NHTSA vehicle safety data

2018 Lexus IS 300 Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2018 Lexus IS 300 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 6 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Lexus dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2018 Lexus IS 300, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2018 Lexus IS 300 owner complaints

Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Lexus IS 300, describing incidents dated October 20, 2018 to April 6, 2022.

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 3 complaints
Structure 2 complaints
Engine 1 complaint
Power Train 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Control 1 complaint

Of the 6 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 6 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11492601 · Filed November 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Lexus IS300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle felt sluggish. The contact then heard an abnormal cranking noise underneath the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. No…
ODI #11460066 · Filed April 7, 2022
I was driving down the highway at 70 mph and it was windy at the same time. Out of no where my sunroof window exploded shattering the glass. Luckily I usually keep the cover close. It sounded a gun shot that went off. There was nothing around me that would come down and break the window of the…
ODI #11340152 · Filed July 20, 2020
2018 LEXUS IS 300. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STALLING WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A U-TURN. *LD *JS

Read all 6 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2018 Lexus IS 300 in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA21-002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Open since September 17, 2021

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Fuel Pump May Fail

NHTSA #20V012000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Fuel Pump · NHTSA notice

Reported January 13, 2020 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Potentially affected: 1,830,752 vehicles

Repair completion: 91.84% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 20TB02/20TA02/20LB01 · Owners notified May 1, 2020

Recall group: Denso fuel pumps

Defect description

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Safety consequence

If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2018 Lexus IS300 4 DR RWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

10% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning

1 investigation

2018 Lexus IS300 4 DR AWD

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Frontal Crash

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Rollover

10% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control Forward Collision Warning Lane Departure Warning

1 investigation

6 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Lexus IS 300.

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #11492601

Incident: June 21, 2021 · Filed: November 7, 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Lexus IS300. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle felt sluggish. The contact then heard an abnormal cranking noise underneath the hood of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that she recorded the noise then took the vehicle back to the dealer; however, the dealer informed her that the fuel injectors might need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, while the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that additional pressure on the accelerator pedal was needed for the vehicle to perform as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was notified of a possible buy back. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000

Structure; Unknown or Other

ODI #11460066

Incident: April 6, 2022 · Filed: April 7, 2022

I was driving down the highway at 70 mph and it was windy at the same time. Out of no where my sunroof window exploded shattering the glass. Luckily I usually keep the cover close. It sounded a gun shot that went off. There was nothing around me that would come down and break the window of the sunroof. It just happened out of no where.

Power Train

ODI #11340152

Crash 1 injury

Incident: November 15, 2019 · Filed: July 20, 2020

2018 LEXUS IS 300. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STALLING WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A U-TURN. *LD *JS

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11318475

Incident: January 13, 2020 · Filed: March 17, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 LEXUS IS 300. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V012000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO LEXUS OF NORTH MIAMI LOCATED AT (14100 BISCAYNE BLVD, NORTH MIAMI, FL 33181) AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Structure

ODI #11154859

1 injury

Incident: November 29, 2018 · Filed: November 29, 2018

DRIVING ON 285 EAST IN ATLANTA GA 11/29/2018 WHEN MY LEXUS IS 300 SUNROOF EXPLODED. ALL WINDOWS WERE CLOSED TEMPERATURE WAS 37 DEGREES. IT SOUND LIKE A GUN WENT OFF. GLASS FELL FROM THE ROOF AND PIECE OF THE GLASS WENT IN MY LEFT EYE. I MADE APPOINTMENT FOR THE EYE DOCTOR FOR 11/30/2018

Vehicle Speed Control; Engine; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11149541

Incident: October 20, 2018 · Filed: November 5, 2018

WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP OR WHILE MOVING ON A ROADWAY, THE ENGINE SEEMS TO STALL. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE NORMAL TURBO SPOOLING STALL. IT LASTS FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 FULL SECONDS. WHEN YOU NEED POWER TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT, YOU CAN'T AFFORD THAT TIME LAG, AS IT COULD CAUSE YOUR DEATH. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT LEXUS SAYS IT'S NORMAL, THEY ALL DO IT. I DON'T FEEL ANY MANUFACTURER WOULD DELIBERATELY BUILD AND SELL A VEHICLE THAT WOULD PUT THE OCCUPANTS IN DANGER OF POSSIBLE DEATH. THE DEALER PICKED UP THE CAR AND AFTER FIVE DAYS CALLED ME TO SAY NOTHING IS WRONG AND THEY CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE LEXUS COMPANY SAYS IT'S NORMAL. AT THIS POINT I'M REFUSING TO DRIVE THE CAR, IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN IT ABOUT 188 MILES SINCE BUYING IT ALMOST 1 MONTH AGO. I CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT MY CONCERN AFTER HAVING THE CAR ONLY 20 DAYS.

Other Lexus IS 300 model years

Check your 2018 Lexus IS 300 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lexus IS 300 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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