2007 Lexus IS 250 Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED OFTEN. SOMETIMES, THE POWER STEERING WOULD RESUME NORMAL OPERATION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. WHEN IT WAS TOWED, IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 24 HOURS BEFORE THE POWER STEERING WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT CALLED OURISMAN LEXUS OF ROCKVILLE (LOCATED AT 15501 FREDERICK RD, ROCKVILLE, MD 20855, 855-821-1390) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECU AND THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBERS: 1802260181 AND 1812061696. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

NHTSA ID

11258326

Incident

Feb 16, 2015

Mileage

230,000 mi

THE STEERING SYSTEM LOCK AND I CANNOT STEER THE CAR. IT SAYS P/S ON THE DASH PANEL. I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY. I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND THE STEERING LOST POWER AND LOCKED 11I COULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR.

NHTSA ID

11048542

Incident

Nov 22, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, AFTER A NORMAL START-UP AND DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT, LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING INSTEAD OF MY WIFE WHO USUALLY DRIVES THIS CAR. THIS CAR HAS AN ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM, NOT THE NORMAL SYSTEM WHICH USES POWER STEERING FLUID. WHEN THIS FIRST OCCURRED I WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE IT BACK TO MY HOUSE WHERE IT SAT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEREAFTER, WITH THE STEERING STILL NOT WORKING, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (TOM WILLIAMS LEXUS OF BIRMINGHAM, AL). THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR OUT AND HELD IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEIR 'REPAIR' WAS TO REPLACE THE CAR'S POWER STEERING ECU. THEY HAD TO ORDER THE ECU AND THAT TOOK A FEW MORE DAYS. THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING ECU BUT THE STEERING STILL DID NOT WORK . THEY THEN CALL ME AND TELL ME THAT FURTHER REPAIRS ARE NEEDED. THEY SAID THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, CALIBRATED AND REALIGNED($4500). THIS ALL SEEMS VERY ODD TO ME. EVEN AFTER PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR, I'M SCARED OUT OF MY MIND TO ALLOW MY WIFE AND KIDS BACK IN THAT CAR. IT WAS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. THERE WAS A STEERING CAMPAIGN SEVERAL YEARS AGO (9LC), BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY VIN IS NOT IN THE RANGE OF CARS NEEDING REPAIR. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT OLDER HIGH MILEAGE CARS SOMETIMES NEED REPAIR, BUT THE STEERING SYSTEM SHOULD NEVER FAIL. AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND USER FORUMS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS WITH MANY OTHER LEXUS IS250 AND IS350 VEHICLES. I CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO OFFERING SOME OUT OF WARRANTY ASSISTANCE. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF WAITING ON THEIR RESPONSE, I CALLED LEXUS BACK AND THEY SAID THEY DECIDED NOT TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. WE OWN A LS460 AND THIS IS250 AND NOW, WE DON'T TRUST LEXUS VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID

10925750

Incident

Oct 17, 2016

Mileage

180,000 mi

I HAVE A PROBLEM OF POWER STEERING TODAY, THE RED LIGHT P/S APPEARS AND I FOUND THAT IT'S HARD TO TURN MY CAR WHEEL EITHER TO LEFT OR RIGHT. I HAVE CHECK WITH A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND LEARN FROM THE TECHNICIAN THAT NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ALTERNATOR AND THE PROBLEM MIGHT COME FROM THE FAULTY CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. I ALSO LEARN FROM ONLINE THAT TOYOTA WILL INSPECT RECALLED VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY IF NECESSARY AT NO CHARGE, BUT MY LEXUS DEALER IN WESTMINSTER CA 92683 VERIFY THAT THE POWER STEERING RECALL IS NOT FOR MY CAR MODEL. PLEASE CHECK THE CASE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO TO GAIN THE POWER STEERING RECALL BENEFIT AS OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT WITH DIFFERENT CAR MODEL. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME!

NHTSA ID

10903187

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

10 mi

NOVEMBER 2015: I OWN A 2007 IS 250 WITH APPROXIMATELY 240,000 MILES. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE CAR IS TOTALLY STOCK. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING SEVERAL DAYS AGO. THIS WAS UPON START-UP AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES, NOT WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAR USES AN ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM, NOT THE NORMAL SYSTEM WHICH USES POWER STEERING FLUID. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT, SO THE CAR WAS FIRST TOWED TO MY HOUSE WHERE IT SAT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEREAFTER, WITH THE STEERING STILL NOT WORKING, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (MEADE LEXUS OF SOUTHFIELD MICHIGAN). THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR OUT AND HELD IF FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THEIR 'REPAIR' WAS TO UNPLUG THE CAR'S COMPUTER AND PLUG IT BACK IN. NOW THE STEERING WORKS. THEY TELL ME THAT NO FURTHER REPAIR IS NECESSARY. THIS ALL SEEMS VERY ODD TO ME. I'M SCARED OUT OF MY MIND TO ALLOW MY KID BACK IN THE CAR (18 YEAR OLD NEW DRIVER). IT WAS LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT. THERE WAS A STEERING CAMPAIGN SEVERAL YEARS AGO (9LC), BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY VIN IS NOT IN THE RANGE OF CARS NEEDING REPAIR. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT OLDER HIGH MILEAGE CARS SOMETIMES NEED REPAIR, BUT THE STEERING SYSTEM SHOULD NEVER FAIL. AFTER READING OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND USER FORUMS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM EXISTS WITH OTHER LEXUS IS250 AND IS350 VEHICLES. I AM UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED, BECAUSE I FEAR THAT THE CAR IS UNFIT TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

