RoadVitals

2009 Lexus IS

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
40
Latest Mar 12, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jan 26, 2011
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
4 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 40 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Lexus IS, most frequently naming the driver assistance, visibility and airbags categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 32 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance1125.0%
  • Visibility715.9%
  • Airbags49.1%
  • Body & structure49.1%
  • Exterior lighting36.8%
  • Engine36.8%
  • Electrical36.8%
  • Brakes24.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
11V029000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

Jan 26, 2011
244,779 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The 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.
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.View on NHTSA.gov
09V388000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

Oct 5, 2009
4,445,056 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: 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.
The 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.
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.Manufacturer number 90L(TOYOTA)/90LG(LEXView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 40
Filed Mar 12, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety concern with my Lexus IS 250. The dashboard in my vehicle is melting and has become extremely sticky, shiny, and reflective. As the material deteriorates, it creates significant glare on the windshield when sunlight hits the dashboard. This glare interferes with my visibility while driving and creates a potentially dangerous situation for myself, my family, and other drivers on the road. This issue is not merely cosmetic. The deteriorating dashboard material directly affects safe vehicle operation by impairing the driver’s ability to clearly see through the windshield, especially during daylight conditions when sunlight reflects off the dashboard surface. In addition, the dashboard material appears to be chemically breaking down. The surface remains sticky and continues to degrade over time, raising concerns about possible chemical exposure inside the vehicle cabin for my family I contacted my local dealership and also reached out to **Lexus corporate customer service. I was informed that Lexus previously had a Customer Support Program addressing melting dashboards, but the program expired in September 2021. I was told notification letters were sent in March 2019, but I never received one. Had I received the notice, I would have addressed the issue because it directly affects driving safety. They said there was nothing else they can do. Given the ongoing safety risk, I respectfully request that the **National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review this defect and determine whether further investigation or action is warranted. Thank you for your time

NHTSA ID
11723890
Incident
Mar 11, 2026
Electrical
Filed Jul 17, 2025

Odometer Fraud. The contact intended to purchase a 2009 Lexus IS 250. The contact stated while test-driving the vehicle, the contact drove to an Auto part store for diagnostic testing. It was then discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was not a sale. At the time the vehicle was test-driven, the vehicle mileage was 114,274, but it was discovered at the Auto parts store that the actual mileage was 198,000.

NHTSA ID
11674306
Incident
Jul 17, 2025
Mileage
198,000 mi
Filed Jul 11, 2025
1 injury reported

The dashboard is melting leather, as well as the inside door panels on all four doors that are leather. It burns my wife’s skin and my kids while leaving sticky black residue on our skins. It is melting so bad there are chunks missing from the leather from a simple rub.

NHTSA ID
11672963
Incident
Jun 27, 2025
Visibility
Filed May 11, 2024

URGENT: MY DASH HAS MELTED ON MY-2009 LEXUS IS 350-CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE, MY 2009 LEXUS IS 350. IT IS GETTING TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE MELTING DASH BLOCKS VIEW OF ROAD DUE TO SHINING REFLECTION OF MELTING DASH IS ALL YOU CAN SEE IN MY WINDSHIELD WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR TO DRIVE. THIS IS GOING TO GET ME INTO AN ACCIDENT. YOU CANT SEE A CAR IF ITS MORE THAN 10FT IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE THE SHINY-MELTING-STICKY DASH ((REFLECTS ONTO MY WINDSHIELD; OF THE 2009 LEXUS IS 350-JTHBE262392017342 AND MAKES IT TOO DANGEROUS TO SEE TO DRIVE & IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING WHEN DRIVING ALL I CAN SEE IS (((A REFLECTION IN WINDSHIELD ONLY) OF MY : SHINY MELTING DASH -2009 LEXUS IS 350-I CANNOT DRIVE THIS LEXUS. NEEDS REPLACED ASAP BEFORE AN ACCIDENT. NO, I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS CAR MELTING DASH. THIS ISSUE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH OTHER TOYOTA AND LEXUS OWNERS HAVING THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP!! ATTACHED PICTURE ONLY SHOWS THE CIRCLE AREA WHERE MY PHONE IS FOCUSING BUT THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD LOOKS LIKE THIS AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE DASH. THE PICTURE IS ALSO MUCH LESS REFLECTION THAN IN PERSON BECAUSE THE CAMERA IS TRYING TO BYPASS THE GLASS.

NHTSA ID
11588223
Incident
May 10, 2024
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 15, 2023

The headlamps on my car are and have been for quite awhile been hazy with the light unable to meet the safety standards the car is advertising. WIthout proper headlight I am not able to safely see the road ahead of me. There is no replacement or new headlamp avallable.

NHTSA ID
11527274
Incident
Jun 1, 2023
Filed Mar 5, 2022

Dashboard and door panel are melting. The melting on the dashboard cause a shinny reflection that prevent visibility.

NHTSA ID
11455288
Incident
Feb 15, 2020
Visibility
Filed Sep 19, 2021

I have a Lexus IS250, the dashboard is sticky and shiny. When I am driving the car in the sunny days, because of the shiny dashboard , if reflects the sunshine to my windshield, which makes me very hard to see the road because of this. As the result, if the sunshine is too strong some times, I have to hit my brake to slowdown on the highway, to make sure I get a clear view again. This is definitely put myself and other cars around me in a huge risk. Looks this is a common issue for some Lexus models, Lexus had a program to fix the issue, but the program does not notify the owner and the program expired already! Means thousands of people are driving cars with the issue, but never get repaired, which brings potential risks on the highway!

NHTSA ID
11433491
Incident
Sep 18, 2021
Driver assistanceFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 30, 2021

AT APPROXIMATELY 85K TOTAL MILES, IS250 AUTOMATIC BEGAN DROPPING FROM 5-6K RPM TO 2-3K RPM WHENEVER CHANGING ROAD GRADE TO AN INCLINE OR DECLINE, USUALLY ABOVE 50 MPH, DROPPING TO 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. TO MAINTAIN PROPER SPEED, I WOULD HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT FROM D TO S AND FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR. TRACTION CONTROL, PARKING BRAKE, AND ABS LIGHTS WOULD SOMETIMES COINCIDE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL I SOLD THE IS250 AT 88K MILES.

NHTSA ID
11414566
Incident
Jan 3, 2021
Mileage
85,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev2

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0032-25

ENGINE

Some 2016 – 2020 model year GS F, 2008 – 2014 model year IS F, 2022 – 2025 model year IS 500, 2018 – 2025 model year LC 500, 2021 – 2025 model year LC 500c, and 2015 – 2025 model year RC F vehicles with 2UR-GSE engines may exhibit a MIL ON condition with one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs): •P0505 – Idle Control System •P2111 – Throttle Actuator Control System – Stuck Open The throttle body assembly with motor and ventilation hoses no. 2 and no. 3 have been modified to address these conditions.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0030-24 Rev1

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to the applicable model and model year Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0030-24

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to all model and model year specific Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

L-SB-0030-24

STRUCTURE:BODY

Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interior of the vehicle for odor remediation. Refer to all model and model year specific Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This Service Bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Lexus IS by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025100—
2024100—
2023400—
2022410—
2021200—
2020400—
2019200—
2018300—
2017900—
2016200—
2015900—
2014120049.1
2013900—
2012180052.5
2011150042.6
2010391059.6
2009Viewing402052.6
20081023045.8
20071223050.5
20061437053.9
2005121042.2
2004101042.8
2003121049.9
2002121037.7
2001110—
2000010—
1999110—
1998010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.