Lexus IS 350 Best and Worst Years (2006–2020)
Avoid the 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 Lexus IS 350, which rank worst with complaint indexes of 100, 93, 86, and 79. No model year earns a Good or Best verdict because every year carries recall campaigns; 2011 and 2014 are the lowest-risk choices, both rated Caution.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
Avoid 2006Avoid 2007Avoid 2008Avoid 2010Lowest-risk years:Caution 2011Caution 2014
- Model years
- 15
- 2006–2020
- NHTSA complaints
- 217
- Recall campaigns
- 12
- Crashes reported
- 17
- Fires reported
- 0
- Top problem area
- Structure & Body
IS 350 Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Lexus IS 350 problems and recalls by year
| Year | Verdict | Index | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recalls | Top issue | MPG | NCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Avoid | 100 | 93 | 5 | 0 | 8 | Structure & Body | 21 | — |
| 2007 | Avoid | 93 | 53 | 3 | 0 | 8 | Structure & Body | 21 | — |
| 2008 | Avoid | 86 | 30 | 6 | 0 | 8 | Airbags | 20 | — |
| 2009 | No verdict | 43 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Brakes | 20 | — |
| 2010 | Avoid | 79 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 8 | Airbags | — | — |
| 2011 | Caution | 64 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | Airbags | 20 | — |
| 2012 | No verdict | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Airbags | 21 | — |
| 2013 | No verdict | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | — | 22 | 4★ |
| 2014 | Caution | 71 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Brakes | 22 | 5★ |
| 2015 | No verdict | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Fuel System | 22 | 5★ |
| 2016 | No verdict | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Engine | 21.5 | 5★ |
| 2017 | No verdict | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Brakes | 21.5 | 5★ |
| 2018 | No verdict | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | 22.5 | 5★ |
| 2019 | No verdict | 57 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | 22 | 5★ |
| 2020 | No verdict | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 22 | 5★ |
IS 350 years to avoid: what went wrong
2006 Lexus IS 350 Index 100 · 93 complaints · 8 recalls
The 2006 IS 350 has the highest complaint index (100) of any year and 93 total complaints, the most in the lineup. Structure & Body issues lead at 32% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 79,000, followed by Engine problems (19%, median 90,000 miles) and Visibility & Wipers concerns like discolored mirrors (19%, median 80,700 miles). Airbags account for 18% of complaints at a median 84,500 miles, including reports of non-deployment in crashes. Owners also described sudden unintended acceleration events. The year carries 8 recall campaigns, including airbag inflator and fuel delivery pipe recalls.
2006 structure & body problems →2006 engine problems →2006 visibility & wipers problems →
2007 Lexus IS 350 Index 93 · 53 complaints · 8 recalls
The 2007 IS 350 has a complaint index of 93 and 53 complaints. Structure & Body issues make up 26% of complaints (median 51,500 miles), while Airbags and Engine each account for 25% (median 90,000 and 56,000 miles respectively). Owners reported airbags failing to deploy in crashes and sudden acceleration incidents, including one at very low mileage while parking. Electrical System problems made up 11% of complaints at a median 70,200 miles. This year shares the same 8 recall campaigns as 2006, covering airbags and the fuel delivery pipe.
2008 Lexus IS 350 Index 86 · 30 complaints · 8 recalls
The 2008 IS 350 carries a complaint index of 86 across 30 complaints. Airbags are the top concern at 33% of complaints, median 66,500 miles, including reports of non-deployment. Structure & Body issues follow at 23% (median 56,000 miles) and Engine problems at 20%, with a much lower median of 16,741.5 miles. Owners described power steering failure during a turn, sudden acceleration while braking, and rough engine idle with rattling noises tied to a separate engine campaign. The year has 8 recall campaigns covering airbags and fuel delivery.
2010 Lexus IS 350 Index 79 · 8 complaints · 8 recalls
The 2010 IS 350 has a complaint index of 79 from just 8 complaints, but Airbags dominate at 75% of them with a median failure mileage of 88,000, including a case where airbags did not deploy in a rear-end crash with injuries. Visibility & Wipers issues, such as loose side mirrors, made up 25% (median 35,000 miles). The year has 8 recall campaigns, including two separate airbag inflator recalls and the fuel delivery pipe recall, contributing to its Avoid verdict.
Most common Lexus IS 350 problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group. A complaint naming two components counts once in each.
- Structure & Body53 (24%)
- Airbags50 (23%)
- Engine42 (19%)
- Visibility & Wipers31 (14%)
- Other21 (10%)
- Electrical System17 (8%)
- Fuel System17 (8%)
- Brakes13 (6%)
- Steering13 (6%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (2%)
Frequently asked questions
- What years of the Lexus IS 350 should I avoid?
- NHTSA data flags 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100, 93, 86, and 79 — the four worst of the 15 model years covered.
- Is there a best year for the Lexus IS 350?
- No year reaches a Good or Best verdict because every model year is capped by recall campaigns. The lowest-risk years are 2011 and 2014, both rated Caution.
- What is the most common problem on the Lexus IS 350?
- Across all years, Structure & Body complaints are most common at 53 complaints (24% share), followed closely by Airbags at 50 complaints (23%) and Engine issues at 42 complaints (19%).
- How many recalls does the Lexus IS 350 have?
- NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns across the Lexus IS 350's 2006–2020 model years, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
- Why is the 2006 Lexus IS 350 rated Avoid?
- The 2006 model has the highest complaint index (100) of any year, with 93 total complaints led by Structure & Body issues at a median 79,000 miles, plus 8 recall campaigns for airbags and fuel delivery.