Major Problems with Lexus IS 300 Derived from Complaints & Recalls

Learn about the common problems with a used Lexus IS 300 to avoid purchasing a bad year of the model.

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Best and Worst Years for Lexus IS 300

Explore the chart showing how many complaints have been filed for each year of Lexus IS 300.

Model Year	Complaints
2019 IS 300	1
2018 IS 300	2
2017 IS 300	2
2016 IS 300	1
2005 IS 300	4
2004 IS 300	19
2003 IS 300	21
2002 IS 300	28
2001 IS 300	27

Worst 3 Lexus IS 300 complaints

2001 Lexus IS 300 AIR BAGS Victims: 4 Mileage: 62745 miles

2004 Lexus IS 300 FRONTAL Victims: 3 Mileage: 40000 miles

2019 Lexus IS 300 TIRES Victims: 2 Mileage: 2000 miles

Browse Lexus IS 300 complaints by category

Problems with VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, TIRES and ENGINE are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from Lexus IS 300 owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL car failed to stop at a red light under normal braking because engine failed to decelerate when pressure was removed...	14 ~ 28828 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER sticky dashboard. dashboard has become sticky to the touch and stains anything that comes in contact....	13 ~ 46109 miles
TIRES while driving in inclement weather the vehicle rear traction malfunctioned which resulted in frequent spinouts and a subsequent collision with...	9 ~ 22256 miles
SUSPENSION suspension problems on my lexus is300. the front upper and lower ball joints keep going out. tie rod ends. front...	8 ~ 51740 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE not sure if this is the correct forum. my car has a defect that is not considered a safety defect...	8 ~ 54809 miles
STRUCTURE my 2004 lexus is 300 has a melting dashboard. the dashboard has become sticky to the touch and leaves marks	8 ~ 39167 miles
AIR BAGS dashboard is melting and has become sticky and rubs off on clothing. this includes the passenger side airbag surface. this	5 ~ 67844 miles
ENGINE not sure if this is the correct forum. my car has a defect that is not considered a safety defect...	5 ~ 113648 miles
STEERING suspension problems on my lexus is300. the front upper and lower ball joints keep going out. tie rod ends. front...	4 ~ 94619 miles
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN complete clutch failure at 23 400 miles. *jb...	4 ~ 34976 miles
ACCELERATOR PEDAL > VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL dt*: the contact stated the brake and accelerator pedals were made of chrome plates that caused the driver to slip...	4 ~ 29300 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM the gas pedal will intermittently stop working. forcing one to pull over restart the car and/or have the vehicle towed	3 ~ 151867 miles
SERVICE BRAKES the brakes failed at 143 840 miles. the brakes failure occurred while driving the car on a busy city street....	3 ~ 140447 miles
SIDEWALL > TIRES tl* the contact owns a 2004 lexus is-300 equipped with nexen n-5000 tires (n.a) line size 215/45/17. the contact stated...	3 ~ 33000 miles
WHEELS tl*the contact owns a 2004 lexus is 300. the contact experienced two tire failures in which they spontaneously flattened. she...	3 ~ 47491 miles
FRONT > SUSPENSION one weekend i checked on my tire wear and notice the front tires on my car was wearing out unevenly...	3 ~ 50809 miles
VISIBILITY/WIPER tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus is300. the contact stated while driving 70 mph a loud pop sound emitted...	2 ~ 131500 miles
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL easy spin. *tr...	2 ~ 110250 miles
FRONTAL > AIR BAGS on july 18 2008 i was driving my lexus is-300. my wife and i exited the highway and stopped at...	2 ~ 54000 miles
CALIPER > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS the intial problem is that there is a popping noise that is coming from the brakes. the dealer says that...	2 ~ 36895 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM when i accelerate from a stop or while moving on a roadway the engine seems to stall. i'm not talking...	1 ~ 240 miles
POWER TRAIN tl* the contact owns a 2001 lexus is 300. while driving at approximately 70 mph the accelerator pedal was depressed...	1 ~ 154000 miles
RADIATOR ASSEMBLY > COOLING SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl*the contact owns a 2001 lexus is300. while driving approximately 45 mph the contact noticed smoke emitting from the engine....	1 ~ 114000 miles
EQUIPMENT lexus is300 2002 vehicle rollover on freeway. defect that caused the car to roll was from the left front wheel/rim...	1 ~ 100474 miles
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN i was sitting in my 2003 lexus is 300 4 door it was a rainy and unusually cool day so...	1 ~ 85000 miles
VISIBILITY driver's side front window glass bolts loose. glass separates from regulator. glass doesn't fit into window frame causi ng cracking	1 ~ 65000 miles
WINDSHIELD > VISIBILITY front windshield crack with no rocks hitting it on the bottom mid passenger side. cracked all the way to the...	1
TRUNK LID > BODY > STRUCTURE tl*the contact owns a 2003 lexus is 300. the trunk of the vehicle does not remain open and needs to...	1 ~ 65000 miles
ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tl*the contact owns a 2001 lexus is 300. while driving 50 mph the contact noticed smoke rising from under the...	1 ~ 70000 miles
CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT > DRIVELINE > POWER TRAIN dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle jerked and pulled to the right. the pulling progressively got worse over...	1 ~ 67700 miles
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC my 2002 lexus is300 had a case of sudden unintended acceleration that led to a crash causing over $10 000...	1 ~ 35420 miles
CONTROL UNIT/MODULE > ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC failure of abs feature / malfunction of brakes around 07/14/05 when my wife braked while driving the car on the...	1 ~ 51200 miles
ROTOR > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS the intial problem is that there is a popping noise that is coming from the brakes. the dealer says that...	1 ~ 40000 miles
LOWER ARM > CONTROL ARM > FRONT passenger side control arm made tapping sound. took to park place lexus plano tx - car is under warranty so...	1
PEDALS AND LINKAGES > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC dt*: the contact stated the brake and accelerator pedals were made of chrome plates that caused the driver to slip...	1
CATALYTIC CONVERTOR > EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM premature catalytic converter failure. *ak ...	1 ~ 94000 miles
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE i have a 2001 lexus is300 which has been in the shop mulitple times for self flooding. this past winter...	1 ~ 31111 miles
DOOR > BODY > STRUCTURE high wind noise and flapping noise from the driver door it's very annoying and unconvertible driving on the highway because...	1 ~ 12 miles
ROOF AND PILLARS > BODY > STRUCTURE high wind noise and flapping noise from the driver door it's very annoying and unconvertible driving on the highway because...	1 ~ 12 miles
PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) > CLUTCH ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN after getting clutch replaced i press the clutch pedal down and release the pedal it takes sometimes up to 30...	1 ~ 14500 miles
SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY > VISIBILITY the sunroof/moonroof creaks and crackles. this is not the normal wear and tear. the noise started after 5000 miles on...	1 ~ 5000 miles
MANUAL TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN loud thumping noise from rear of trunk on manual transmissions when shifting between 1st 2nd and 3rd.*ak...	1 ~ 1 miles
GASOLINE > ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING consumer states that when coming to a complete stop and trying to make a left or right turn the vehicle	1
PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH > AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN consumer was traveling about 45mph on highway and without prior warning vehicle turned off. he was forced to pull over	1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE the driver lost control while driving and the vehicle ran off the road causing a collision. after the collision a	1
BUMPERS > BODY > STRUCTURE rear bumper near exhaust burned out. had vehicle repaired. dealer contacted. please add vin. *ak...	1
SIDE/WINDOW > AIR BAGS while driving through an intersection the consumer's vehicle was broadsided. the side impact air bags did not deploy. nm sc	1 ~ 7000 miles

FAQ

What year Lexus IS 300 is the most reliable?

Speaking of the models produced in the last 9 years, Lexus IS 300 models of 2019, 2016, 2018 year of manufacture have had the least number of complaints.

What year was a bad year for Lexus IS 300?

Lexus IS 300 models of 2002 and 2001 are probably the years to be avoided like the plague due to a higher than an average number of issues reported.

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