YearToAvoid

2013 Lexus IS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 IS years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2013 Lexus IS has 9 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 80 out of 100 — #4 highest of 16 IS model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is visibility & wipers (4 complaints, 44% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 3 injuries.

Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
22
19 city / 26.5 hwy

Top 2013 Lexus IS problems

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

  1. Visibility & Wipers4 (44%)
  2. Engine3 (33%)
  3. Airbags1 (11%)
  4. Fuel System1 (11%)
  5. Other1 (11%)
  6. Structure & Body1 (11%)
2013 Lexus IS complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2013Mar 2020Apr 2020Aug 2023Mar 2024Aug 2024Sep 2024Aug 2026
11 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2013 to Aug 2026; peak Apr 2020 (3).

2013 Lexus IS recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2013 Lexus IS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
26.5 MPG
Combined
22 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,650
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 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Caution6715022
2012Avoid9318022
2013Avoid809022
2014Caution7312021.5
2015Good479022

All Lexus IS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Lexus IS a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Lexus IS ranks #4 of 16 among IS model years (Complaint Index 80/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 9 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Lexus IS?
The most reported problem areas are visibility & wipers (4 complaints), engine (3 complaints), and airbags (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 59,595 miles.
Does the 2013 Lexus IS have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2013 Lexus IS in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Lexus IS?
EPA rates the 2013 Lexus IS at 22 MPG combined (19 city / 26.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,650. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.