Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Lexus IS 250 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS ON REVERSE. IT DOES NOT TRAVERSE UNLESS I DRIVEN 30 MINUTES AND GOING 40 AMD HIGHER, THE RPMS START AT 4K THEN 5K AMD KEEPS GETTING HIGHER. THE ENGINES WANTS TO STALL FROM TIME TO TIME. THE SUSPENSION IS HARD, EVEN AFTER CHANGING THE SHOCKS
CAMSHAFT GEAR GONE BAD AT ONLY 85,000 AND LEXUS IS AWARE OF AND DOES NOTHING TO DO A RECALL. THIS IS A 3000,00 FIX.
LEXUS IS250 CRANK LOUD NOISE SOUNDS LIKE THE CAR IS GOING TO EXPLODE. LEXUS IS AWARE OF A CAMSHAFT GEAR PROBLEM AND HAS RECALLED SAME OR SIMILAR PARTS IN OTHER LEXUS MODEL VEHICLES DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. THEY ALSO HAVE AN UPDATED PART AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSE A RECALL IN THIS MODEL
VSC LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. PO303 CYLINDER 3 MISFIRE DETECTED. HAVE SAW ONLINE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM. ENGINE IS SHAKY DURING IDLE OR SHAKY WHEN ITS COLD. PREVIOUS OWNED A 2009 LEXUS IS250 AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HEARD OF SOME PEOPLE SAYING LEXUS DEALERS TOOK CARS IN AND HAD PROBLEM FIXED AS RECALL. NOT FINDING ANY RECALLS FOR MY CAR. MY MECHANIC SAYS ITS A GOOD RUNNING CAR, BUT SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT.
THIS VEHICLE WENT INTO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL ON THE FUEL SYSTEM. AFTER RECEIVING IT BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY WITHOUT NOTICE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AND EACH TIME IT IS RETURNS, WITHIN A WEEK THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN. AS OF OCTOBER, THE DEALERSHIP HAS RECEIVED ALMOST $8000.00 FOR REPAIRS. THIS VEHICLE IS BECOMING A DEATH TRAP. IT WOULD SHUT DOWN AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, BUT THE LAST TWO TIMES, IT HAS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE. WE ARE ASKING THAT SOMETHING BE DONE IMMEDIATELY, THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO FIND OTHER ISSUES TO MAKE MONEY, BUT HAS FAILED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE CAUSED BY THE RECALL REPAIR. LEXUS HEADQUARTERS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO INTERVENE AND ASSIST US WITH THIS ISSUE. YOUR HELP WOULD TRULY BE APPRECIATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS IS 250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VSC AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ONTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE WAS EXCESSIVELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
AT START UP, THE CAR RATTLES. AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER SEVERAL OTHER "FIXES" HAVE BEEN DONE. ONE FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE PISTON RINGS UNDER RECALL. I HAVE NOW STARTED TO RECORD ALL CAR STARTS WITH A CAMERA. IN DOING SO I WAS ABLE TO GET THE RATTLE ON VIDEO. UPON SHOWING THIS TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND HIS SUPERIOR, THEY SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CAM. SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I WAS TOLD, OH IT IS NO BIG DEAL. A CAM ISSUE IS A VERY BIG DEAL, AND NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE VVT IS CAUSING THE CAM AND CAM SPROCKET TO SHAKE. THIS SHAKING NOT ONLY CREATES THE RATTLE NOISE ON START UP BUT IS A WARNING THAT THE SPROCKET IS FALLING APART. I HAVE 67,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND IT IS A 2007, THEREFORE PUSHING ME CLOSER AND CLOSER TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED IT IS $2500 FIX. THESE CARS ARE ALL LEMONS. MORE OF THEM HAVE THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEMS, THAN THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE RESEARCH SHOULD BE DONE ON THE IS AS A WHOLE, ESPECIALLY THE MOTORS AS THEY ARE PRONE TO MANY, MANY DEFECTS. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR POOR ENGINEERING AND POOR QUALITY/FAULTY PARTS. THIS SHOULD BE THE DEALER, CORPORATE, AND THE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY. IF I COULD I WOULD SELL THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER. I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED JUNE 2012 AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS I HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN A TELL TALE SIGN. *TR
