2003 Lexus IS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
48,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 12 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 25.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Structure:Body | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Structure | 1 |
Air Bags: 4; Engine: 3; Structure:Body: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Electrical System: 1; Power Train: 1; Steering: 1; Structure: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 5 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 |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
2006: 1; 2014: 4; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2020: 1; 2024: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10173050 · 2006-11-09 (November 9, 2006)
ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 27TH, I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY BOYFRIEND FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE. I WAS IN MY 3-DAY OLD CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED LEXUS IS300. IT WAS A 2003 WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT, IN SPECTACULAR MINT CONDITION. UPON COMING AROUND A SLIGHT BEND IN THE ROAD LEADING INTO OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX, A DEER RAN OUT INTO THE ROAD FROM THE RIGHT. I SWERVED LEFT UPON INSTINCT, AND WE HIT GRAVEL AND THEN WET GRASS. WE WERE GOING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR SKID BECAUSE IT COULD NOT GET ANY TRACTION IN THE WET GRASS. WE HIT A BRI…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173050 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10566913 · 2014-03-04 (March 4, 2014)
VEHICLE FISHTAILED AT ABOUT 40 MPH DUE TO RWD AND ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLIED. SEATBELT WAS BEING WORN AND VEHICLE SLID ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HIT AN EARLY 2000'S F250 (I BELIEVE) ROCKER PANEL. THE WHOLE FRONT END IS DESTROYED AND I HAVE PICTURES. MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAD A CTSCAN AND WAS AMBULANCED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL THAT HAD A NEURO SURGEON AND KEPT OVERNIGHT. I AM NOW ON NECESSARY LEAVE FROM WORK AND IN A GREA…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566913 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10630538 · 2014-09-03 (September 3, 2014)
DASH IS MELTING AND COMING OFF CREATING A SHINY SURFACE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10630538 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10651998 · 2014-11-03 (November 3, 2014)
INITIALLY, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG COMPARTMENT STARTED SHINING, MELTING AND DETERIORATING THEN THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD STARTED DETERIORATING. NOW THE AIR BAG COMPARTMENT WEAKENING WHERE IT IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE. I'M VERY AFRAID THAT THE COMPARTMENT WILL DEPLOY THE AIR BAG AND INJURE AND/OR KILLING ANYONE SITTING IN THE SEAT. I WHICH STARTED COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 2009 TO LEXUS CORPORATION IN WHICH I WAS TOLD MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. LEXUS KNEW THE MATERIALS USED ON THE IS 300 WERE DEFECTIVE AND DID NOT RECALL THEM TO FIX. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10651998 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10653823 · 2014-11-10 (November 10, 2014)
MY CAR HAS 51000 MILES ON IT AND I'M TOLD MY ALTERNATOR SHOULD BE REPLACED. I TOOK MY CAR FOR ONE THINGS AND THE DEALERSHIP FOUND 4 DIFFERENT ISSUES WHICH 2 OF THE ISSUES I AM AWARE OF. GRANT YOU ALL THE PARTS IN MY CAR ARE THE ORIGINAL PARTS. I SERVICE MY CAR ACCORDING TO LEXUS 25,000 - 75,000 MILES SERVICES. HOW CAN I WELL KEPT AND SELDOM DRIVE VEHICLES HAVE AN ALTERNATOR ISSUE? ON FEBRUARY 7, 2003, THERE WAS COMPLAINTS OF THE (BULLETIN#:T10001308) CD BECOMING JAMMED IN CD CHANGER. IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO THE IS 300 CD CHANGER MECHANISM BU…
Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10653823 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10679036 · 2015-01-26 (January 26, 2015)
DASHBOARD IS "MELTING". RECALLS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR DASHBOARDS OF THE ES300 AND RX 300 MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10679036 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10732766 · 2015-07-08 (July 8, 2015)
THE DASHBOARD ON MY LEXUS IS 300 IS MELTING. IT IS VERY STICKY AND AS IT HEATS UP A CHEMICAL IS RELEASED AND THERE IS AN ODOR IN THE CAR. I CALLED LEXUS AND THEY SAID THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT EFFECT THE YEAR OF MY VEHICLE, BUT IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS CAR HAS A SERIOUS ISSUE. ALL IS300 REGARDLESS OF YEAR WITH THIS ISSUE MUST BE RECALLED.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10732766 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10764176 · 2015-09-16 (September 16, 2015)
DASH IS MELTING AND IS STICKING TO ANYTHING THAT IS RUB UP AGAINST IT. I SAW A RECALL ON ALL OTHER MODEL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. EXCEPT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL 2003 LEXUS IS300. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD EXTEND TO THIS YEAR AND MODEL AS WELL. NO DASH SHOULD BE MELTING AWAY WITH HEAT! OWNER SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR POORLY BUILT PARTS! FOR HOW MUCH I PAID FOR THE CAR, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THE PROBLEM ARE NO COST!
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10764176 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.