The 2009 Lexus IS has 2 safety recalls and 40 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is vehicle speed control (10 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints40filed by owners
Crashes · fires4 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths4 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
NHTSA recall 11V029000 · Jan 26, 2011 · 244,779 vehicles
Problem: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 LEXUS IS AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 LEXUS GS VEHICLES. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR CONNECTED TO AN ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE WITH NICKEL PHOSPHORUS PLATING, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, OVER TIME, THE PRESSURE SENSOR COULD LOOSEN. IF LOOSENING OCCURS, FUEL COULD LEAK PAST A GASKET USED IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE PIPE AND THROUGH THE THREADED PORTION OF THE SENSOR.
Risk: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE THREADED PORTION OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR AND IF A FUEL LEAK IS NOT CONFIRMED, DEALERS WILL FURTHER TIGHTEN THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. IF A FUEL LEAK IS CONFIRMED, THE GASKET BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE FUEL DELIVER PIPE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, AND THE SENSOR WILL BE TIGHTENED WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
NHTSA recall 09V388000 · Oct 5, 2009 · 4,445,056 vehicles
Problem: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT.
Risk: A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Fix: TOYOTA FILED AN AMENDED DEFECT REPORT ON NOVEMBER 25, 2009, STATING THAT DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND, ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ALTER THE SHAPE OF THE FLOOR SURFACE UNDER THE PEDAL. THESE CHANGES ADDRESS THE RISK OF PEDAL ENTRAPMENT DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE FLOOR MAT. REDESIGNED ACCELERATOR PEDALS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE BEGINNING IN APRIL 2010 AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY MODIFIED PEDAL WITH THE NEW PEDAL IF DESIRED. ALSO, DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY GENUINE TOYOTA OR LEXUS ALL-WEATHER FLOOR MATS WITH REDESIGNED ALL-WEATHER MATS, OR REPURCHASE THE PREVIOUS MATS FROM OWNERS WHO DO NOT WANT THE NEW ONES. ADDITIONALLY, SOFTWARE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE INSTALLED ON CAMRY, AVALON AND LEXUS ES 350, IS 350 AND IS 250 MODELS THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE BRAKE OVERRIDES THE ACCELERATOR IN THE EVENT BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE APPLIED. TOYOTA WILL BEGIN MAILING LETTERS TO OWNERS ON DECEMBER 31, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331, LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
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.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Vehicle speed control
10
3
0
3
10,750 mi
Unknown or other
10
0
0
1
92,500 mi
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
51,000 mi
Air bags
4
0
0
0
—
Structure Body
4
1
0
0
40,000 mi
Engine
3
1
0
0
—
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
—
Electrical system Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
3
0
0
0
—
Visibility Sun/moon roof assembly
2
0
0
0
—
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
—
Suspension Rear
1
0
0
0
—
Electronic stability control (esc)
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Mar 11, 2026Unknown or other I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety concern with my Lexus IS 250. The dashboard in my vehicle is melting and has become extremely sticky, shiny, and reflective. As the material deteriorates, it creates significant glare on the windshield when sunlight hits the dashboard. This glare interferes with my visibility while driving and creates a potentially dangerous situation for myself, my family, and other drivers on the road. This issue is not merely cosmetic. The deteriorating dashboard material directly affects safe vehicle operation by impairing the driverâs ability to clearly see through the windshield, especially during daylight conditions when sunlight reflects off the…
Jul 17, 2025 · 198,000 milesElectrical system › Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer Odometer Fraud. The contact intended to purchase a 2009 Lexus IS 250. The contact stated while test-driving the vehicle, the contact drove to an Auto part store for diagnostic testing. It was then discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was not a sale. At the time the vehicle was test-driven, the vehicle mileage was 114,274, but it was discovered at the Auto parts store that the actual mileage was 198,000.
Jun 27, 2025 · 1 injuryUnknown or other The dashboard is melting leather, as well as the inside door panels on all four doors that are leather. It burns my wifeâs skin and my kids while leaving sticky black residue on our skins. It is melting so bad there are chunks missing from the leather from a simple rub.
May 10, 2024Visibility/wiper URGENT: MY DASH HAS MELTED ON MY-2009 LEXUS IS 350-CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE, MY 2009 LEXUS IS 350. IT IS GETTING TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE MELTING DASH BLOCKS VIEW OF ROAD DUE TO SHINING REFLECTION OF MELTING DASH IS ALL YOU CAN SEE IN MY WINDSHIELD WHEN YOU GET IN THE CAR TO DRIVE. THIS IS GOING TO GET ME INTO AN ACCIDENT. YOU CANT SEE A CAR IF ITS MORE THAN 10FT IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE THE SHINY-MELTING-STICKY DASH ((REFLECTS ONTO MY WINDSHIELD; OF THE 2009 LEXUS IS 350-JTHBE262392017342 AND MAKES IT TOO DANGEROUS TO SEE TO DRIVE & IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING WHEN DRIVING ALL I CAN SEE IS (((A REFLECTION IN WINDSHIELD ONLY) OF MY : SHINY MELTING DASH -2009 LEXUS IS 350-I CANNOT DRIVE THIS…
Jun 1, 2023Exterior lighting The headlamps on my car are and have been for quite awhile been hazy with the light unable to meet the safety standards the car is advertising. WIthout proper headlight I am not able to safely see the road ahead of me. There is no replacement or new headlamp avallable.
Feb 15, 2020Unknown or other Dashboard and door panel are melting. The melting on the dashboard cause a shinny reflection that prevent visibility.
Sep 18, 2021Visibility/wiper I have a Lexus IS250, the dashboard is sticky and shiny. When I am driving the car in the sunny days, because of the shiny dashboard , if reflects the sunshine to my windshield, which makes me very hard to see the road because of this. As the result, if the sunshine is too strong some times, I have to hit my brake to slowdown on the highway, to make sure I get a clear view again. This is definitely put myself and other cars around me in a huge risk. Looks this is a common issue for some Lexus models, Lexus had a program to fix the issue, but the program does not notify the owner and the program expired already! Means thousands of people are driving cars with the issue, but never get…
Jan 3, 2021 · 85,000 milesFuel/propulsion system AT APPROXIMATELY 85K TOTAL MILES, IS250 AUTOMATIC BEGAN DROPPING FROM 5-6K RPM TO 2-3K RPM WHENEVER CHANGING ROAD GRADE TO AN INCLINE OR DECLINE, USUALLY ABOVE 50 MPH, DROPPING TO 35 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. TO MAINTAIN PROPER SPEED, I WOULD HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT FROM D TO S AND FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR. TRACTION CONTROL, PARKING BRAKE, AND ABS LIGHTS WOULD SOMETIMES COINCIDE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL I SOLD THE IS250 AT 88K MILES.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.