CHECK ENGINE, VSC, TRACTION LIGHTS COMES ON AS VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP WITH A ROUGH IDLE, AND AT TIMES EXHIBITS A TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOBILE/ROLLING. LEXUS SENT OUT A TSIB LETTER TO US OWNERS FOR SIMILAR SYMPTOMS WITH POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES(DTC): P0300-P0306. FURTHER, ACCORDING TO LEXUS CORP. "THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE FOR REASONS OF UNRELATED CONDITION." LEXUS CORPORATION SUSPECTS THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM IS CARBON DEPOSIT ACCUMULATION IN THE INTAKE VALVES AND A REPLACEMENT OF PISTON RING SET AND OR PISTONS MAY BE INDICATED. IF THIS IS WHAT'S OCCURRING INSIDE THE ENGINE AND IS INHERENT TO IS250 MODELS ONLY ,THEN IT WOULD SEEM TO A REASONABLE PERSON THERE IS A DESIGN AND POTENTIAL SAFETY FLAW IN THESE VEHICLE MODELS. ALSO, BECAUSE OF THIS DESIGN FLAW, MY VEHICLE IS NOW HAVING CATALYTIC FAILURE AND A WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A RATTLE DURING A COLD CRANK START OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, WHEN A VEHICLE IS TAKEN TO A DEALER, THE LEXUS DEALERS ARE QUICK TO DISMISS THE PROBLEM BY THE CLAIMS THAT THE SYMPTOMS ARE NOT REPLICABLE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO VERIFY THE PROBLEM. THE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER MAY ONE DAY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT SHOULD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKUP OR SHOULD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN DURING HILL ASCENDS, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACK INTO TRAFFIC OR OFF THE MAIN ROAD. WHY IS LEXUS CORPORATION NOT MAKING THIS ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL, AND RATHER, JUST TREATING IT AS A CONCERN NATURE. I WOULD BESEECH THE TRAFFIC SAFETY BOARD TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AS TO AVOID ANY INJURY OR WORSE, A LOSS OF INNOCENT LIFE. THIS IS MY FIRST LEXUS VEHICLE AND IT HAS BECOME A VERY DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE. *TR
THE ENGINE UPON COLD START UP MAKES A RATTLING NOISE AND IS VERY LOUD. LEXUS IN SEPTEMBER RECALLED THE LEXUS IS 350 FOR THE SAME REASON AND THEY SAID THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE SAME ISSUE AT MY DEALERSHIP, BUT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, BACK IN MARCH THE VEHICLE SMELT LIKE RAW GASOLINE, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS LEAKING GAS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER TOLD ME DUE TO THE GAS VAPOR, WHICH IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE THAT THE CAR COULD HAVE EXPLODED. HOWEVER, LEXUS WOULD NOT COVER THIS SAFETY ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY EITHER. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A DEATH TRAP FROM DAY ONE. IT HAS ALSO BEEN RECALLED FOR THE FAULTY GAS PEDAL, BRAKES WORKING IMPROPERLY, OTHER FUEL LINE ISSUES OTHER THAN I MENTIONED, AND EVEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *TR
UPON STARTING THE CAR THE CAR SHOOK AND GOT A VSC AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT. CALLED THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE 100 TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. COME TO FIND. OUT AFTER THE FACT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY NOTICE PUT OUT BY LEXUS ON THIS ISSUE WHICH THEY HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR. THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TWICE TO ME WHILE DRIVING AND BOTH TIMES LEXUS WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN THEY TAKE IT IN. THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNLESS IT OCCURS WHILE THEIR TESTING EVEN THOUGH THE NOTIFICATION INDICATING THE ISSUE IS COMING UP. THEY HAVE ALSO CLAIMED IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT SEEM SAFE TO HAVE A CAR RANDOMLY STALL AT ANY POINT OF TIME. MY RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR CONSUMERS WITH THIS CAR. IT IS ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FIX WOULD REQUIRE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO FIX BY LEXUS ( THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP THE CAR FOR A MONTH). THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IS LIKELY WHY THEY ARE HESITANT TO FIX. *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MI. MY 2007 LEXUS IS 250 DEVELOPED A PROBLEM OF STALLING, SHAKING, MISFIRING AND THE VSC LIGHT, TRACTION SKID LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ALL COME ON. THE DEALERSHIP INITIALLY TRIED TO TELL ME THAT THE GAS CAP WAS NOT ON TIGHT (NOT TRUE) AND THEN THEY TRIED TO TELL ME THAT JUST TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM (ALSO NOT TRUE). AFTER I INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS, THE TECHNICIAN DROVE THE CAR HOME AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING. FINALLY, THE DEALERSHIP DECIDED THAT CARBON HAD BUILT UP ON THE VALVES AND THAT WAS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND ALL THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. THE DEALERSHIP SENT THE VALVES TO A SHOP AND HAD THEM CLEANED AND GROUND DOWN. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND THIS IS WHAT LEXUS TOLD THEM TO DO TO FIX IT. NOW, HERE I AM AT 81,000 MILES AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY WITH THE CAR SHAKING, STALLING, MISFIRING AND THE VSC LIGHT, TRACTION SKID LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COMING ON. IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER 40,000 MILES AND THE CARBON HAS BUILT UP AGAIN. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