10806524

Incident

Nov 18, 2015

Mileage

240,000 mi

I LOST POWER STEERING AND VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. PS LIGHT IS CAME ON THE DASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692258

Incident

Feb 18, 2015

Mileage

165,000 mi

I HAVE AN 07 IS250. THE STEERING MAKES A SCRAPING NOISE, VERY LOUD WHILE IN PARK AND TURNING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. SOUNDS SIMILAR TO MY WIFE'S SONOGRAM SESSION AT DOCTORS OFFICE. STEERING IS A LITTLE STIFFER AND SLIGHTLY LOCKS IN PLACE WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY. $2500! REALLY? IS THIS CONNECTED TO THE STEERING RECALL BACK IN 2009? HELP *TR

NHTSA ID

10514509

Incident

May 3, 2013

Mileage

96,500 mi

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF. THE STEERING GETS VERY STIFF AND BARELY MANAGE TO GET SAFELY TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. (A DRIVER WITH LESS ARM STRENGTH WOULD MOST LIKELY CAUSE ACCIDENT DUE TO STIFFNESS OF STEERING) WHEN PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THEN TURNED ON AGAIN. THE STEERING WORKS PROPERLY AGAIN. WHILE IT DOES THIS THE "P/S" LIGHT ON DASH COMES ON. ALSO THE VEHICLES HID LIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10505032

Incident

Mar 29, 2013

Mileage

76,500 mi

THERE APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT RELATIVE TO THE CLEARANCE OF THE FRONT TIRES WITH THE WHEEL WELLS. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD THUMPING WHICH I ASSUMED WAS THE TIRES BECAUSE AS I SLOWED, THE NOISE SLOWED AND THEN STOPPED. I GOT TO MY DESTINATION ONLY A FEW MINUTES AWAY AND CHECKED THE TIRES TO FIND THAT THE FURTHEST INTERIOR 1 INCH OF TIRE TREAD OF MY RIGHT TIRE HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF AND EXPOSED A PORTION OF THE STEEL RADIAL. THE REMAINDER OF THE TREAD OF THE RIGHT TIRE WAS IN TACT, AND HAD ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF TREAD, INDICATING TO ME THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT WORN DOWN AT ALL. I HAD 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR, NEARLY ALL FREEWAY. I BELIEVE THAT THE TIRES MAKE CONTACT WITH THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELLS WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO TURN AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE, AS IN MAKING A U-TURN. I BASE THIS ON MY RECALLING MAKING SHARP U-TURNS AND HEARING A RUBBING/GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE TIRES. I WENT TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP IN GLENDALE, CA, AND INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF MY BELIEF AND SHOWED THEM THE TIRES. THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE NOT DRIVABLE (WHICH WAS OBVIOUS) BUT THAT IT WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR-AND-TEAR. I THEN SHOWED THEM THE REMAINING TREAD ON THE TIRES AND THEIR EXCUSE WAS THAT THE ALIGNMENT MUST BE OFF AND CAUSING THAT PART OF THE TIRE TO WEAR QUICKER. THEY REJECTED MY DEMAND THAT THEY REPLACE THE TIRES ON GROUNDS THAT THE CAR HAD A DESIGN DEFECT. I WAS FORCED TO BUY REPLACEMENT TIRES AT MY EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330028

Incident

May 11, 2010

Mileage

33,333 mi

COMPLAINTS REGARDING 2007 LEXUS IS 250: 1. STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. THIS OCCURS 3-5 TIMES PER WEEK AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AND COLLISIONS. 2. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR JUMPS FORWARD AND ACCELERATES. THIS OCCURS 2-5 TIMES PER MONTH. THIS HAS NEARLY CAUSED ME TO REAR END OTHER CARS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. 3. CAR FLUTTERS AND STALLS WHEN REVERSING. ( CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC) CAR ALSO FLUTTERS WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. CAR DOES THIS WHEN ITS HOT OR COLD. THIS OCCURS 5-10 TIMES PER MONTH. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE ABOVE ISSUES, AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. THESE ISSUE OCCUR VERY FREQUENTLY AND THE DEALER SEEMS TO NOT BE ABLE TO "FIND" ANY PROBLEMS. I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR AN ACCELERATION ISSUE, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO REMOVE MY FLOOR MAT. NOTHING ELSE HAS BEEN DONE AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN NO HELP. I AM CONCERNED THAT THESE ISSUES WILL HARM OR EVEN KILL MYSELF OR MY FAMILY AND OR ANOTHER DRIVER OR FAMILY ON THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10311582

Incident

Feb 17, 2010

Mileage

20,000 mi