Home · 2011 Lexus IS 250 · Complaints

What 49 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Lexus IS 250

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (49)Crash / fire / injury (5)Airbags (33)Brakes (3)Engine (3)Speed control (3)Steering (3)Body & structure (2)Transmission & drivetrain (2)Visibility & wipers (2)Electrical system (1)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (1)

5 of 49 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jul 16, 2019AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS IS250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES, THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED FACE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE OTHER DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICED WHICH THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V005000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11232202

Jan 14, 2018Electrical systemCrash

I WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC (STOP AND GO); I WAS FULLY STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE - I EASED OFF THE BRAKE TO SLOWLY ROLL FORWARD - ABSOLUTELY DID NOT PLACE MY FOOT ON OR ANYWHERE NEAR THE GAS PEDAL - AS I EASED OFF BRAKE, I FELT A STRONG "SURGE" FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR- THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I SLAMMED IN TO A TRUCK THAT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME- I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AS THIS WAS HAPPENING AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND THE "TRACTION" LIGHT WERE BOTH ON - I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD - I WAS STOPPED DUE TO THE IMPACT OF HITTING THE TRUCK-- I AM ATTACHING THE EDR REPORT AS RETRIEVED BY A COMPANY LEXUS CONTRACTS WITH

NHTSA ODI 11062688

Mar 13, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT THUMB THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V340000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10960386

Mar 13, 2013BrakesSpeed controlCrash

CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD (WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN) AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME ON JANUARY 6, 2012. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2012 AND JANUARY 2013, I.E., CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHILE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT/SIGN. THE LATTER INCIDENTS DID NOT RESULT IN ANY ACCIDENT OR INJURY.

NHTSA ODI 10502998

Dec 12, 2012AirbagsSpeed controlCrash1 injury

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE 3 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF ME PUT ON HIS BRAKES AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT ON MY BRAKES MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE BRAKING AND RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. MY AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY- MY CAR WAS A COMPLETE LOSS TO THE FRONT END ($17,000.00) AND THE INSURANCE APPRAISER,BODY SHOP, POLICE OFFICER, TOWING COMPANY WERE STUNNED THAT THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DO TO THE SEVERITY OF IMPACT AND DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10488632

Working with the data? Download all 49 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Lexus IS 250 verdict →