2013 Lexus IS 250 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2013 Lexus IS 250, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags225.0%
- Other / unspecified225.0%
- Driver assistance112.5%
- Engine112.5%
- Steering112.5%
- Suspension112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 2013 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, DROVE OVER A CURB, STRUCK A TREE, AND STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS IS 250C. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V024000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (LEXUS OF RIVERSIDE, 3150 ADAMS ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REMEDY WAS ON BACKORDER FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. A METAL SCRAPING NOISE OCCURS. THIS HAS BEEN FIXED SEVERAL TIMES BUT KEEPS OCCURING MORE OFTEN. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION. AND I BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE SHIELD. AS IF SOMETHING IS PRESSING ON IT.
THE PROBLEM THAT MANY IS250 LEXUS OWNERS ARE HAVING WITH THE FRONT TIRES WEARING OUT OR TEARING FROM THE INSIDE. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS THE SUSPENSION WHERE THE FRONT TIRE AND A COTTER PIN MEET EVERY TIME YOU HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE. THIS HAS CAUSED GREAT DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT TIRES TO THE EXTENT WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE STEEL BELT. LEXUS HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO BLAME THE TIRE MANUFACTURE AND HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. I ASK THAT THIS ISSUE BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE A LIFE IS LOST DUE TO NEGLIGENCE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 2013 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, DROVE OVER A CURB, STRUCK A TREE, AND STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ENGINE COULD STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING BECAUSE OF MISFIRE. MY LEXUS 250 ONLY 40K MILEAGE AND ALWAYS DO PROPER MAINTENANCE TO THE ENGINE EVERY 3000 MILE. I DO RESEARCH THAT LEXUS IS 250 CAUSE CARBON BUILD UP BECAUSE OF THE WRONG DESIGN OF THE DIRECT INJECTION. HERE'S THE YOUTUBE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=YTQUQFLAWR8. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO LEXUS DEALER, THEY WON'T ADMITTED, INSTEAD THEY BLAME ME USING A WRONG FUEL. BEFORE I USED 91OCTANE SHELL, THEN I SWITCH TO 91OCTANE CHEVRON. STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. THEY SHOULD RECALL FOR THIS MATTER, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT SAFETY AND THE ENGINE COULD SUDDENLY STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. A METAL SCRAPING NOISE OCCURS. THIS HAS BEEN FIXED SEVERAL TIMES BUT KEEPS OCCURING MORE OFTEN. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION. AND I BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE SHIELD. AS IF SOMETHING IS PRESSING ON IT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE PROBLEM THAT MANY IS250 LEXUS OWNERS ARE HAVING WITH THE FRONT TIRES WEARING OUT OR TEARING FROM THE INSIDE. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS THE SUSPENSION WHERE THE FRONT TIRE AND A COTTER PIN MEET EVERY TIME YOU HIT A BUMP OR POT HOLE. THIS HAS CAUSED GREAT DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT TIRES TO THE EXTENT WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE STEEL BELT. LEXUS HAS GONE AS FAR AS TO BLAME THE TIRE MANUFACTURE AND HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. I ASK THAT THIS ISSUE BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE A LIFE IS LOST DUE TO NEGLIGENCE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .