2005 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
Structure5
000
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Suspension1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
100
Service Brakes1
000
Power Train › Clutch Assembly1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
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
Service Brakes
Filed Oct 31, 2021CA

As I prepared to make a right turn onto a busy street, I suddenly could not brake normally. Instead, I was unable to press the brake down as a balloon like feeling pushed it back up, but it also did not return all the way up to its normal position. The result was I was moving with no way to slow down the car. Fortunately, I was not moving at a high speed and immediately shifted into park. I was fortunate this did not occur while I was at full speed. The brake lights did turn on at the time of the issue. An independent mechanic suspects a brake booster failure. Just a month before, another mechanic performed routine maintenance and found no signs of this issue. Just 6 months before, I purchased the vehicle used with no mention of this sort of past issue.

Structure
Filed Jun 15, 2015100,000 milesTX

THIS LEXUS HAS THE STICKY, MELTING DASHBOARD ISSUE COMMON IN MANY LEXUS VEHICLES LOCATED IN SOUTHERN STATES.

Structure
Filed Jul 30, 2014FL

ONE DAY I JUST GOT INTO MY CAR AFTER CLEANING IT AND THE DASH WAS VERY STICKY, I THOUGHT SOMEONE SPLIT SOMETHING IN MY CAR SO I WIPED IT DOWN BUT IT DID NOTHING. *TR

Structure
Filed Jul 28, 2014FL

MELTING DASHBOARD. *JS

Structure
Filed Jul 17, 201470,000 milesCA

I HAVE A 2005 IS300 THAT IS HAVING A MELTING DASHBOARD AND PANEL ISSUE. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE IN THE LEXUS FORUMS ON THE INTERNET. THE MELTING DASHBOARD AND PANEL ISSUE IS CAUSED BY THE HOT SUN. LEXUS HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE AND ALSO REFUSING TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING/REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
Filed May 17, 2014140,000 milesNY

SEVERE RUSTING OF THE SUNROOF. *JS

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Apr 1, 201247,000 milesFL

COASTING INTO A PARKING SPOT , MY FOOT NOT ON THE GAS , THE CAR TOOK OFF. I HAD TO SLAM MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND WITH THE HELP OF THE PARKING SPOT STOPPER THE CAR STOPPED. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO GO OVER THE STOPPER. *TR

Structure
Filed Nov 30, 2011CA

ON THE DASHBOARD, THE SQUARE OF MATERIAL WHERE THE SRS AIR BAG IS, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, KEEPS MELTING WHEN IT'S EXPOSED TO HEAT. THE AIRBAG DECOMPOSES OVER TIME DUE TO AN ERROR IN DESIGN/MANUFACTURING, AND THAT LEXUS IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION DUE TO OTHER CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE AIR BAG AS THIS CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE OVERTIME. THIS SITUATION MAY AFFECT THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH OF THE AIR BAG. . AFTER RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN LEXUS VEHICLES AS FAR BACK AS 2002.

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 1, 200810,100 milesCA

I OWN LEXUS IS300, YEAR 2005. MILEAGE APPROX 10,000 ONLY. FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER STICKS IN PARK AND REQUIRES THAT I PRESS THE SHIFT LOCK OVERRIDE BUTTON. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES. ON THE LAST OCCASION, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SELECTOR LEVER, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING, THE CAR SHOT FORWARD AND RESULTED IN A MOST SERIOUS SERIES OF COLLISIONS, FIRST INTO A PARKED CAR THEN AFTER MOUNTING THE SIDEWALK IT SMASHED INTO TWO HOUSES. I SUSTAINED A WRIST FRACTURE AND BRUISES. ALL THIS HAPPENED IN THE SPACE OF ABOUT 2 SECONDS. *TR

Suspension
Filed Feb 4, 200713,000 milesFL

THE FRONT TIRES ARE WEARING OUT FASTER ON THE INSIDE (CAMBER) THAN THE REST OF THE TIRE. THE DEALER LEXUS (IS300) SAID THAT'S THE WAY THE MANUFACTURER MADE IT .I WAS NEVER TOLD THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. *NM

Power Train › Clutch Assembly
Filed Nov 29, 20052,900 milesPR

LEXUS IS300, 2005 5 SPEED. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW ON JUNE 2005. AFTER 2900 MILES THE CLUTCH HAD TO BE REPLACED BY LEXUS. THEY CLAIM THAT I DRIVE WITH THE FOOT ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL (WHICH I DON'T). I HAVE DRIVEN STICK SHIFT SINCE I WAS IN COLLEGE OVER 30 YEARS AGO. *JB

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
Filed Mar 7, 2005AZ

LEXUS IS300 2005 BRAKE MALFUNCTION. *BF WHEN THE CONSUME ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER HITTING A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED. *JB

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
2005 — this page12100Routine
200410100Routine
200312100Routine
200212100Routine
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.