Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Lexus IS300 problems
Owners filed 16 complaints about the 2005 Lexus IS300 with NHTSA between Mar 2005 and Oct 2021. The most-cited component is structure (6).
Complaints
16
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Structure6
- Suspension2
- Power train2
- Service brakes1
- Steering1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Engine1
- Visibility1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Other / unknown1
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 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
4
3
1
0
1
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 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
Structure
6 reports
“NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE CORRECT FORUM. MY CAR HAS A DEFECT THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT TOYOTA LEXUS IS REPAIRING ALL VEHICLES 2006 AND UP LEAVING MINE OUT WHERE CAN I GO FOR HELP PLEASE I WENT TO SERVCO LEXUS AND THEY TREATED ME VERY BADLY [XXX] *TR”
Suspension
2 reports
“SUSPENSION PROBLEMS ON MY LEXUS IS300. THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS KEEP GOING OUT. TIE ROD ENDS. FRONT CONTROL ARM. ALIGNMENT IS ALWAYS OFF. THE CAR DRIVES WITH VIBRATIONS AND SHIMMY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. LOUD CREEKING NOISES. SQUEAK!”
Power train
2 reports1 crash
“I OWN LEXUS IS300, YEAR 2005. MILEAGE APPROX 10,000 ONLY. FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR LEVER STICKS IN PARK AND REQUIRES THAT I PRESS THE SHIFT LOCK OVERRIDE BUTTON. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES. ON THE LAST OCCASION, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE SELECTOR LEVER, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING, THE CAR SHOT FORWARD AND RESULTED IN A MOST SERIOUS SERIES OF COLLISIONS, FIRST INTO A PARKED CAR THEN AFTER MOUNTING THE SIDEWALK IT SMASHED INTO TWO HOUSES. I SUSTAINED A WRIST FRACTURE AND BRUISES. ALL THIS HAPPENED IN THE SPACE OF ABOUT 2 SECONDS. *TR”
Service brakes
1 report
“As I prepared to make a right turn onto a busy street, I suddenly could not brake normally. Instead, I was unable to press the brake down as a balloon like feeling pushed it back up, but it also did not return all the way up to its normal position. The result was I was moving with no way to slow down the car. Fortunately, I was not moving at a high speed and immediately shifted into park. I was fortunate this did not occur while I was at full speed. The brake lights did turn on at the time of the issue. An independent mechanic suspects a brake booster failure. Just a month before, another mechanic performed routine maintenance and found no signs of this issue. Just 6 months before, I purchased the vehicle used with no mention of this sort of past issue.”
Steering
1 report
Visibility/wiper
1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS IS300. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, A LOUD POP SOUND EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SUN ROOF GLASS CHATTERED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.