2012 Lexus IS problems
Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Lexus IS. Air bags is the most reported problem area, at 28% of complaints. Next are body & structure (14%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (14%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 29 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 28% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 5 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
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%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 5 complaints mention a crash; 1 injury reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2012 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the Lexus IS with enough data (7 complaints in that window).
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.
I was rear ended by a car at a high rate of speed and pushed into the car in front of me. None of my air bags deployed.
My lexus 2012 is 250 accelerated on its own, brakes did not engage after depressing them x2, and then I crashed into a truck. Air bag did not deploy. Reported to lexus who assumed no responsibility for incident. Third party inspected car and downloaded black box. Report from lexus stated that car was drive able and no issues were found. Car incurred $18,000 in damages and was not drivable at the time of inspection. Witnesses at collision shop will validate such.
When exiting a drive through car wash (vehicle in n) told to drive out. I put it in drive, begin to depress gas pedal, it jams down , I peel out towards a concrete jersey wall, hit it with the front passenger side corner front, bumper and front wheel...then the back wheel, still accelerating...do 1/2 donut, end up facing back in direction I just traveled from..only stopped when I hit the on/off button.
Vehicle in motion going 80MPH on highway when suddenly jolted and vehicle did not respond to accelerator and check engine/battery lights all came on and slowed to a stop. Restarting engine did not work as it sputtered and went back to idle immediately. Fuel tank was 1/4 full, not due for oil change for another 4000 miles, tire pressure was fixed a day prior to incident, and no other problems with the vehicle. Car towed to toyota dealership where they tested and said fuel pump malfunction.