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Vehicle safety record

2005 Lexus IS300 Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 2005 Lexus IS300 with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (6) and the brakes (2). Those complaints describe 2 crashes and 1 injury. There are no recalls for it. For comparison, the 2004 has 29.

NHTSA data checked

AFar fewer problems than a typical IS300 year, for its age

#205 most complained-about 2005 vehicle

Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths
0

Most common 2005 Lexus IS300 problems

Share of all 16 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

No recalls for the 2005 Lexus IS300

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Lexus IS300. Recalls can be announced at any time - this page updates daily.

What owners say

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16 complaints about the 2005 Lexus IS300

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.

Brakes

As I prepared to make a right turn onto a busy street, I suddenly could not brake normally. Instead, I was unable to press the brake down as a balloon like feeling pushed it back up, but it also did not return all the way up to its normal position. The result was I was moving with no way to slow down the car. Fortunately, I was not moving at a high speed and immediately shifted into park. I was fortunate this did not occur while I was at full speed. The brake lights did turn on at the time of the issue. An...

Read the full complaint

independent mechanic suspects a brake booster failure. Just a month before, another mechanic performed routine maintenance and found no signs of this issue. Just 6 months before, I purchased the vehicle used with no mention of this sort of past issue.

Filed Incident Service brakesNHTSA 11438814
Other & unknown

Sticky dashboard. Dashboard has become sticky to the touch and stains anything that comes in contact.

Filed Incident Unknown or otherNHTSA 11144272
SteeringSuspension

Suspension problems on my lexus is300. The front upper and lower ball joints keep going out. Tie rod ends. Front control arm. Alignment is always off. The car drives with vibrations and shimmy from left to right. Loud creeking noises. Squeak!

Filed Incident Steering · SuspensionNHTSA 10824679
Visibility & wipers

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus is300. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, a loud pop sound emitted from the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the sun roof glass chattered inside of the vehicle. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was not taken in for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 109,000.

Filed Incident Visibility / wiperNHTSA 10746983
Body, doors & structureEngine & cooling

Not sure if this is the correct forum. My car has a defect that is not considered a safety defect toyota lexus is repairing all vehicles 2006 and up leaving mine out where can I go for help please I went to servco lexus and they treated me very badly [[redacted]] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr

Filed Incident Structure · EngineNHTSA 10746615
Body, doors & structure

This lexus has the sticky, melting dashboard issue common in many lexus vehicles located in southern states.

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10733137
Body, doors & structure

One day I just got into my car after cleaning it and the dash was very sticky, I thought someone split something in my car so I wiped it down but it did nothing. *Tr

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10617687
Body, doors & structure

MELTING DASHBOARD. *JS

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10617042
Body, doors & structure

I have a 2005 is300 that is having a melting dashboard and panel issue. This is a well known issue in the lexus forums on the internet. The melting dashboard and panel issue is caused by the hot sun. Lexus has not acknowledge this issue and also refusing to cover the cost of repairing/replacing the defective parts. *Tr

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10611380
Visibility & wipers

SEVERE RUSTING OF THE SUNROOF. *JS

Filed Incident VisibilityNHTSA 10592087
Engine & coolingAcceleration & cruise control

Coasting into a parking spot , my foot not on the gas , the car took off. I had to slam my foot on the brake and with the help of the parking spot stopper the car stopped. The car felt like it was going to go over the stopper. *Tr

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Vehicle speed controlNHTSA 10453704
Body, doors & structure

On the dashboard, the square of material where the srs air bag is, on the passenger side, keeps melting when it's exposed to heat. The airbag decomposes over time due to an error in design/manufacturing, and that lexus is aware of the situation due to other customers that have had the same problem. I have safety concerns about the condition of the air bag as this continues to deteriorate overtime. This situation may affect the quality and strength of the air bag. . After research I discovered this problem has occurred in lexus vehicles as far back as 2002.

Filed Incident StructureNHTSA 10438408
Transmission & drivetrainCrash1 injury

I own lexus is300, year 2005. Mileage approx 10,000 only. For approximately 1 year the gear shift selector lever sticks in park and requires that I press the shift lock override button. This has happened approximately 6 times. On the last occasion, when I was able to move the selector lever, the engine started racing, the car shot forward and resulted in a most serious series of collisions, first into a parked car then after mounting the sidewalk it smashed into two houses. I sustained a wrist fracture and bruises. All this happened in the space of about 2 seconds. *Tr

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 10247430
Suspension

The front tires are wearing out faster on the inside (camber) than the rest of the tire. The dealer lexus (is300) said that's the way the manufacturer made it .I was never told this would happen when I bought the vehicle. *Nm

Filed Incident SuspensionNHTSA 10181520
Transmission & drivetrain

Lexus is300, 2005 5 speed. I bought this car brand new on june 2005. After 2900 miles the clutch had to be replaced by lexus. They claim that I drive with the foot on the clutch pedal (which I don't). I have driven stick shift since I was in college over 30 years ago. *Jb

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 10143937
BrakesCrash

Lexus is300 2005 brake malfunction. *Bf when the consume attempted to apply the brakes, the vehicle would not stop, which resulted in the consumer hitting a parked vehicle. The consumer believed the brake booster failed. *Jb

Filed Incident Service brakes, hydraulicNHTSA 10113709

Lexus IS300: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
200516020Body, doors & structureA
200429040Body, doors & structureC
2003340101Body, doors & structureD
200245040Body, doors & structureC
2001350103Acceleration & cruise controlD
All IS300 years

2005 Lexus IS300 vs rivals

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 2005 Lexus IS300

Does the 2005 Lexus IS300 have any recalls?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Lexus IS300 right now. Recalls can be announced at any time, and this page checks NHTSA every day. You can also check your exact vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Lexus IS300?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (6), brakes (2), engine & cooling (2).

How many complaints has the 2005 Lexus IS300 had?

16 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 7, 2005 and the latest on October 31, 2021. Of these, 2 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.

Is the 2005 Lexus IS300 a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 76 out of 100 (grade A: far fewer problems than a typical Lexus IS300 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Lexus IS300 years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2005 Lexus IS300 has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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