KnownCarProblems2011 Lexus IS 250 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Lexus IS 250, most often about the air bags (67% of complaints). It is 7th of 11 IS 250 model years by number of complaints and has 4 recalls.
Most common 2011 Lexus IS 250 problems
Air bags
20 complaints · 67%I was driving my vehicle and the vehicle 3 car lengths ahead of me put on his brakes and when I went to put on my brakes my car continued to accelerate and I had no control of the braking and ran into the back of the vehicle. My airbags failed to deploy- my car was a complete loss to the front end ($17,000.00) and the…
The contact owns a 2011 Lexus is250. The contact stated that while making a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver did not sustained injuries, the front passenger sustained face injuries that required medical attention. The other driver did…
Brakes
3 complaints · 10%Unintended acceleration event while driving up a steep hill, vehicle began to accelerate quickly on it's own accord. While braking, the brakes went all the way to the floor and only served to destabilize the vehicle and slow it slightly. Tachometer was pegged at 6,000 RPM and the vehicle would not stop. After pushing…
Car suddenly lurched forward (while my foot was on the brake approaching a stop sign) and struck the vehicle in front of me on january 6, 2012. This problem occurred again in december 2012 and january 2013, I.e., car lurched forward while driver's foot was on the brake while approaching a stop light/sign. The latter…
Speed control
3 complaints · 10%I was driving my vehicle and the vehicle 3 car lengths ahead of me put on his brakes and when I went to put on my brakes my car continued to accelerate and I had no control of the braking and ran into the back of the vehicle. My airbags failed to deploy- my car was a complete loss to the front end ($17,000.00) and the…
Car suddenly lurched forward (while my foot was on the brake approaching a stop sign) and struck the vehicle in front of me on january 6, 2012. This problem occurred again in december 2012 and january 2013, I.e., car lurched forward while driver's foot was on the brake while approaching a stop light/sign. The latter…
Other or unspecified
3 complaints · 10%I was driving in heavy traffic (stop and go); I was fully stopped with my foot on the brake - I eased off the brake to slowly roll forward - absolutely did not place my foot on or anywhere near the gas pedal - as I eased off brake, I felt a strong "surge" from the front of the car- the car accelerated and I slammed in…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Lexus IS 250 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began november 20, 2019. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are j0a, j0b, and j0c. Lexus' numbers for this recall are jli, jlj, and jlk.
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4runner, 2003-2006 tundra, 2003-2013 corolla, 2009-2010 corolla matrix, 2004-2005 rav4, 2002-2007 sequoia, 2011-2013 sienna, 2008-2012 scion xb, 2008-2009 lexus is-f, 2007-2012 yaris and lexus es350, 2010-2017 lexus gx460, 2002-2010 lexus sc430, 2006-2012 lexus is250 and is350 and 2010-2015 lexus is250c and is350c vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began february 15, 2019. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are "zone a" toyota: g0p, lexus: glg; "zone b" toyota: g0r, lexus glh; "zone c" toyota: h0a, and lexus: hla.
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 toyota 4runner, 2014-2015 scion xb, lexus is350c, is250c, 2014 toyota sienna, lexus is-f, and 2014-2017 lexus gx460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands or "zone a." toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 toyota corolla, corolla matrix, lexus is250, is350, 2011-2016 4runner, 2011-2015 scion xb, lexus is350c, is250c, 2011-2014 toyota sienna, lexus is-f, 2011-2017 lexus gx460, and 2011-2012 lexus es350 vehicles ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north car
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify the toyota and lexus owners. General motors will contact the pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on december 6, 2016. Owners may contact toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for interim notification for this campaign are g1p (toyota zone a), g1r (toyota zone b), g2g (lexus zone a), and g2h (lexus zone b). Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are g0p (toyota zone a), g0r (toyota zone b), glg (lexus zone a), and glh (le
Full defect summary
Toyota motor engineering & manufacturing (toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 scion xb and lexus is f, 2009-2011 toyota corolla and corolla matrix, 2006-2011 toyota yaris, lexus is250 and lexus is350, 2010-2011 toyota 4runner, lexus is250c, lexus is350c and lexus gx460, 2011 sienna, 2007-2011 lexus es350, and 2009-2010 pontiac vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in alabama, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, south carolina, texas, puerto rico, american samoa, guam, the northern mariana islands (saipan), and the u.s. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 scion xb and lexus is f, 2007-2008 toyota yaris, 2006-2008 lexus is250 and lexus is350 and 2007-2008 lexus es350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, distric
Visibility and wipers: visibility/wiper
Risk: Inoperative wipers could reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and lexus dealers will install new wiper arm nuts, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on april 4, 2013. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 lexus is250 and is350 vehicles manufactured august 23, 2005, through october 5, 2011; 2010-2012 lexus is250c and is350c vehicles manufactured april 10, 2009, through october 6, 2011; and 2008-2011 lexus is-f vehicles manufactured december 14, 2007, through july 10, 2011. The nuts that fasten the wiper arms may be insufficiently torqued such that if the wiper arms are restricted by an external load, such as a buildup of heavy snow, one or both of the wipers may become inoperative.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Questions about the 2011 Lexus IS 250
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Lexus IS 250?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (20 complaints); brakes (3 complaints); speed control (3 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Lexus IS 250 have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from October 17, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Lexus IS 250?
- It is 7th of 11 IS 250 model years by number of complaints, with 30 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.