YearToAvoid

2015 Lexus IS 250 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

33/100

#5 most-complained of 7 IS 250 years

The 2015 Lexus IS 250 has a complaint index of 33, ranking 5th out of 7 model years, with a Good verdict relative to other IS 250 years. NHTSA lists 16 complaints, 1 crash, no fires, and zero recalls for this year, with Electrical System the top problem area.

Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 30 hwy

Top 2015 Lexus IS 250 problems

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

  1. Other6 (38%)
  2. Electrical System4 (25%)
  3. Airbags3 (19%)
  4. Structure & Body2 (13%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (13%)
  6. Brakes1 (6%)
  7. Engine1 (6%)
  8. Fuel System1 (6%)

What owners report

  • Airbag warning panel on the driver side repeatedly pops off or falls loose, raising concern about the airbag mechanism underneath.
  • One owner reported the driver-side airbag failed to deploy in a hard side-impact crash.
  • Engine stalls after coming to a full stop, then suddenly accelerates when trying to move again, sometimes at intersections.
  • A low-voltage steering warning appeared before the car later failed to start at a dealer service visit, at 43,215 miles.
  • Ventilated seats blow cold air on the seat bottom while the seat back becomes unexpectedly hot.
  • Front tires wear unevenly on the inside edge and have blown out or lost pressure while driving on the highway.
2015 Lexus IS 250 complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2015Aug 2016Nov 2016Dec 2017Jul 2019Jan 2021Oct 2022May 2023
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2015 to May 2023; peak Sep 2016 (2).

2015 Lexus IS 250 recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2015 Lexus IS 250 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,300
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.

2015 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
2013Best175223
2014Avoid8335024
2015Good3316024
2016No verdict010—

All Lexus IS 250 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Lexus IS 250 reliable?
Relative to other IS 250 years, the 2015 model is rated Good, with a complaint index of 33 and rank 5th out of 7 years tracked. NHTSA lists 16 complaints and no recalls for 2015.
What is the top problem area for the 2015 Lexus IS 250?
Electrical System complaints are the most common, making up 25% of complaints (4 of 16), with a median failure mileage of 43,215 miles.
Does the 2015 Lexus IS 250 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2015 Lexus IS 250, compared to 6 recalls on the 2010 model and 4 each on 2011 and 2012.
Which Lexus IS 250 years should be avoided?
Based on NHTSA data, 2010 (complaint index 100) and 2014 (complaint index 83) are rated Avoid, while 2015 with an index of 33 ranks better than most other years.
Are there airbag problems with the 2015 Lexus IS 250?
Airbags account for 19% of complaints (3 of 16), including a report of a driver-side airbag panel repeatedly detaching and one crash where the airbag reportedly did not deploy.

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.