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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure6
  2. Suspension2
  3. Power train2
  4. Service brakes1
  5. Steering1
  6. Visibility/wiper1
  7. Engine1
  8. Visibility1
  9. Engine and engine cooling1
  10. Vehicle speed control1
  11. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  12. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20052
20060
20071
20081
20090
20100
20111
20121
20130
20144
20153
20161
20170
20181
20190
20200
20211

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.

03 —Owner reports

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2015Structure, EngineODI 10746615

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!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2016Steering, SuspensionODI 10824679

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2008Power trainCrash reportedODI 10247430

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2021Service brakesODI 11438814

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2015Visibility/wiperODI 10746983
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.