Owners have filed 22 complaints
about the 2011 Lexus IS with NHTSA between 2016 and 2026.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 13 of 15 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 21
Against the median year of the Lexus IS. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2011 Lexus IS
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
731.8%
Median failure at 40,000 miles
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
418.2%
Body & Structure
313.6%
Other & Unspecified
29.1%
Engine & Cooling
29.1%
Median failure at 115,000 miles
Seats
14.5%
Fuel & Propulsion
14.5%
Median failure at 115,000 miles
Steering
14.5%
Median failure at 77,000 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
14.5%
Median failure at 115,000 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
25,000 – 49,999 miles
120.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
120.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
360.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jul 2016peak 3Jun 2026
Recalls on the 2011 Lexus IS
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 20183464,915 units in Canada
Fuel System
On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.5L V6 engine, the fuel pulsation dampers located in the fuel delivery pipe could develop a leak over time. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could increase the risk of fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with an updated part.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Atlanta, GA
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The dash has started melting after being in hot weather. Despite ceramic window tint which reduces heat (and likely slowed the melting) the dah continues to melt. This results in significant shining and reduction in visibility. While there was an enhanced warranty program from Lexus in which they would repair the dash, the melting occurred shortly after that expired. They will not take responsibility and fix it as they should, given this is a KNOWN issue with serious safety concerns.
NHTSA complaint #11745346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The dashboard of our 2011 Lexus IS has begun to "melt," for lack of better words. We have owned the car since 2011 and it has approximately 162000 miles now. The problem has arisen over the last two years or so and is a known issue for cars of that period. Lexus claims they had an enhanced warranty program for this issue, but we were never contacted and the issue was not an issue then, but clearly this is a known defect in their materials. Replacing the dash on our own would be very costly. The glare resulting from this is terrible. I have reached out to Lexus and they will not take responsibility for the faulty material and I am concerned this is a serious safety issue as visibililty is affected. Rather than a warranty enhancement, I urge a recall to prevent accidents.
NHTSA complaint #11725593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
STRUCTURE:BODY
The dashboard of our 2011 Lexus IS has begun to "melt," for lack of better words. We have owned the car since 2011 and it has approximately 162000 miles now. The problem has arisen over the last two years or so and is a known issue for cars of that period. Lexus claims they had an enhanced warranty program for this issue, but we were never contacted and the issue was not an issue then, but clearly this is a known defect in their materials. Replacing the dash on our own would be very costly. The glare resulting from this is terrible. I have reached out to Lexus and they will not take responsibility for the faulty material and I am concerned this is a serious safety issue as visibililty is affected. Rather than a warranty enhancement, I urge a recall to prevent accidents.
NHTSA complaint #11725593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The dashboard of our 2011 Lexus IS has begun to "melt," for lack of better words. We have owned the car since 2011 and it has approximately 162000 miles now. The problem has arisen over the last two years or so and is a known issue for cars of that period. Lexus claims they had an enhanced warranty program for this issue, but we were never contacted and the issue was not an issue then, but clearly this is a known defect in their materials. Replacing the dash on our own would be very costly. The glare resulting from this is terrible. I have reached out to Lexus and they will not take responsibility for the faulty material and I am concerned this is a serious safety issue as visibililty is affected. Rather than a warranty enhancement, I urge a recall to prevent accidents.
NHTSA complaint #11725593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The dashboard on our vehicle has started to "melt." While there was a warranty enhancement program in the past (we did not receive notice), the problem has developed after the window for repair closed. This is a true safety issue now as visibility from the front windshield is hindered due to reflection. The dealer has asked us to contact Lexus and Lexus will not help us anymore, stating this is an out of pocket repair. Given that this is a known defect and a potentially serious safety issue, I urge you to initiate a true recall.
NHTSA complaint #11719069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
STRUCTURE:BODY
The dashboard on our vehicle has started to "melt." While there was a warranty enhancement program in the past (we did not receive notice), the problem has developed after the window for repair closed. This is a true safety issue now as visibility from the front windshield is hindered due to reflection. The dealer has asked us to contact Lexus and Lexus will not help us anymore, stating this is an out of pocket repair. Given that this is a known defect and a potentially serious safety issue, I urge you to initiate a true recall.
NHTSA complaint #11719069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Atlanta, GA
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The dashboard on our vehicle has started to "melt." While there was a warranty enhancement program in the past (we did not receive notice), the problem has developed after the window for repair closed. This is a true safety issue now as visibility from the front windshield is hindered due to reflection. The dealer has asked us to contact Lexus and Lexus will not help us anymore, stating this is an out of pocket repair. Given that this is a known defect and a potentially serious safety issue, I urge you to initiate a true recall.
NHTSA complaint #11719069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Decatur, GA
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The dashboard is defective in that it melts when exposed to heat and becomes sticky. Although initially it started off as a cosmetic issue, the melting of the dashboard causes it to be very glossy to the point where it reflects onto the front windshield and creates a blind spot on the front windshield when driving. This poses an immediate safety hazard when driving as it's sometimes difficult to see objects that are right in front of the car while driving. The defective dashboard has been confirmed by the dealer and manufacturer. Although the manufacturer issued a customer support program to replace the dashboard, it was not a mandatory recall and the support program has since expired. Additionally, the support program initially described the malfunction as only a cosmetic issue. However, over time, this cosmetic issue has started to impact drivability in certain conditions while putting the driver and others at risk.
NHTSA complaint #11487329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Francisco, CA
ENGINE
Valley Plate Leak. The Valley Plate Leaks are notorious on this vehicle. There have been several forums about it.
