Lexus IS Reliability by Year
Best & Worst Years, Problems & Recalls — NHTSA Data

Safety Recall

New engine

All four (4) door actuators stopped working or work intermittently. This is a known issue with both front and rear driver and passenger doors. Automobile doors will not open.

Sunroof suddenly exploded while driving on highway, no debris or accident happened. Spontaneous sunroof glass shatter

The vehicle is experiencing a failure of the dual-zone HVAC system where the passenger side consistently blows hot air while the driver side is set to cold. This indicates a failure of the HVAC blend door actuator (servo motor), which is a known issue for this model year. This failure poses a safety risk as it can prevent proper defrosting and defogging of the windshield during inclement weather, obstructing driver visibility. Also should note While driving, the vehicle becomes excessively loud and behaves as if it is stuck in the wrong gear, accompanied by a significant loss of engine power. An onboard diagnostic alert has indicated a malfunction in the electronic control of the engine throttle or automatic transmission. This 'limp mode' behavior creates a hazardous situation during highway driving or merging, as the vehicle cannot maintain speed or respond to throttle inputs, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision.

I own a 2017 Lexus IS 200t that is experiencing fuel pump failure. Although I checked my VIN and confirmed there are no open recalls listed, the symptoms match the known fuel pump issues affecting other Lexus vehicles from similar model years. The only reason my vehicle is not included is because my VIN falls outside of the specific batch covered by the recall, even though 2016 and 2017 models share the same problem. Because I am experiencing the identical safety concerns reported in the recall—such as potential engine stalling and loss of power—I believe my vehicle should be considered part of the affected group. It is not safe or fair that some 2017 models are excluded based solely on VIN range when the defect clearly exists in other units as well. My vehicle is showing the same failure and should be eligible for the same repair or recall coverage. If you’d like, I can also format this as an email, a letter to Lexus corporate, or a service request message.

I was driving my vehicle and then the entire car shut off going about 50 MPH causing the car to immediately stall. Nothing eventually worked making me have to push my car onto the side of the highway. Replaced the alternator and battery. Eventually got my car scanned and the issue I’m having is a fueling system problem. Did some research and my car 2017 IS350 f sport did eventually have that recall issue. The vehicle was not showing any problems before hand it just happened.

I have been having problems with hard starts, rough idle, engine dying. My vehicle is experiencing all the same reported issues as a recall issued for a fuel pump on my make/model. My VIN however, is not covered under the recall. I've contacted Lexus and they said that if enough people complained that they could make this fall under the recall. It only has problems at idle and upon acceleration. Once a decent speed is reached, I have no problems. This is intermittent. I've also taken it to a Toyota dealership where they kept it for 2-3 days and could not figure out what the problem was, although they witnessed all the issues. I'm marking September as the date of the incident, but this has been ongoing since last year and currently giving issues.

It was regular morning on memorial day and I had not used the car all weekend since I really dont drive unless it to and back from work. I started the engine like would any other day and the car began to shake out of nowhere. The check engine went off, the yield sign went off and the traction control went off. I thought maybe it was time to change my brakes because the dealership had recommended it. I changed my brakes and got new tires but the car still shook. I continued to drive like that to work because I had no choice it shaked mostly on idle and I drove like that for a few days on Friday as I was coming back from work on the freeway the car shook in the freeway as I exit out the freeway the car felt almost if I couldn't pick up an speed and I got extremely scared with the cars flying by. I decided not to drive and take it to a nearby mechanic I thought maybe the spark plugs or coils might be the issue but after 3 days in the shop and replacing spark plugs he confirmed it was the direct fuel pump and possibly the fuel injector....my car is only used to drive to and back from work and only has 58k miles. I believe this is a default manufacturer part and I need help recalling this particular part on my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus IS 200t. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the rain, water leaked into the dashboard causing the headlights to fail. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, and it was determined to be a manufacturing defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Odometer rolled back by Lexus of Orange in Jacksonville, FL. All parties involved have provided title paperwork, except Lexus of Orange in Jacksonville, FL.

When driving on the highway for about 45 mins the steering will feel sticky or “lock up” and make changing lanes very hard. The steering wheel will be hard to move, and you have to “break free” which causes a very sharp lane change that you have to recorrect. This is not safe, others have reported the same issues on forums.