COMPARTMENT OF WHERE THE CABIN AIR FILTER IS FOR THE 2007 LEXUS IS 250, A BOLT IS RUSTING AND THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT BUT FAILS TO FIX THE ISSUE. THEY CLAIM THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THE BOLT TO RUST. *TR
ON 3/5/11 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 AM, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT TRAVELING AT ABOUT 5 MPH IN DRIVE WITH MY RIGHT FOOT LIGHTLY APPLYING THE BRAKE WHEN THE BRAKES SEEMED NOT TO HOLD AS THEY SHOULD AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY INCREASED TO 4500 - 5500 RPM. I APPLIED INCREASED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, PLACED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK, AND NOTED THE RPMS CLIMBING ABOVE 5500. I THEN PRESSED THE START/STOP BUTTON AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. THIS EPISODE OCCURRED ON DRY, SMOOTH ASPHALT ON A CLEAR, COLD (30 DEGREE) DAY. THE ENGINE WAS AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, INITIALLY RUNNING AT NEAR IDLE (IN THE PARKING LOT), WITH THE GEAR SHIFT IN DRIVE, CRUISE CONTROL OFF, RADIO, CD, A/C, DEFROSTER WERE ALL OFF. HEAT AND FAN WERE ON WITH INTERIOR TEMP SET AT 74 DEGREES. THIS EPISODE HAS NOT REPEATED AS OF THE FILING OF THIS REPORT (4 DAYS POST-EVENT). NOTE: I WAS WEARING "SNEAKERS", NOT ANY TYPE OF OVERSIZED WINTER BOOTS. THE CAR MATS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BY THE DEALER AS A RESULT OF AN EARLIER RECALL; NO ADDITIONAL MATS WERE IN PLACE. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE, UP TO AND INCLUDING 36,000 MILES, HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY THE DEALER.
WE HAVE RETURNED 2007 LEXUS IS 250 4 TIMES TO DEALER FOR STALLING WHILE ON HIGHWAY. DANGEROUS SCENARIO. EACH TIME THE SERVICE CENTER STATED THE CAR WAS FIXED ONLY TO GET BACK ON HIGHWAY AND AGAIN IT STALLS. THE LAST TWO TIMES THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 5 MPH WITHIN 24 HOURS OF WHEN CAR WAS RETURNED TO US. THE LAST THREE TRIPS TO LEXUS HAVE BEEN WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS. I DON'T THINK LEXUS HAS A GRASP OF WHY THEIR CARS ARE STALLING. *TR
SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH 2007 LEXUS IS 250. *TR
UNINTENDED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE BRAKING FOR A STOP SIGN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE, WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. UPON RESTART, PROBLEM RESOLVED ITSELF. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WITH DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM, THEY NOTED IDLE WAS UP FROM 750 RPM TO 1100 RPM, DECIDED TO KEEP IT OVERNIGHT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. WE WHERE CONTACTED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. THEY ADVISED US THE FOUND A LOOSE BATTERY CONNECTION. NO PARTS REPLACED BUT RESOLUTION AND PROBLEM DON'T MAKE SENSE. WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BEFORE THE ISSUE. WE HAVE THE FACTORY OEM STANDARD FLOOR MATS, SECURED BY THE HOOK AND IT WAS NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. *TR
ON 02/06/09 THE CAR ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT TURNED ON AS WELL AS THE OTHER ONE'S ON THE DASH. THE CAR REDUCED THE VELOCITY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND DID NOT ACCELERATE ANY FASTER THE 40 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY STATED IT WAS A MISFIRE IN SOME CYLINDER AND ALSO SOME PROBLEM WITH THE GASOLINE. THEY FIXED IT. ON MAY 4, 2009 I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE CAR MALFUNCTIONING LIGHTS TURNED ON AND THE CAR LOSES VELOCITY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. SO FAR THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE LEXUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. LEXUS STATED IT IS THE VEHICLE MOTOR PIPES THAT NEED BE CHANGED AND THEY HAVE NOT ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP UP UNTIL TODAY MAY 26, 2009. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THE VEHICLE MOTOR PIPES ARE ON BACK ORDERED UNTIL JUNE 2009. WHAT CAN I DO??? THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ENGINE ESCAPE VALVES WERE BROKEN. UPDATED 05/27/09. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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