2008 Lexus IS: complaints, problems and recalls

I AM WRITING TO REPORT A BRAKE FAILURE ON MY NEW LEXUS IS 350 WHILE PARALLEL PARKING. I BACKED MY CAR INTO THE SPACE, AND THEN TOUCHED THE GAS LIGHTLY TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO CLOSE THE 4 TO 5 FOOT GAP. I PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND PUSHED DOWN. BRAKE WENT DOWN CLOSE TO FLOOR AND DID NOT STOP CAR. IT KEPT MOVING SLOWLY FORWARD AND BUMPED INTO VEHICLE PARKED AHEAD OF ME, SCRATCHING BOTH IT AND MY CAR. WITH CAR IN NEUTRAL I PUSHED DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TWICE MORE AND IT WELT CLOSE TO FLOOR. ON THIRD ATTEMPT IT CAME BACK TO NORMAL. I LEFT NOTE FOR OW…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10251618 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED 2 BRAND NEW MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS 225/45/ZR17 91Y FOR MY 2008 LEXUS IS 250 INSTALLED AS FRONT TIRES AT COSTCO. BEFORE LESS THAN 24 HOURS OF INSTALLED, AND LESS THAN 15 MILES OF USE, ONE OF THEM LOOSE THE AIR PRESSURE, THE TPMS ALERT ME OF LOW TIRE, I STOP AT NEAREST GAS STATION (ABOUT 2 MILES FROM THE MOMENT OF THE TPMS ALERT) AND IN EFFECT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS LOW, I START TO INFLATE THE TIRE AND BEFORE THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY INFLATED, A BLOWOUT OCCURRED CAUSING AN INJURY IN MY FACE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,913 miles reported. Look up ODI 10258048 at NHTSA ↗

IN EARLY 02/09 I WAS DRIVING HOME ON INTERSTATE 695 N IN MARYLAND. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 95 MPH THROUGH NO EFFORT OF MY OWN. I DID NOT ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED THE FOOT BRAKE TO DECELERATE AND BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW. EVENTUALLY AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR WITH THE BRAKE BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO VIOLENTLY REV. AS I RELEASED THE FOOT BRAKE, THE CAR ONCE AGAIN ACCELERATED WITHOUT ENGAGING …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293664 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR WHEN AT A STOP, MY CAR WOULD SHAKE VERY HARD AS IF IT WAS GOING TO TURN OFF. FORTUNATELY, IT NEVER HAS. I WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE SHAKING OR IT WOULD STOP ON IT'S OWN AFTER 10-15 SECONDS. DURING THIS TIME, NO LIGHTS HAVE EVER TURNED ON TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN LATE JULY 2009/ EARLY AUGUST 2009 AND EVER SINCE THEN, IT WOULD HAPPEN AT LEAST 2 TIMES A DAY. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10446856 at NHTSA ↗

MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE HID HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. INITIALLY THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. THEN I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED IT IS ACTUALLY EXTREMELY COMMON ONLINE. IN MY AREA MANY LEXUS CARS FROM IS250 TO GS HAVE THE SIMILAR PROBLEM. THE SITUATION ESCALATED WHEN MY DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED LIGHTING ALSO. THIS REALLY IS UNSETTLING BECAUSE I NOW HAVE EXTREMELY LOW VISIBILITY AT NIGHT AND IN ADDITION I COMMUTE TO SCHOOL THROUGH A DARK UNLIGHTED CORNER THAT COULD LEAD TO A CRASH IF THE OTHER CAR DOES N…

Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10449477 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS IS350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE AND WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND NOTICED THAT THE ODOMETER HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER SHIFTED OUT OF PARK SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10475689 at NHTSA ↗

DASH AND DOOR PANELS ARE EXTREMELY STICKY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574263 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN ACCIDENT IT GET HOT OUTSIDE MY DASHBOARD STARTS TO GET SOFT AND SHINY AND STICKY.WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POINT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY IT CREATES A GLARE REFLECTION ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD THAT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE. I TRY TO BRING THIS UP TO 3 SEPARATE LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND THE ALL OF THEM DON'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ISSUE INSTEAD THEY ACCUSE ME PUTTING SOME TYPE OF CHEMICAL OVER IT WHICH I HAVE NOT PUT A THING OVER MY DASHBOARD OR MY DOOR PANELS NOT EVEN WATER. THEY DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT DRIVING SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE CONSUME…

Owner-reported narrative. 81 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586215 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-01-16 (January 16, 2009)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 214,570 MY 2006-2008 LEXUS IS, MY 2006-2007 GS AND MY 2007-2008 LS PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM FUEL DELIVERY PIPES (FUEL RAILS). ETHANOL FUELS WITH A LOW MOISTURE CONTENT WILL CORRODE THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF THE FUEL RAILS. AS THIS CONDITION PROGRESSES, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE.

Consequence: OVER TIME, THE CORROSION MAY CREATE A PINHOLE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL DELIVERY PIPES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA/LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2009-10-05 (October 5, 2009)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.

Consequence: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2011-01-26 (January 26, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 LEXUS IS AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 LEXUS GS VEHICLES. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR CONNECTED TO AN ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE WITH NICKEL PHOSPHORUS PLATING, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, OVER TIME, THE PRESSURE SENSOR COULD LOOSEN. IF LOOSENING OCCURS, FUEL COULD LEAK PAST A GASKET USED IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE PIPE AND THROUGH THE THREADED PORTION OF THE SENSOR.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE THREADED PORTION OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR AND IF A FUEL LEAK IS NOT CONFIRMED, DEALERS WILL FURTHER TIGHTEN THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. IF A FUEL LEAK IS CONFIRMED, THE GASKET BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE FUEL DELIVER PIPE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, AND THE SENSOR WILL BE TIGHTENED WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.