I was in a vehicle accident on March 30. A accident that could have been avoided if the horn on the IS350 2021 was louder. The vehicle that collided into my vehicle was a Dodge Ram that was hauling a travel trailer which was what hit me. I tried honking various times to let the driver know that I was present and that they were merging onto my lane and I believe due to the weak sound of the horns installed in these vehicles the driver of the other car did not hear my warnings and collided into me.

The sunroof exploded while driving on a freeway. No rocks were involved, very loud explosion. Sun shade was closed, which prevented glass from getting inside car.

On Saturday 3/14/26, while driving on Florida's Turnpike at highway speed, without interior dashboard warning lamps or other warning symptoms both rear tires failed simultaneously & disintegrated creating a potentially catastrophic driving hazard for those with me inside the car as well as others on the Turnpike. This type of failure occurring at the same time on both rear tires with relatively low mileage of 27,680 miles raises concern about a potential defect. The rear tires are the original factory tires. I do have photos + video evidence of the damaged two rear tires which were replaced on Monday, 3/16. I no longer have the damaged tires, however it may be an option to speak with Tire Kingdom. I have attempted resolution immediately following the incident from Lexus of West Kendall as well as Bridgestone. The dealership leadership advised "I should be happy those tires gave you almost 30,000 miles since these OEM tires should be replaced every 15,000 miles." He replaces his own tires every two years. The service manager stated the problem was that I drove over too many potholes & curbs without having my car aligned. He also said he lives two miles from his job & dodges 15 potholes daily going to work. I have already met in person with the service manager & have had multiple conversations & email exchanges with dealership management including Bridgestone. Bridgestone will only deal directly with the dealership. I have provided photographic & video evidence of the tire failures to all. Despite these efforts, the issue remains unresolved. Given the severity of the incident & the safety risk involved, I am requesting: Immediate escalation to a regional case manager; A formal inspection & defect evaluation of the failed tires via photos & video; Review for $758.23 reimbursement under warranty or goodwill consideration. Please advise on next steps & confirm that this case has been escalated. I appreciate your prompt attention to this serious matter.

The dashboard appears to be decomposing, creating a sticky top layer which in addition to being extremely uncomfortable is reflective in direct sunlight obscuring general visibility and oncoming traffic. There was a similar occurrence with previous Toyota and Lexus models: The Problem - The dashboards in certain Toyota and Lexus models, particularly those from 2003-2011, were made with a material that was prone to melting and becoming sticky under prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight. This could lead to the dashboard cracking, becoming glossy, and even oozing a sticky, shiny substance. Affected Models - Most commonly affected models included the 4th Generation 4Runner, 3rd Generation Avalon, 6th Generation Camry, 1st Generation Camry Hybrid, 1st Generation Sienna, and 1st Generation Solara. Toyota's Response - Toyota responded to the issue with various measures, including: Warranty Extensions: Toyota announced extending warranty coverage on affected dashboards to 10 years for some models. Customer Campaigns - Some Toyota models were the subject of specific campaigns to address the sticky dashboard issue. Reimbursement Programs: Toyota offered reimbursement for repairs performed on affected dashboards. Class Action Lawsuits - Several class action lawsuits were filed against Toyota and other automakers due to the melting dashboard issue. Safety Concerns - The melting dashboards could also cause glare on the windshield, making it difficult for drivers to see, which raised safety concerns.

Vehicle steering wheel gets slightly stuck around 70+ mph on highway. Possible issue with the EPS, steering rack, 4 pin point connecter. Lexus isn’t able to diagnose it

