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2013 Lexus IS 250Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2013 Lexus IS 250, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-024 the manufacturer reports only 77% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Lexus IS 250
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 77%Owner complaints52 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 9, 2019. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Lexus IS 250 has problems

5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags21
Wheels20
Engine10
Steering10
Suspension10
Vehicle speed control11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2013 Lexus IS 250 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

83%repaired · 2021 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 19V-005 · Jan 9, 2019 · 1,299,448 vehicles · 1,083,567 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

77%repaired · 2021 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-024 · Jan 9, 2018 · 628,018 vehicles · 481,268 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lexus.

Best & worst years

2013 vs. every other IS 250 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the IS 250 median. How we score

'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 Lexus IS 250, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What IS 250 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 2013 LEXUS IS 250. WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS PLACED IN PARK WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, DROVE OVER A CURB, STRUCK A TREE, AND STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR…
Complaint 11287952 · Dec 9, 2019 · 50,000 miles
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 LEXUS IS 250C. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V024000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE…
Complaint 11073068 · Feb 15, 2018

Own a 2013 IS 250?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.