2009 Lexus IS Owner Complaints

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DEFECTIVE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR: MY SRS / AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF, INDICATING THAT THE SRS SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. I HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSED BY A LEXUS DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 12/4/2020. JOHNSON LEXUS ADVISED ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR FAILED AND THAT THE REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT FOR $2769.31. THE SEAT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO ANY UNUSUAL OR HARSH USE. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AMONG LEXUS IS MODELS AND SOME OTHER LEXUS AND TOYOTA MODELS OF THIS GENERATION. MANY LEXUS DRIVERS REPORT GREAT DIFFICULTY REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS THAT DEALERSHIPS ARE DEMANDING TO FIX THE DEFECT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE ON THE NHTSA DATABASE. I AM VERY SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MANDATORY RECALL OR A LEXUS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THIS COMMON SENSOR FAILURE AFFECTING A CRITICAL, NONOPTIONAL SAFETY FEATURE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA OF NORTH AMERICA AND RECEIVED A POLITE CALL FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE STATING THAT THE COMPANY WAS SORRY BUT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. LEXUS IS USUALLY EXCELLENT WITH ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE, SO I AM VERY SURPRISED AT THE LACK OF CONCERN HERE. I HOPE IT DOES NOT REQUIRE DEATHS FROM AIR BAGS FAILING TO DEPLOY FOR LEXUS TO ADDRESS THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11397677

Incident

Dec 4, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

I DON'T HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE TO SWITCH GEAR LIKE TO PUT IT FROM PARKED TO DRIVE

NHTSA ID

11387899

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

VEHICLE DOOR PANELS AND DASHBOARD ARE MELTING AND CHUNKS COME OF WHEN YOU GRAZE THE PANELS ON A HOT DAY EVEN WHEN PUTTING WINDSHIELD HEAT PROTECTORS MATERIAL COMES OFF

NHTSA ID

11343378

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

125,535 mi

THE INFOTAINMENT DISPLAY SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING AND THE SCREEN IS COMPLETELY BLACK AND UNRESPONSIVE. THIS SYSTEM CONTROLS NOT JUST THE MAPS AND RADIO WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT CRITICAL, BUT THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE HEAT AND THE DEFROSTER. SUBSEQUENTLY, DURING A RECENT RAIN STORM, I WAS UNABLE TO GET MY WINDOWS CLEAR AS THEIR IS NO OTHER WAY TO USE THE DEFROSTER EXCEPT THROUGH THIS TOUCHSCREEN INTERFACE THAT HAS TOPPED WORKING. I RECENTLY WENT ON THE LEXUS OWNERS CLUB FORUM AND FOUND COUNTLESS PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE SEE THAT ATTACHED PICTURE THAT DEMONSTRATES WHAT I'M REFERRING TO. THANK-YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329446

Incident

Feb 3, 2020

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING AND CAUSING A STICKY, VISCOUS FILM THAT NOT ONLY SMELLS BAD BUT IS CAUSING A SEVERE BLINDING GLARE WHILE I AM DRIVING . IT CANNOT BE REMOVED OR REMEDIED AND IT GETTING WORSE CAUSING MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ID

11322018

Incident

Apr 23, 2020

MELTING DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ID

11319093

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

120,000 mi

I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM EMPIRE AUTO SALES NOW KNOWN AS CAR QUEENS. I APPLIED FOR TAGS FOR THIS CAR OVER A YEAR AGO. NOW MY REGISTRATION IS EXPIRED AND I'M NOW FINDING OUT THAT I BOUT A SALVAGE CAR THAT HAS BEEN TOTALED OUT THROUGH A INSURANCE COMPANY. WHICH IS FINE BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES TO GET A REBUILT TITLE. I AM NOW TOLD THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE THIS CAR! THE DEALER REFUSES TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK FOR HELP BUT IF NOT CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME ON WHO TO TALK TOO! I JUST WANT MY FAMILY TO BE SAFE ON THE HIGHWAYS. I CALLED JACKSON MS CAR TITLE AND REGISTRATION AND THEY AGREED THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TITLE FOR THIS CAR! ALSO I WAS TOLD BY AN EMPLOYEE OF CAR QUEENS THAT THE OWNER IS SELLING CARS WITHOUT PROPERLY CLEARING THE TITLES OR HAVING THE SALVAGE VEHICLE PROPERLY INSPECTED. THIS INCIDENT STARTED JANUARY 2019 AND STILL TO THIS DAY!