I am filing this updated complaint to supplement my prior complaint (NHTSA ID No. XXX, filed January 27, 2026) regarding a recurring, safety-critical engine defect in my 2020 Lexus IS300 RWD, 8AR-FTS engine. DEFECT: Three documented misfire events over seven weeks. The second (12/11/2025) and third (1/17/2026) each involved a temporary stall in active traffic requiring immediate evasive action. All events involved flashing MIL, reduced engine power, shaking, and abrupt deceleration. DIAGNOSIS: Authorized Lexus dealership—following 34-day retention with Lexus Technical Assistance (TAC Case XXX) and personal on-site inspection by a Lexus Field Technical Engineer—confirmed worn intake valve guide on Cylinder 3. Repair estimate: $10,355.61 subtotal per Service Bulletin L-SB-0007-21 ($10,671.72 total incl. shop supplies and tax). Estimate cites L-SB-0007-21 without mileage qualification, confirming technical applicability. TSB PATTERN — NO RECALL: Lexus has issued multiple TSBs on the 8AR-FTS engine: L-SB-0153-17 (September 2017) and L-SB-0007-21 (March 2021, revised April 17 and July 2, 2024), covering 2015-2024 model year vehicles—progressively widening applicability over three years. Both 2024 revisions occurred during the active warranty period. No recall has been issued and this consumer received no notification of any kind. A TSB is an internal dealer communication — not consumer notification. A CPO purchaser relying on Lexus's representations of comprehensive inspection and rigorous certification has a reasonable right to assume known defects were addressed, without searching technical databases. MANUFACTURER RESPONSE: Lexus declined to authorize repair under warranty or as goodwill and declined to confirm authorization in writing. REQUEST: Please investigate whether the pattern of multiple TSBs covering progressively wider applicability—with no recall despite safety-critical symptoms—warrants a formal investigation and escalation to a safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This vehicle has a recurring, safety-critical defect involving intermittent engine misfires, flashing MILs, reduced engine power, sudden loss of acceleration, and noticeable engine shaking. Despite multiple repair attempts and extended diagnostics by a dealership, with manufacturer technical assistance, the defect continues. The defect has repeatedly caused the vehicle to stall and lose propulsion while driving, creating a serious hazard. Documented events include: •FIRST INCIDENT: The MIL flashed and engine power was reduced while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for evaluation and repair. A diagnostic code confirmed a cylinder misfire. •SECOND INCIDENT: Several days after being returned to the owner, the MIL flashed again and engine power was reduced, requiring careful maneuvering. The vehicle was returned to the dealership for further repair and remained in their custody for about a month. •THIRD AND MOST SEVERE INCIDENT: A few days after being returned, the MIL flashed again. The vehicle abruptly slowed, shook, and temporarily stalled in active traffic, requiring immediate intervention to avoid a collision. The engine restarted after pulling over safely. The vehicle has undergone compression testing, coil and spark plug replacement, battery replacement, and extended diagnostics with manufacturer technical support. Despite these efforts, the defect persists, demonstrating it is intermittent and unpredictable. The combination of sudden loss of engine power, stalling, and shaking in traffic creates a foreseeable risk of collision, particularly at intersections and in situations where predictable vehicle response is critical. Videos and diagnostic evidence document these recurring failures.

Front Suspension (shock Absorber) uneven wear and bouncy, some vibration on the steering wheel at about 30k miles, on highway exit round about circle, the vehicle swerves left or right. very unsafe. long story short, drop it off at the dealership Lexus of Pembroke Pines FL, they said the issue was my tires and it needed to be replace, I rotated the tires rear tires went to the front and front to the back, no vibration, noise went away while driving, how ever about 10k miles later the uneven wear bouncing and noise came back while driving, Disappointed how the Lexus of Pembroke Pines handle my concern, i took my vehicle to Germain Lexus of Naples FL, I explained the problem with the suspension and they charged me to diagnosed the problem, charged me for an alignment, that adjustments were the same, before and after and told me, I needed new tires and it will cost me $1600 and my the issue will go away, Disappointed with that experience, i took the vehicle to the local shop and i was told that the Shock Absorber was the problem and it will only get worst unless i replace the shocks. Disappointed with how 2 dealerships give excuses not to replace or fix the problem while under warranty but expect the customer to spend money not to fix the problem is ridiculous, and in the end, the vehicle still unsafe while driving. front struts need a recall. Someone will loose control and crash due to the front shocks.

The contact owns a 2024 Lexus IS500. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the front driver’s side glass window suddenly started to honeycomb before exploding outward. The contact stated that during the failure, his wife was seated in the front passenger’s side seat. No injuries were reported. Additionally, no objects had impacted the driver’s side window to cause the failure. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 461.