2002 Lexus IS

Routine

Owners filed 12 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure4
000
Wheels1
000
Visibility/Wiper1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires1
000
Suspension1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Air Bags1
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting09E012000
Filed Apr 7, 200916,270 vehiclesSabersport

Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Suspension
Filed Dec 9, 2020116,000 milesCA

PROBLEM STARTED WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIR OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHEELS GOT STOLEN FROM DEALER COLLISION CENTER LEXUS NOT CAR GOES OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHILE DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD WEARING OUT TIRES COMPLIANTLY ABOUT 3 SET OF TIRES REPLACED

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 3, 2018203,000 milesCO

CAR RUNS GREAT UNTIL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY VSC AND THEN BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN THOSE LIGHTS COME ON IT RUNS ROUGH AND BRAKES MAKE GEAR NOISE UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD AREA. BRAKE IS VERY SLUGGISH AND ALMOST NON EXISTENT WHEN IT FAILS. LET IT SET, CLEAR FAULT AND RUNS FINE UNTIL WARM AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL BRAKES CHECKED AND IN GOOD CONDITION BY MECHANIC TODAY AND PROBLEM PERSISTS. APPEARS TO BE AN ECU OR OTHER ELECTRICAL AND NOT MECHANICAL PROBLEM. IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MANUFACTURER.

Structure
Filed Mar 13, 2015120,000 milesMN

DASHBOARD IS MELTING. *TR

Structure
Filed Jan 14, 2015AL

OVER THE YEARS MY DASHBOARD HAS DETERIORATED, THE RUBBER HAS BECOME STICKY AND NASTY JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES IN COMPLAINTS. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THIS MATTER BUT NOT MY YEAR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULDN'T APPLY TO ALL THE 2002 MODELS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE! PLEASE, COULD SOMEONE ENLIGHTEN ME? ME VEHICLE HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT AND IS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION OTHER THAN THE DASHBOARD AND SIDES OF CONSOLE. HELP, I LOVE MY CAR AND I DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THIS RECALL ALSO!! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Nov 21, 201450,999 milesNE

SOMETHING ON WINDSHIELD THAT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE, IT IMPAIRS MY VISION. DASHBOARD IS LITERALLY MELTING! IT'S STICKY! NOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY LEXUS DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND SEND OUT A RECALL. FIX THEIR MISTAKES AND DO IT RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THEY TRIED TO PASS SOME CHEAPER PRODUCTS OFF ON THEIR VEHICLES BUT THAT ONLY BOUGHT THEM SOME TIME. WORD OF MOUTH IS THEIR WORST ENEMY RIGHT NOW. *TR

Structure
Filed Aug 18, 2014FL

AS I'M DRIVING THE DASHBOARD STARTS TO MELT AND IT'S VERY STICKY,PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS CAR AND THERE'S NO RECALL OR WARRANTEE FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR

Structure
Filed Jul 30, 201440,000 milesFL

MY LEXUS DASHBOARD IS MELTING AWAY. THE DASH HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY THE DEALER BUT IT IS AGAIN MELTING AWAY. *TR

Wheels
Filed May 19, 201460,000 milesTX

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH MY LEXUS IS300 MODELS 2002. THERE IS SOME TYPE OF DEFECT IN THE FRAME OR FRONT ARM BUSHINGS THAT CAUSE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FRONT INNER TIRES. DESPITE THE CAR BEING REGULARLY ALIGNED, UNEVEN AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR CONTINUES TO OCCUR ON THE INNER PORTION OF THE TIRES. TIRES WILL SOMETIMES LAST LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AND HAVE WORN DOWN TO THE STEEL IN THE INNER SIDES OF THE FRONT TIRES! THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND COMPLAINT AMONG IS 300 OWNERS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN NO FIX FROM LEXUS AND WILL LEAD TO POTENTIAL BLOWOUTS ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO TIRE FAILURES. THIS CONDITION IS UNACCEPTABLE. THEREFORE I AM REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS DUE TO THE RESULTING TIRE FAILURE BECAUSE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION DEFECT. *JS

