Run a free NHTSA vPIC decode on a Lexus IS VIN to confirm the model year and engine, then see which of the 21 NHTSA recall campaigns for 2001–2026 cover that year.
VIN prefixJTH
Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.
Lexus IS
About the Lexus IS
Lexus has sold the IS in the US since the 2001 model year, and there have been three generations. XE10 first (2001–2005), then XE20 (2006–2013), and the XE30 took over for 2014–2026. Across those years NHTSA lists 21 vehicle recall campaigns and 1,735 owner complaints. Complaints pile up on the XE20. Its 2006 and 2007 model years alone account for 814 of them, with owners bringing up air bags most often and structure and body after that. EPA rates the XE10 at 18–19 mpg combined, while the XE30 gets 18–26 mpg. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.
US model years2001–2026
GenerationsXE10 · XE20 · XE30
NHTSA recall campaigns21
Owner complaints1,735 at NHTSA
Auction lot photo, for illustration
Generations
Lexus IS generations
Three generations since the 2001 model year. The XE20 (2006–2013) has both the most owner complaints and the most recall campaigns (18).
NHTSA has 21 campaigns on file for IS model years 2001–2026, and the 2006 shows up in more of them than any other year (16), ahead of the 2007 (11). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.
2014
Air bag inflator, fire risk or do-not-drive/park-outside advisorySafety recallCanada only
Pick a row
What to ask
Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.
Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.
Owner reports · NHTSA complaints
What Lexus IS owners report
Owner summaries + NHTSA data
Between them, the 2006 and 2007 hold 814 of the 1,735 complaints, or 47%. Tap any bar or generation.
1,735NHTSA complaints, 2001–2026
139mention a crash
15mention a fire
102injuries reported
Owner complaints by model yearXE30: 178 complaints · most for the 2014 (65)
2001···2005····2010····2015····2020····2025·
Top complaint areas · XE30
Mentions in 178 complaints, 2014–2026.
Electrical system32
Fuel system31
Engine and cooling22
Air bags18
Structure and body16
Brakes13
Crashes 14Fires 2Injuries 12
2014–2026 (XE30)
NHTSA data summary
The 2014 stands out. On its own it has 65 of the XE30’s 178 complaints (37%). By area, nothing stands out. Electrical system leads with 32, with the fuel system (31) and engine and cooling (22) close behind.
Top complaint areas · XE20
Mentions in 1,411 complaints, 2006–2013.
Air bags424
Structure and body333
Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)164
Engine and cooling159
Speed control / acceleration110
Electrical system80
Crashes 96Fires 9Injuries 63
2006–2013 (XE20)
NHTSA data summary
Of all IS complaints, 81% are for the XE20. Complaints peak with the 2006, its first model year, at 426 of 1,411. Owners across the generation name air bags most often (424 mentions), then structure and body (333).
Top complaint areas · XE10
Mentions in 146 complaints, 2001–2005.
Structure and body36
Speed control / acceleration18
Air bags16
Brakes14
Suspension13
Engine and cooling13
Crashes 29Fires 4Injuries 27
2001–2005 (XE10)
NHTSA data summary
Fires come up in 4 XE10 complaints, or 2.7% against 0.9% for all IS model years, which is the highest rate of any generation. Complaints peak with the 2002 (40 of 146). Owners across the generation name structure and body most often (36 mentions), then speed control / acceleration (18). No other generation’s complaints mention crashes as often as the XE10’s, at 29 of 146 (19.9%, against 8.0% across all IS model years).
What IS owners report across recent generations
Owner summary
2006–2013 (2nd generation, XE20)
The 2008 draws by far the most complaints. Many NHTSA owners of the 2008 describe dashboards and door panels that turn sticky or melt and reflect glare onto the windshield, and many mention air bag recalls. Owners of the 2009 mostly report air bag and brake complaints and sticky dashboards. CarComplaints lists melting dashboards and door panels and fuel fumes in the cabin for the 2008 IS 250, heavy oil consumption and a sticky dashboard for the 2008 IS 350, and engine failure and a sunroof that shattered for 2009. Recalls cover passenger air bag inflators, a fuel pressure sensor leak and wiper arm nuts. [1][2][3][4][5]
✓
What to check before buying
Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup, including the passenger air bag inflator, fuel pressure sensor and wiper arm recalls.
Check the dashboard and door panels for a sticky or shiny surface and glare on the windshield.
Ask whether they were replaced.
Check for a fuel smell in the cabin and ask about oil use on the IS 350.
EPA lists 108 IS versions for model years 2001–2026. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 345 g/mi (2018). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.
