Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Lexus IS 250, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags38
- Structure29
- Engine14
- Vehicle speed control12
- Unknown or other11
- Visibility/wiper8
- Electrical system8
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Power train5
- Equipment4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
304 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 16% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €46,712.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde162
- Band onvoldoende profiel62
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld58
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm43
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)37
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht35
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk35
- Band beschadigd25
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,498 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 151 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 1,758 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 75% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.0% | 19.8% |
| Brakes | 0.6% | 11.3% |
| Tyres | 0.3% | 7.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.2% | 6.2% |
| Visibility | 0.2% | 6.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0.2% | 7.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
87 of these cars first registered in 2008 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 241,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
816 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 79% arrived as used imports, 19% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 9.7–11.3 L/100 km (about 21–24 mpg US), CO₂ 223–260 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| IS 250 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 11.2 | 8.0 | 9.7 |
| IS 250 AWD · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 11.9 | 9.0 | 10.6 |
| IS 250 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.1 | 9.0 | 11.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
7 Transport Canada recalls for the 2008 Lexus IS 250.
| 2021723 24 Nov 2021 | Electrical Issue: This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships. On certain vehicl… |
| 2017007 9 Jan 2017 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2014458 16 Oct 2014 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment may have been produced with particles from the anti-corrosion plating on the gasket seati… |
| 2013031 30 Jan 2013 | Visual System On certain vehicles, the wiper arm securing nuts could have been insufficiently tightened during assembly. If the movement of the wipers is restricted by an ext… |
| 2011037 26 Jan 2011 | Fuel System On certain GS 300, GS 300 AWD, GS 350, IS 250, IS 250 AWD and IS 350 vehicles, the fuel pressure sensor connected to the engine fuel delivery pipe may not have … |
| 2009290 7 Oct 2009 | Other On certain vehicles, the accelerator pedal may become stuck in the wide open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open acce… |
| 2009015 19 Jan 2009 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, the use of selected ethanol fuels may cause the aluminium fuel rails to corrode. This could result in plugged fuel injector(s), causing a … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2007-2008 Toyota Yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350 and 2007-2008 Lexus ES350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles of these model years and models that were not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Lexus LS vehicles manufactured May 9, 2006, to July 20, 2010, 2006-2011 Lexus GS vehicles manufactured January 6, 2005, to September 10, 2010, and 2006-2011 Lexus IS vehicles manufactured August 30, 2005, to September 10, 2010. Due to anti-corrosion plating remnants, fuel may leak from where the fuel pressure sensor is attached to the fuel delivery pipe.
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2005, through October 5, 2011; 2010-2012 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles manufactured April 10, 2009, through October 6, 2011; and 2008-2011 Lexus IS-F vehicles manufactured December 14, 2007, through July 10, 2011. The nuts that fasten the wiper arms may be insufficiently torqued such that if the wiper arms are restricted by an external load, such as a buildup of heavy snow, one or both of the wipers may become inoperative.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Lexus told its dealers about the 2008 Lexus IS 250: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10217806 | CSP: Takata CSP Coverage Job Aid - published 7.28.2022 |
| 10217805 | CSP: On July 30, 2018, a settlement of claims for Economic Loss related to Takata airbag inflators was approved for full implementation. The settlement includes Lexus?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program (?CSP?) for 2002-2019 model year (MY) vehicles originally equipped with certain Takata airbag inflators or repaired under a recall with Takata airbag inflators to provide coverage for repairs of the airbag inflator contained in the airbag module. This CSP letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement. This is NOT a recall or a campa |
| 10214355 | Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022 |
| 10210374 | TSB: This Service Bulletin includes procedures to replace damaged or loose front carpet floor retainer(s) without replacing the carpet assembly. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to replace the loose or damaged carpet floor retainer(s). |
| 10209023 | TSB: Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This service bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle prior to an odor remediation being performed, as well as contact information for an approved vendor who will arrange the remediation, and instructions on how to prepare the int |
| 10207945 | POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well. |
| 10205392 | Warranty Enhancement Program - ZLD Phase 2,3 & 4 Part Replacement Available for all Models - Extention of Warranty Coverage for Cracked and/or Sticky/Melting Dashboards ( Inst krukment Panels) as a Result of Heat or Humidity. |
| 10205391 | Lexus has received reports where some vehicles may exhibit cracked and/or sticky/melting dashboards as a result of heat or humidity. |
| 10205387 | Engine Misfire Duplication Procedure - MIL on DTC p030 and /or Intermittently Runs Rough |
| 10205386 | Some models are equipped with front and rear wheels of different offsets or width. Wheel offset, deffined as the distance between the wheel's - to - rotor mounting surface, affects the clearance between the back of the wheel and surrounding brake components . |
| 10205383 | Spots in Window Glass - vehicle exterior |
| 10205365 | Vehicle no start, Start Stop Run Button LED - Lexus Models with Smart Key with LED |
| 10205364 | Engine Misfire Duplication Procedure - MIL on DTC p030 and /or Intermittently Runs Rough |
| 10205357 | Fuel Delivery Pipe Replacement |
| 10205352 | Windshield Wiper Blade Maintenance and cleaning |
| 10205346 | Auto matic Transmission Replacement kPrecautions |
| 10205340 | HVAC Odor Maintenance |
| 10205339 | Wiper Blade Maintenance and Cleaning |
| 10205331 | Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset |
| 10205330 | Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset |
| 10205329 | Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset. |
| 10205327 | Techstream ECU Flash Reprogramming Procedure. |
| 10205319 | Brake Pedal Force Gauge SST for Parking Brake Inspection. |
| 10205312 | Theft Deterrent/Keyless Entry. |
| 10205297 | World Standard Automatic Transmission Fluid |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation