2008 Lexus IS problems
Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Lexus IS. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 16% of complaints. Next are body & structure (16%) and air bags (15%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 143 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 7 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 5 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 73,000 miles 81 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 9 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 1 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 12 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 20 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 7 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 14 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 8 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 9 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 81 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 73,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 104,000 miles (13 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 7 complaints mention a crash; 5 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2008 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the Lexus IS with enough data (26 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
The contact owned a 2008 Lexus IS350. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph, the steering wheel began to turn to the left independently and crashed into a parked vehicle. The contact’s vehicle rolled over and landed on its roof before stopping. None of the air bags deploy upon impact. A bystander assisted the contact to exit the vehicle by breaking the front passenger side window with his foot. The contact was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
My issue pertains to the sticky dash and the same materials used on parts of the door near the handles. When the temperature gets over 80 degrees the material starts to melt and becomes extreme hot and sticky. When I tried to grab papers I left on the dash I had to tear them off and it left a sticky substance. It also can become extremely hot and when I hit any part of the dash when heated it burns and sticks to me.
I have a beautiful lexus is 250 crimson in color that I bought back in feb 2012. The dashboard has been completely mutilated.. It is not a good feeling to know how hard you worked your tail off to be 24 years old and be able to afford the car of your dreams, and now just because it is out in the sun, the dashboard melts. Sure wish I would have known this information when I bought the car. It was not damaged at that point. It looks terrible and it is impossible to clean it without making scratches all over it..
Takata recall. We were told by lexus 8 months ago not to allow anyone to drive in the passengers seat. Since we always ride together we can no longer use the car. It does not make sense that we bought a car this expensive we can no longer use.