NHTSA ID

11309192

Incident

Jan 25, 2019

THE VEHICLE HAS LUNGED FORWARD WHILE SLOWING DOWN OR AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS, AND THE BRAKES DO NOT OPERATE EFFECTIVELY. THE BRAKE IS ALWAYS PRESSED DOWN AS FAR AS IT GOES WITHOUT AVAIL. THERE IS NO PRECURSOR AS TO WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IN TOTAL, THE ENGINE LUNGED FORWARD ABOUT 6 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME I NEARLY HIT A VEHICLE WITH MY MINOR DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THE NEXT FEW TIMES WERE NOT AS SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF EMINENT DAMAGE. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS WORSE. IT HAPPENED IN JULY OF 2019 IN A DRUG STORE PARKING LOT. I WAS PARKING IN A STALL AND THE VEHICLE SPED UP, SQUEALED THE TIRES, JUMPED THE CEMENT PARKING BLOCK, HIT SOME BUSHES, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT. ON THIS OCCASION THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THERE ARE DENTS AND SCRATCHES FROM THE BUSHES, A TIRE SENSOR OR TWO IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ANYMORE, AND THE UNDERBODY WAS DAMAGED. I WAS THOROUGHLY SCARED AND AFRAID WAS CAR WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THIS AND I COULD HURT SOMEONE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ONLY BY PUTTING IT IN PARK. THE BRAKE WAS RENDERED USELESS. IT HAPPENED TWICE ON THE SAME DAY IN JANUARY OF 2020. I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY AND IT LUNGED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN. I PROCEEDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE. ONCE AGAIN IT LUNGED FORWARD AT A CONCRETE PARKING STOP. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. I HAD TO PUT IT IN PARK AS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. ALL INCIDENTS WERE IN A CITY DRIVING SHOWILY. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES ON IT WHENI FIRST NOTICED THE SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11302231

Incident

Jan 26, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

IT HAS A FEW PROBLEMS IT ACCELERATES AT TIMES IT HAS AIRBAG RECALL AND UNSTABLE TO DRIVE AT TIMES BRAKES LOCK UP OR TOUCHY WHEN PUSHED. JUST PURCHASED RECENTLY FROM DEALER ALSO WAS STOLEN TWICE BEFORE

NHTSA ID

11289212

Incident

Oct 28, 2019

MY DASHBOARD HAS THAT TACKY GLOSSY SUBSTANCE ON IT AND CAUSES ISSUES WITH MY VISIBILITY. I HAVE TRIED TO REMOVE IT AND DULL IT SO THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SEE, BUT I HAVE NOT HAD ANY SUCCESS.

NHTSA ID

11163677

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

WHILE DRIVING ON A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY ON 12/23/2016, I HEARD A HUGE EXPLOSION AND SAW THAT MY SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE HATCH TO PREVENT GLASS FROM COMING INTO THE VEHICLE. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE, I NOTICED THAT THE GLASS WAS PUSHED UP - INDICATING THAT IT HAD EXPLODED OUTWARD NOT INWARD (AS IN SOMETHING FALLING ON IT). *TR

NHTSA ID

10937714

Incident

Dec 23, 2016

Mileage

82,000 mi

LEXUS (TOYOTA) IS NOT DO ANYTHING TO ENSURE RIDER SAFETY OF A CAR THEY SOLD. THEY ARE ASSUMING THE AIRBAG, WHEN DEPLOYED, ONLY HURST THE FRONT PASSENGER. SINCE I CARPOOL AND USE MY CAR AT WORK, I MIGHT HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO RENT A CAR UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. I AM STUCK SINCE THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS COMPROMISED AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD WANT TO BUY IT.

NHTSA ID

10918481

Incident

Jun 9, 2016

2009 LEXUS IS 250 AT ONLY 63000 MILES. ENGINE RANDOM MISFIRES ON COLD START. CAR SHAKES BADLY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. ENGINE ERROR CODES P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305, P0306. WHEN ENGINE RPM DROPS FROM HIGH TO LOW, -4000RPM TO -500, IT SOME TIMES STALLS. CAR HAS TO ADD ENGINE OIL ABOUT 3 QUARTS BETWEEN 8500 MILES CHANGE INTERVALS. PROBLEMS STATED AT LESS THAN 50000 MILES, GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.

NHTSA ID

10840422

Incident

Mar 7, 2016

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLS, LOSES POWER, AND STOPS RUNNING!

NHTSA ID

10840011

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY DASH BOARD IS MELTING. IT IS REALLY STICKY AND PRODUCE A GLARE ON WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING IN THE DIRECTION OF SUN. IT IS BECOMING VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE. THERE IS A RECALL ON OTHER YEARS AND MODELS. RECALL SHOULD BE REEVALUATED TO INCLUDE ALL CARS EFFECTED BY THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10732598

Incident

Apr 7, 2015

Mileage

55,000 mi

CONDENSATION HAS FORMED ON THE INNER SURFACES OF BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES. THE CONDENSATION REDUCES THE LIGHT INTENSITY AND DISTORTS THE FOCUS OF THE HEADLIGHT BEAMS. THIS IN TURN CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD BY IMPAIRING THE NIGHT-TIME VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER AND POSSIBLY BLINDING ONCOMING DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10661075

Incident

Nov 25, 2014

Mileage

66,537 mi

THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE IS THE "MELTING DASHBOARD," IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON WITH VEHICLES LIKE MINE. THE STICK-GLUE LIKE SUBSTANCE IS NOT ONLY A NUISANCE BUT ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD. IT CREATES A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT MAKES IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK STRAIGHT FORWARD, ESPECIALLY DURING AFTERNOON HOURS OF DRIVING. AT TIMES I HAVE TO LEAN TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. THE GOOEY SUBSTANCE AND GASHES ALONG WITH THE SAFETY CONCERN OVER THE GLARE IN MY OPINION CALL FOR A RECALL. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626542

Incident

Aug 15, 2014

Mileage

51,000 mi