2009 Lexus Is 250: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2009 Lexus Is 250: 6 recalls, 48 owner complaints and up to 24 mpg combined.
Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Visibility/Wiper Vehicle recall #13V030000 · 2013 · 267,718 vehicles
What's wrong: The nuts that fasten the wiper arms May be insufficiently torqued such that if the wiper arms are restricted by an external load, such as a buildup of heavy snow, one or both of the wipers May become inoperative.
Why it matters: Inoperative wipers could reduce driver visibility and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will install new wiper arm nuts, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on April 4, 2013.
Fuel system Vehicle recall #14V647000 · 2014 · 422,509 vehicles
What's wrong: Due to anti-corrosion plating remnants, fuel May leak from where the fuel pressure sensor is attached to the fuel delivery pipe.
Why it matters: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will clean and reseal the fuel pressure sensor mounting area, free of charge. The recall began March 3, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V340000 · 2016 · 1,754,517 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xb and Lexus is f, 2007-2008 Toyota yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus is250 and Lexus is350 and 2007-2008 Lexus es350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V006000 · 2017 · 577,875 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, yaris hb, Scion xb, Pontiac vibe, Lexus, es350, is250, is350, and is-f vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V024000 · 2018 · 628,018 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Vi or "zone a." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, 4runner, Lexus is250, is350, is250c, is350c, es350, is-f, gx460, and Pontiac vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of az, ar, de, dc, il, in, ks, ky, md, mo, ne, nv, nj, nm, nc, oh, ok, pa, tn, va, and wv or "zone b." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix,…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began on January 29, 2018.
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #19V741000 · 2019 · 928,220 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 1 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (20): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Speed control / throttle (6): the most common themes are sudden acceleration (2).
- Body & structure (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Other / unknown (6): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
The 2009 Lexus Is 250 has 48 owner complaints, ranking #4 of 11 Is 250 model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 65). Complaints peaked in 2017 (14 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 57,450 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (125 complaints, 5 recalls), 2010 (40 complaints, 6 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 21 | 29 | 24 | Premium |
| 2.5 L 6-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Lexus Is 250.
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FAQ
Does the 2009 Lexus Is 250 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Lexus Is 250. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2009 Lexus Is 250 problems?
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (20), speed control / throttle (6), body & structure (6).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Lexus Is 250 get?
EPA ratings run up to 24 mpg combined (2.5 L, Automatic (S6)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2009 Lexus Is 250 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.