XE102001–2005
18–19 mpg · CO₂ 468–494 g/mi
XE202006–2013
18–24 mpg · CO₂ 369–494 g/mi
XE302014–2026
18–26 mpg · CO₂ 345–475 g/mi
2025
25combined MPG
356CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)
$3,300EPA yearly fuel cost
4/10Smog rating
1 = worst · 10 = cleanest
5/10Greenhouse gas rating
California LEV-III ULEV70 · Federal Tier 3 Bin 70Emission standard
Cleanest gas version of 2025: 300 · Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo — 25 MPG · 356 g/mi
Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year
Gas
Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.
Compare rivals
IS vs BMW 3 Series vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class
NHTSA + EPA data
Take 2014–2026. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the IS, against 44 for the BMW 3 Series and 63 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Pick a range to compare.
Lexus ISXE10
Model years 2001–2005
NHTSA recall campaigns
0
NHTSA owner complaints
146
EPA combined mpg
18–19
Engines (EPA)
6-cyl 3.0 L
Drive (EPA)
RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Structure and body 36
Speed control / acceleration 18
Air bags 16
BMW 3 Series
Model years 2001–2005
NHTSA recall campaigns
16
NHTSA owner complaints
2,213
EPA combined mpg
18–22
Engines (EPA)
6-cyl 2.5, 3.0 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Air bags 778
Exterior lighting 525
Electrical system 301
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Model years 2001–2005
NHTSA recall campaigns
7
NHTSA owner complaints
584
EPA combined mpg
16–24
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 1.8, 2.3 L · 6-cyl 2.6, 3.2 L · 8-cyl 5.4 L
Also listed
supercharged
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Electrical system 153
Engine and cooling 116
Air bags 97
Lexus ISXE20
Model years 2006–2013
NHTSA recall campaigns
18
NHTSA owner complaints
1,411
EPA combined mpg
18–24
Engines (EPA)
6-cyl 2.5, 3.5 L · 8-cyl 5.0 L
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Air bags 424
Structure and body 333
Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) 164
BMW 3 Series
Model years 2006–2013
NHTSA recall campaigns
30
NHTSA owner complaints
5,091
EPA combined mpg
19–28
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0 L · 6-cyl 2.5, 3.0 L
Also listed
turbo, diesel, hybrid
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Air bags 1,678
Engine and cooling 1,534
Electrical system 1,161
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Model years 2006–2013
NHTSA recall campaigns
22
NHTSA owner complaints
4,102
EPA combined mpg
15–25
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 1.8 L · 6-cyl 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 L · 8-cyl 5.4, 6.2, 6.3 L
4-cyl 1.8, 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.0, 3.5 L · 8-cyl 4.0, 6.2 L
Also listed
turbo, plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)
Engine and cooling 425
Fuel system 225
Air bags 224
NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.
Lexus IS VIN number location
Where to find the VIN on an IS
Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.
The IS sports sedan places its VIN at the base of the driver's side windshield. Door jamb sticker, a trunk lid label, and a firewall stamp inside the engine compartment are secondary locations. The XE30 generation starts with the 2014 model year; the VIN’s 10th character (E for 2014) shows which side of that line a car falls on.
The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.
FAQ
Common Lexus IS VIN questions
Which Lexus IS model years have the most owner complaints?
The 2006 leads with 426, ahead of the 2007 (388) and 2008 (270). Those first two alone make up 47% of the 1,735 IS complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.
How many recalls has the Lexus IS had?
NHTSA’s recall records show 21 vehicle campaigns for model years 2001–2026, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns. By generation, XE20 leads with 18. Then come the XE30 (6) and XE10 (0), and a campaign can span two generations.
Which Lexus IS recalls are high risk?
16V-340 and 17V-006 cover air bag inflators that can rupture. 19V-741, 18V-024 and 19V-005 cover air bag inflator modules and how they deploy. NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 07V-545, 09V-020, 11V-029, 14V-647 and 18V-432. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.
Which IS generation am I looking at?
By US model year, the XE10 is 2001–2005 and the XE20 2006–2013. XE30 spans 2014–2026. Read the year off the VIN’s 10th character (E is 2014).
What fuel economy does the Lexus IS get?
It varies. EPA rates the 2014–2026 XE30 at 18–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive, up from 18–19 mpg for the 2001–2005 XE10 (fueleconomy.gov).
How does the Lexus IS compare with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class on recalls?
For 2014–2026 models the IS has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns. The BMW 3 Series has 44, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 63. Complaints run 178, 1,113 and 1,652 in that order, with no sales adjustment.