Unknown or Other
Filed May 1, 2014FL

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR (LEXUS IS300 2002), THE DASHBOARD, COVER TO AIR BAG (ON DASH) AND CONSOLE BEGAN TO MELT/SOFTEN AND BECOME STICKY. WHEN I FIRST REPORTED TO LEXUS, THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING. AFTER A WHILE, I CONTINUED TO COMPLAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE COVER PANEL ON DASH TO THE AIR BAG BUT NOT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD/CONSOLE. IN ALL THE YEARS OF SERVICE AT LEXUS OF PALM BEACH, THEY NEVER OFFERED TO REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THIS DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. AFTER HEARING RECENT STORY ON WPTV NEWS (CONSUMER WATCHDOG, [XXX] ), I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT I AM NOT ALONE AND THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES SIMILAR TO MINE. HTTP://WWW.WPTV.COM/MONEY/CONSUMER/STICKY-SHINY-SAFETY-ISSUE-DRIVERS-COMPLAIN-OF-SUN-GLARE-FROM-MELTING-DASHBOARDS BECAUSE MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, LEXUS IS STILL DISMISSIVE ---- BUT I DO HAVE RECORD OF THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS (INCLUDING WHEN THEY REPLACED THE AIR BAG DASH COVER, UNDER WARRANTY, SEVERAL YEARS AGO). I JUST RECEIVED EMAIL RESPONSE TODAY FROM LEXUS OF PALM BEACH, PARTS MANAGER, [XXX] AS FOLLOWS: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL INQUIRY. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN AND AS OF RIGHT NOW LEXUS HASN'T COME OUT WITH ANYTHING FOR YOUR MATTER. IF ANYTHING DOES ARISE, SEEING YOU PURCHASED YOUR VEHICLE NEW, ALL YOUR INFORMATION IS IN THE DATA BASE AND YOU WILL BE CONTACTED FIRST. I WISH I HAD AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET." GIVEN THAT I HAD REPORTED THIS ISSUE WHILE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER WARRANTY (AND THAT LEXUS HAD ACKNOWLEDGED

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Apr 29, 2007MD

VEHICLE STALLS, BUCKS AND SWAYS ONTO OTHER DRIVERS NOT AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE SWAYS LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS MISSING A SPARE TIRE AND JACK, I ASKED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND WAS DENIED. ALSO, MISSING WEATHER STRIPS ON ALL 4 DOORS THE WIND ENTERS THE CAR AND ONE DAY IT IS GOING TO SWING IT DIRECTLY OFF THE ROAD . *TR

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 8, 2007CA

CAR WAS T-BONED-UNABLE TO OPEN DOORS-PASSENGER HIT HEAD ON WINDOW- SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT OPEN. *JB

Tires
Filed Aug 30, 2006IN

I HAVE HAD THREE SETS OF COOPER ZEON 2XS 215/45ZR17. THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH ALL THREE SETS. I WAS TRAVELING LONG DISTANCE WHEN MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE TIRE CAME APART AND ROLLED AWAY WHILE I WAS ON THE ON RAMP FOR I24 WHICH IS A VERY BUSY MAJOR HIGHWAY. I WAS PROBABLY GOING ABOUT 35 MPH AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY $1250 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR NOT INCLUDING REPLACING MY TIRE WHICH I WILL NEVER BUY THESE TYPE OF TIRES EVER AGAIN. ALSO, THIS DELAYED MY TRIP TO VISIT MY GRANDMOTHER WHO WAS DYING IN THE HOSPITAL AT THE TIME. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL TIRE COMPANY WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THIS MOST RECENT SET OF COOPER ZEON 2XS TIRES AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP ME DUE TO THE FACT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. THEY REFERRED ME TO COOPER TIRES 800 # WHERE THE LADY STATED THE COMPANY THAT HANDLED CLAIMS FOR THEM WOULD BE CONTACTING ME TO OBTAIN MY TIRE AND INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACCIDENT. THIS COMPANY, CRAWFORD CLAIMS, CONTACTED ME ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER TO INFORM ME OF THE PROCESS. THEY SENT A PACKET OF INFORMATION INCLUDING A UPS LABEL TO MAIL THE TIRE TO COOPER TIRES LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS AND A FORM FOR ME TO COMPLETE ALONG WITH OBTAINING QUOTES FOR THE DAMAGES TO MY VEHICLE AND PHOTOS. AFTER ALL THIS OF COURSE MY CLAIM WAS DENIED STATING THERE WAS A CUT IN TIRE WHICH CAUSED IT TO LOSE AIR PRESSURE AND COME APART. I AM NOT SURE HOW THIS COULD BE DETERMINED SINCE THEIR WAS VIRTUALLY NOTHING LEFT OF THE TIRE EXCEPT FOR THE BAND THAT FITS AROUND MY

12 of 12 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261000Routine
20251000Routine
20241000Routine
20235000Routine
20224100Routine
20212000Routine
20206000Routine
20192000Routine
20183000Routine
201710000Routine
20162000Routine
20159000Routine
201412000Routine
20139000Routine
201218000Routine
201115000Routine
201040100Routine
200940200Routine
2008102300Routine
2007122301Fatalities reported
2006143750Routine
200512100Routine
200410100Routine
200312100Routine
2002 — this page12100Routine
20011100Routine
20000100Routine
19991100Routine
19980100Routine

Compare every IS year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 7, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.