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2011 Lexus IS 350
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
23 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 14, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (65% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2011 Lexus IS 350, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (15)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Airbags
65%15 complaints
“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 O…”
Engine
17%4 complaints
“Valley Plate Leak. The Valley Plate Leaks are notorious on this vehicle. There have been several forums about it.”
Fuel system
13%3 complaints
“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 TH…”
Speed control
9%2 complaints
“ON MARCH 11,2014, I STOPPED MY CAR AT THE STOP LIGHT BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. MY CAR'S ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED REV UP. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AS MUCH AS I CAN. BUY MY CAR STAR…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 Lexus IS 350 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2011? See how every IS 350 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 Lexus IS 350 against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.