2012 Lexus Is 250 Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Lexus Is 250.

20112013
Complaints
27
Crashes
10
Fires
0
Injuries
4
Fatalities
Recalls
4

Worst 2012 Lexus Is 250 Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#110 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:29,334 mi
Crash-related:2
#24 complaints

Electrical Faults

Crash-related:1
#33 complaints

Brakes

Crash-related:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2012 Lexus Is 250.

Airbags
10
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
29,334
Electrical Faults
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Unintended Acceleration
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Transmission / Drivetrain
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2012 Lexus Is 250. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2012 Lexus Is 250

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,073,261 vehicles.

19V741000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
~928,220 affected

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.

19V005000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~1,299,448 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of 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." Toyota is also recalling certain 2011-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS250, IS350, 2011-2016 4Runner, 2011-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2011-2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, 2011-2017 Lexus GX460, and 2011-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of 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." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010-2013 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Lexus IS350, 2010-2016 4Runner, 2010-2013 Lexus IS250, 2010-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2010-2014 Lexus IS-F, and 2010-2012 Lexus ES350 vehicles ever registered in the states of 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 or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

17V006000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~577,875 affected

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.

13V030000Wipers & Visibility
~267,718 affected

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.

Other Lexus Is 250 Years

2012 Lexus Is 250 — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2012 Lexus Is 250 reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2012 Lexus Is 250 has 27 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash-related, and 4 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 10 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2012 Lexus Is 250?
Top reported problems: Airbags (10 complaints, avg 29,334 mi); Electrical Faults (4 complaints); Brakes (3 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2012 Lexus Is 250?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 29,334 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2012 Lexus Is 250?
NHTSA complaints for the 2012 Lexus Is 250 include 10 crash-related reports, 0 fire reports, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2012 Lexus Is 250 have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,073,261 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2012 Lexus Is 250?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Lexus Is 250 reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2012 Lexus Is 250

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