NHTSA complaint #11448300 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Idaho Falls, ID
AIR BAGS
TAKATA AIRBAG HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS MODEL. ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CONTACT VIA INSTRUCTIONS ON RECALL LETTER FROM MANUFACTURER. WAS INFORMED SOMEONE WOULD BE OUT TO REPAIR IT AND NO ONE SHOWED UP.
NHTSA complaint #11416716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 77,000 milesSelden, NY
STEERING
FIRST STARTED WITH STEERING GETTING STUCK A BIT WHILE CHANGING LANES NOW THE ELECTRIC RACK AND PINION MAKES NOISE STEERING LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE PARKING IN AND OUT ALSO WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #11360278 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 115,000 milesRichmond, TX
POWER TRAIN
FUEL IS NOT DELIVERED TO FIRING CHAMBER DUE TO FAILURE OF FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. THIS WILL CAUSE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WHEN ON THE ROAD. NO OBD-II CODE IS PRESENT SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WILL PUT THE CAR IN PROTECTED MODE, NO CODE CAN BE READ. WHEN ENGINE IS SHUT OFF, IT WILL HAVE NO POWER TO STEERING OR BRAKE SYSTEM, PUT DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND OUT AFTER ARRIVING HOME. THE PROBLEM APPEARED THE NEXT MORNING.
NHTSA complaint #11307324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 115,000 milesRichmond, TX
ENGINE
FUEL IS NOT DELIVERED TO FIRING CHAMBER DUE TO FAILURE OF FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. THIS WILL CAUSE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WHEN ON THE ROAD. NO OBD-II CODE IS PRESENT SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WILL PUT THE CAR IN PROTECTED MODE, NO CODE CAN BE READ. WHEN ENGINE IS SHUT OFF, IT WILL HAVE NO POWER TO STEERING OR BRAKE SYSTEM, PUT DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND OUT AFTER ARRIVING HOME. THE PROBLEM APPEARED THE NEXT MORNING.
NHTSA complaint #11307324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 115,000 milesRichmond, TX
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FUEL IS NOT DELIVERED TO FIRING CHAMBER DUE TO FAILURE OF FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. THIS WILL CAUSE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF WHEN ON THE ROAD. NO OBD-II CODE IS PRESENT SINCE THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WILL PUT THE CAR IN PROTECTED MODE, NO CODE CAN BE READ. WHEN ENGINE IS SHUT OFF, IT WILL HAVE NO POWER TO STEERING OR BRAKE SYSTEM, PUT DRIVER IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND OUT AFTER ARRIVING HOME. THE PROBLEM APPEARED THE NEXT MORNING.
NHTSA complaint #11307324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
SEATS
THE DOOR PANELS AND DASH BOARD GETS STICKY AND MELT OVER THE YEARS AND THE SEATS STARTS TO TEAR AND BECOME LOOSE
NHTSA complaint #11279094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE DOOR PANELS AND DASH BOARD GETS STICKY AND MELT OVER THE YEARS AND THE SEATS STARTS TO TEAR AND BECOME LOOSE
NHTSA complaint #11279094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bethlehem, PA
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL - MY CAR IS SUPPOSEDLY AFFECTED BY THE RECALL, BUT THE RECALL WILL NOT ACTUALLY SHOW UP IN THE SYSTEM- IT SOUNDS LIKE IT ONLY HAPPENS IN 2019 - WHICH IS GREATER THAN 6 YEARS AFTER THE CAR WAS PUT IN SERVICE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND LOSS OF VALUE TO THE CAR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN PA BUT WILL BE MOVING TO WARMER WEATHER CLIMATE AND THIS WILL CAUSE THE DEGRADATION TO HAPPEN MORE RAPIDLY. LEXUS REPORTS THERE ARE NO ISSUES, WHICH IS NOT TRUE ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN WEBSITE.
NHTSA complaint #11057740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,000 milesNewtown, PA
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL - ON THE WEBPAGE HTTPS://WWW.NHTSA.GOV/RECALL-SPOTLIGHT/TAKATA-AIR-BAGS, THE 2011 LEXUS IS250 AWD IS SHOWN TO BE INCLUDED IN THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL, HOWEVER WHEN SEARCHING BY THE VIN, NO RECALLS ARE SPECIFIED. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL INFORMATION FROM LEXUS. PLEASE ADVISE IF THE CAR IS INCLUDED ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #11013685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Encino, CA
AIR BAGS
NHTSA RECALL # 16V-340 I WAS INFORMED IN WRITING OVER 6 MONTHS AGO. NOTHING FURTHER HAS HAPPENED SINCE. THE AIR BAGS SHOULD BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY IF DEFECTIVE! I'M FILING A COMPLAINT THAT LEXUS IS TAKING TOO LONG. BASED ON ATTACHED SCREENSHOT, THEIR EXCUSE IS: "RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE" NOT ACCEPTABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10943977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TX
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL. THIS RECALL IS TAKING TOO LONG AND THERE IS NO RESOLUTION DATE PROPOSED. I AM TRYING TO TRADE-IN OR SELL MY VEHICLE AND RECEIVE OFFERS $4000 OR MORE LESS THEN KBB VALUE. I DON'T WANT TO USE THE VEHICLE ESPECIALLY WITH A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. THE REAR SEATS ARE NOT CONVENIENT IN THE IS250C MODEL AS IT IS A TWO DOOR AND THE REAR SEATS OFFER A CRAMPED SPACE FOR PASSENGERS.
NHTSA complaint #10924500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jersey Village, TX
AIR BAGS
LEXUS NOTIFIED ME IN MAY 2016 OF A RECALL FOR TAKATA AIRBAGS, BUT HAS NOT TAKEN DEFINITIVE ACTION TO REPLACE MY AIRBAG SO MY CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10903651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Beaufort, SC
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL
NHTSA complaint #10885254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.