Problems · NHTSA complaints
2009 Lexus IS F problems
Owners filed 41 complaints about the 2009 Lexus IS F with NHTSA between Sep 2009 and Mar 2026. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (10).
Complaints
41
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control10
- Visibility/wiper5
- Air bags5
- Structure4
- Electrical system3
- Exterior lighting3
- Engine3
- Visibility2
- Power train1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Seats1
- Equipment1
- Wheels1
- Service brakes1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
8
0
1
0
4
1
5
0
1
1
6
4
1
1
1
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Vehicle speed control
10 reports3 crashes
“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.”
Visibility/wiper
5 reports1 related recall
“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 LEXUS. NEEDS REPLACED ASAP BEFORE AN ACCIDENT. NO, I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS CAR MELTING DASH. THIS ISSUE IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH OTHER TOYOTA AND LEXUS OWNERS HAVING THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP!! ATTACHED PICTURE ONLY SHOWS THE CIRCLE AREA WHERE MY PHONE IS FOCUSING BUT THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD LOOKS LIKE THIS AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE DASH. THE PICTURE IS ALSO MUCH LESS REFLECTION THAN IN PERSON BECAUSE THE CAMERA IS TRYING TO BYPASS THE GLASS.”
Air bags
5 reports4 related recalls
“DEFECTIVE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SENSOR: MY SRS / AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF, INDICATING THAT THE SRS SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED. I HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSED BY A LEXUS DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 12/4/2020. JOHNSON LEXUS ADVISED ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT PRESSURE SENSOR FAILED AND THAT THE REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT FOR $2769.31. THE SEAT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO ANY UNUSUAL OR HARSH USE. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT AMONG LEXUS IS MODELS AND SOME OTHER LEXUS AND TOYOTA MODELS OF THIS GENERATION. MANY LEXUS DRIVERS REPORT GREAT DIFFICULTY REGARDING THIS DEFECT AND THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS THAT DEALERSHIPS ARE DEMANDING TO FIX THE DEFECT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE ON THE NHTSA DATABASE. I AM VERY SURPRISED THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MANDATORY RECALL OR A LEXUS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THIS COMMON SENSOR FAILURE AFFECTING A CRITICAL, NONOPTIONAL SAFETY FEATURE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA OF NORTH AMERICA AND RECEIVED A POLITE CALL FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE STATING THAT THE COMPANY WAS SORRY BUT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. LEXUS IS USUALLY EXCELLENT WITH ITS CUSTOMER SERVICE, SO I AM…”
Structure
4 reports1 crash
“I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM EMPIRE AUTO SALES NOW KNOWN AS CAR QUEENS. I APPLIED FOR TAGS FOR THIS CAR OVER A YEAR AGO. NOW MY REGISTRATION IS EXPIRED AND I'M NOW FINDING OUT THAT I BOUT A SALVAGE CAR THAT HAS BEEN TOTALED OUT THROUGH A INSURANCE COMPANY. WHICH IS FINE BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES TO GET A REBUILT TITLE. I AM NOW TOLD THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE THIS CAR! THE DEALER REFUSES TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I'M NOT SURE IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK FOR HELP BUT IF NOT CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME ON WHO TO TALK TOO! I JUST WANT MY FAMILY TO BE SAFE ON THE HIGHWAYS. I CALLED JACKSON MS CAR TITLE AND REGISTRATION AND THEY AGREED THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TITLE FOR THIS CAR! ALSO I WAS TOLD BY AN EMPLOYEE OF CAR QUEENS THAT THE OWNER IS SELLING CARS WITHOUT PROPERLY CLEARING THE TITLES OR HAVING THE SALVAGE VEHICLE PROPERLY INSPECTED. THIS INCIDENT STARTED JANUARY 2019 AND STILL TO THIS DAY!”
Electrical system
3 reports
“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.”
Exterior lighting
3 reports
“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.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.