Model year record
2002 Lexus Is 300 recalls & problems
The 2002 Lexus Is 300 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 28 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is vehicle speed control (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2002 Lexus Is 300.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2002 Lexus IS300 Sportcross
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
2002 Lexus IS300 4-DR. w/SAB
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
IS 300
| City / highway | 16 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
3 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,350/year to fuel
IS 300
| City / highway | 16 / 23 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S5) · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,550/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal | 6 | 26,000 mi |
| Power trainClutch assembly; Clutch assembly › Pedal/hand lever(motorcycle) | 5 | 14,500 mi |
| StructureBody › Bumpers; Body | 4 | — |
| Unknown or other | 4 | — |
| SuspensionFront | 3 | 20,000 mi |
| Tires | 3 | 19,000 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc › Caliper; Foundation components › Disc › Rotor | 3 | 40,000 mi |
| Service brakes | 2 | — |
| VisibilitySun/moon roof assembly | 1 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingExhaust system › Emission control › Catalytic convertor | 1 | — |
| Wheels | 1 | — |
| Air bags | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Unknown or other
MELTING DASHBOARD AND AROUND THE GEAR SHIFT AND LEXUS WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A SO CALLED "LUXURY" BRAND. I HAD SOME PAPER ACTUALLY STICK TO THE PLASTIC AROUND THE GEAR SHIFT AND WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP I HAD TO PEEL IT OFF THEN I TRIED CLEAN IT OFF WITH JUST WATER AND A RAG AND IT LEFT MARKS. I WANT SOMETHING DONE BY LEXUS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM SO WHY ISN'T LEXUS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT? I WANT SOMETHING DONE! MY DASH AND PLASTIC AROUND THE GEAR SHIFT NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I JUST FOUND THIS SITE THAT'S WHY I'M JUST NOW REPORTING IT BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE ABOUT 2014. LEXUS…
- Service brakes
BRAKE,TRAC OFF,VSC,ABS LIGHT ARE ON
- Unknown or other
DASHBOARD IS MELTING ON MY 2002 IS300. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSING GLARE ON WINDSHIELD. ALSO THE STICKY BLACK DASH GETS ON OUR SKIN AND LIKELY HAS HARMFUL CHEMICALS THAT IS BEING ABSORBED IN OUR BODIES. LEXUS REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS KNOWN DEFECT AND MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I ALWAYS THOUGHT LEXUS WAS THE TOP BRAND FOR RELIABILITY AND QUALITY. MY VIEWPOINT OF LEXUS BRAND HAS CHANGED AFTER THIS AND I CAN NO LONGER CONSIDER BUYING LEXUS IN FUTURE. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR POOR QUALITY CONTROL AND REFUSAL TO STAND BY THEIR BRAND.
- Unknown or other
LIKE MOST LEXUS IS300 OWNERS, MY CAR EXHIBITS THE "MELTING" DASHBOARD ISSUE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE MELTING MATERIAL COULD BE RELEASING CHEMICALS THAT IS ORDERLESS/TOXIC. LEXUS IS REFUSING THE REPAIR THE ISSUE OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS.
- Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS IS 300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A GLARE APPEARED ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT AFFECTED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS MELTING AND A STICKY RESIDUE COVERED ITS SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,500.
- Service brakes
I PUT $3000 ON 2002 LEXUS AND HAD IT FOR THREE DAYS WHEN MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND MYSELF WAS HEADING ONTO COMMERCIAL TURNPIKE SOUTH. I WAS APPROACHING LIGHT ON CORNER OF 441 AND COMMERCIAL WHEN MY BRAKES JUST GAVE OUT ON ME COMPLETELY AND I QUICKLY RESPONDED AND PULLED UP EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED INTO GAS STATION TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WHICH IT WAS PUT ON MACHINE AND DETAILED EVERYTHING THAT WAS WRONG WITH CAR INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION ON THE ABS SYSTEM WHICH CONTROLS BRAKES AND STEERING. I WAS SAVED BY NOT GETTING ONTO TURNPIKE AND MY QUICK MANEUVERING TO EMERGENCY BRAKES WHICH HELPED VERY LITTLE. MY PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I CALLED AND TOLD MOSCHE WHICH WAS THE…
- Vehicle speed control
ACCELERATOR FAILURE: TWICE THAT I CAN CLEARLY REMEMBER. FIRST TIME HAPPENED IN 2003 AFTER GENTLE DEPRESSION OF THE GAS PEDAL, IT SEEMED TO PUSH ITSELF FURTHER AND WAS STUCK INTO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN UNCONTROLLED, MAX ACCELERATION...THIS WAS MENTIONED TO THE DEALER WHEN I TOOK IT FOR SERVICE (RAY CATENA LEXUS, LARCHMONT, NY). AFTER THAT, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL THE SPRING OF 2008 WHERE I WAS ON THE I95 ON MY WAY TO WORK, IN RUSH HOUR WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT FROM ABOUT 40MPH TO 70 OR 80. I MANAGED TO WEAVE AROUND TRAFFIC AND DROVE ON THE SHOULDER WHILE PRESSING FULL FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, PULLED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR IN PARK. AFTER THAT OCCURRED, I…
- Vehicle speed controlCrash
ACCELERATOR FAILURE IN A LEXUS IS300 ABOUT TWO YEARS MY DAUGHTER GOT ON A CAR ACCIDENT AT THAT TIME SHE MENTIONED THAT HER ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK. THERE HAS BEE A FEW TIME THAT I FELT THAT THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ALSO. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THE LEXUS COMPANY FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND ALL THEY SAID IS THAT MY CAR IS NOT INVOLVE IN THE RECALL. THAT DON'T MEAN THAT MY CAR IS NOT DEFECTIVE, OR THERE NEED TO BE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THEM TO TAKE ACTION. *TR
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.