YearToAvoid

2013 Lexus IS 250 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

17/100

#6 most-complained of 7 IS 250 years

The 2013 Lexus IS 250 ranks 6th of 7 model years, with a complaint index of 17 and a Best verdict relative to other IS 250 years. It has 5 NHTSA complaints, 2 recalls, and no fires or deaths reported.

Complaints
5
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
23
21 city / 27 hwy

Top 2013 Lexus IS 250 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags2 (40%)
  2. Engine2 (40%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (40%)
  4. Steering1 (20%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during a crash after the vehicle unexpectedly moved while being parked, at a median mileage of 50,000.
  • Front tires wore out or tore from the inside, which owners linked to a suspension component contacting a cotter pin near the tire at bumps or potholes.
  • A Takata airbag recall repair could not be completed because replacement parts were unavailable at the dealer.
  • The engine could stall while driving due to misfire, which one owner attributed to carbon buildup from direct injection, at 40,000 miles.
  • A metal scraping noise occurred when turning the steering wheel to the right while driving, believed to involve the brake shield, at 38,000 miles.
2013 Lexus IS 250 complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2016Feb 2018Jul 2018Jun 2019Dec 2019
7 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to Dec 2019; peak Jun 2019 (2).

2013 Lexus IS 250 recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V005000Jan 9, 2019Airbags1,299,448 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    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.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are "Zone A" Toyota: G0P, Lexus: GLG; "Zone B" Toyota: G0R, Lexus GLH; "Zone C" Toyota: H0A, and Lexus: HLA.

  2. NHTSA 18V024000Jan 9, 2018Airbags628,018 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2013 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, IS-F, and GX460 vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MS, SC, TX, PR, AS, GU, the MP (Saipan), and the U.S. VI or "Zone A." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, 4Runner, Lexus IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, ES350, IS-F, GX460, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of AZ, AR, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VA, and WV or "Zone B." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Lexus IS250, IS350, ES350, IS-F, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles ever registered in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." 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 explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began on January 29, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for this recall are "Zone A" Toyota: G0P, Lexus: GLG; "Zone B" Toyota: G0R, Lexus GLH; "Zone C" Toyota: H0A, and Lexus: HLA.

2013 Lexus IS 250 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other IS 250 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013201420152016
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution6730422
2012Caution5017422
2013Best175223
2014Avoid8335024
2015Good3316024

All Lexus IS 250 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Lexus IS 250 reliable?
Among IS 250 model years, 2013 has a complaint index of 17, the second lowest of the 7 years with data, and NHTSA lists only 5 complaints for this year, earning it a Best verdict relative to other IS 250 years.
What problems does the 2013 Lexus IS 250 have?
NHTSA complaints cover airbags, engine misfires, suspension/tire wear, and steering noise. The top problem area is airbags, making up 40% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 50,000.
Does the 2013 Lexus IS 250 have a recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists two recalls for the 2013 IS 250, both involving Takata airbag inflators (campaigns 18V024000 and 19V005000), neither marked as do-not-drive.
How does the 2013 IS 250 compare to other years?
The 2013 IS 250 has a complaint index of 17 and ranks 6th worst of 7 years, well below the 2010 model year's index of 100, which is the highest and rated Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Lexus IS 250?
EPA rates the 2013 IS 250 at 23 mpg combined (21 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,450.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.