23 (March 23, 2018)

FUEL FUMES NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER HOOD AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. MECHANIC CONFIRMS FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL RAIL NEAR PRESSURE SENSOR. MECHANIC WARNED OF FIRE CONCERN WITH ACTIVE FUEL LEAK. RECALL ELF PERFORMED ON VEHICLE IN 2015 THAT SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED LEAK BUT NOW FUEL LEAK IS PRESENT.

Owner-reported narrative. 158,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081143 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11354201 · 2020-09-10 (September 10, 2020)

VEHICLE JUST TURNED OVER 100,000 MILES. 6-2020 UPON A MORNING START, THE VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE STARTING UP ALMOST AS IF IT HAD FUEL STARVATION. I CRANKED THE VEHICLE UP A FEW MORE TIMES IT WAS OK IT TURNED ON. UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE ACCELERATION , VERY HAD SPUTTERING FROM AND TO STOP LIGHTS THIS WAS FROM MY COMMUTE TO WORK. THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME UNPREDICTABLE, SOME DAYS IT WOULD ACT LIKE THAT SOME DAYS IT WOULDN'T. THIS STARTED TO BOTHER ME AS I RARELY WORRY ABOUT SITUATIONS UNLESS THEY'RE DANGEROUS. LATE 6-2020 ON MY …

Owner-reported narrative. 101,161 miles reported. Look up ODI 11354201 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2009
2
2010
1
2011
0
2012
0
2013
0
2014
0
2015
0
2016
0
2017
0
2018
0
2019
0
2020
0
2021
0
2022
1
2023
0
2024
0
2025
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20092
20101
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221
20230
20240
20250

2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 0; 2012: 0; 2013: 0; 2014: 0; 2015: 0; 2016: 0; 2017: 0; 2018: 0; 2019: 0; 2020: 0; 2021: 0; 2022: 1; 2023: 0; 2024: 0; 2025: 0

Year-by-year records

Lexus IS model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
199910Not available
200110Not available
20021200
20031200
20041000
20051200
20061437+7
20071223-4
200810230
2009402-1
2010401-1
2011150-1
20121800
2013900
20141200
2015900
2016200
2017900
2018300
2019200
2020400
2021200
202241+1
202350-1
2024100
2025100