Research · complaint index

Lexus IS350 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 8 model years of the Lexus IS350 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2011, 2012 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
20111
20121
20131
20141
20150
20160
20170
20190
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
2019100.200Fewest complaints
2017100.200Fewest complaints
2016200.300Fewest complaints
2015400.600Typical
20141411.901Typical
2013811.002Typical
20122012.303Most complaints
20112312.501Most complaints
  • 20191 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 20171 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 20162 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 20154 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201414 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 20138 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201220 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
  • 201123 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 7, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2017, 2019, 2016.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Lexus IS350 years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2011, 2012 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 8 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.