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2012 Lexus IS 250
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
36 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 26, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Airbags problems dominate (58% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#44 of 525Among the 2012 models with a matured record, the 2012 Lexus IS 250 ranks #44, scoring higher than 90% of them. See the 2012 ranking →
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 2012 Lexus IS 250, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (21) · Body & structure (5) · Electrical system (5) · Speed control (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Airbags
58%21 complaints
“THE TOP CONVERTIBLE MOTOR GOT BROKEN ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT IT SO I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LUCKILY IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY REPLACE IT BUT NOW TH…”
Body & structure
14%5 complaints
“The dashboard is sticky/melting causing it to be extremely shiny. It is available for inspection upon request. Due to the shininess of the dashboard, it causes a glare…”
Electrical system
14%5 complaints
“THE TOP CONVERTIBLE MOTOR GOT BROKEN ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT IT SO I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LUCKILY IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY REPLACE IT BUT NOW TH…”
Speed control
14%5 complaints
“I WANT TO REPORT THAT I EXPERIENCED UN-INTENDED ACCELERATION ON MY LEXUS IS 250C, 2012 MODEL PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2011 AS A RESULT OF WHICH MY VEHICLE CRASHED AND WEN…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 36 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 7 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Lexus before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report body & structure problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any body & structure symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
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 2012 Lexus IS 250 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2012? See how every IS 250 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2012 Lexus IS 250 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.