NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Lexus IS Recalls & Complaints

The 2002 Lexus IS has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 12 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 2002 Lexus IS. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2002 Lexus IS owner complaints

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Lexus IS, describing incidents dated December 1, 2003 to February 2, 2018.

Most-cited components

Structure 5 complaints
Tires 2 complaints
Air Bags 1 complaint
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint

Of the 12 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash; across all 12 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11378605 · Filed December 9, 2020
PROBLEM STARTED WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIR OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHEELS GOT STOLEN FROM DEALER COLLISION CENTER LEXUS NOT CAR GOES OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHILE DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD WEARING OUT TIRES COMPLIANTLY ABOUT 3 SET OF TIRES REPLACED
ODI #11066838 · Filed February 3, 2018
CAR RUNS GREAT UNTIL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY VSC AND THEN BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN THOSE LIGHTS COME ON IT RUNS ROUGH AND BRAKES MAKE GEAR NOISE UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD AREA. BRAKE IS VERY SLUGGISH AND ALMOST NON EXISTENT WHEN IT FAILS. LET IT SET, CLEAR FAULT AND RUNS FINE UNTIL WARM…
ODI #10694116 · Filed March 13, 2015
DASHBOARD IS MELTING. *TR

Read all 12 complaints

FMVSS 108/AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS

NHTSA #09E012000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported April 7, 2009 · SABERSPORT

Potentially affected: 16,270 vehicles

Owners notified May 11, 2009

Defect description

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY SABERSPORT.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2002 Lexus IS. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

12 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Lexus IS.

Suspension

ODI #11378605

Incident: August 18, 2008 · Filed: December 9, 2020

PROBLEM STARTED WHEN CAR WAS IN FOR REPAIR OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHEELS GOT STOLEN FROM DEALER COLLISION CENTER LEXUS NOT CAR GOES OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHILE DRIVING ON A ROUGH ROAD WEARING OUT TIRES COMPLIANTLY ABOUT 3 SET OF TIRES REPLACED

Electronic Stability Control (ESC); Service Brakes

ODI #11066838

Incident: February 2, 2018 · Filed: February 3, 2018

CAR RUNS GREAT UNTIL CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY VSC AND THEN BRAKE LIGHT. WHEN THOSE LIGHTS COME ON IT RUNS ROUGH AND BRAKES MAKE GEAR NOISE UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE HOOD AREA. BRAKE IS VERY SLUGGISH AND ALMOST NON EXISTENT WHEN IT FAILS. LET IT SET, CLEAR FAULT AND RUNS FINE UNTIL WARM AGAIN. HAVE HAD ALL BRAKES CHECKED AND IN GOOD CONDITION BY MECHANIC TODAY AND PROBLEM PERSISTS. APPEARS TO BE AN ECU OR OTHER ELECTRICAL AND NOT MECHANICAL PROBLEM. IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY MANUFACTURER.

Structure

ODI #10694116

Incident: May 1, 2014 · Filed: March 13, 2015

DASHBOARD IS MELTING. *TR

Structure

ODI #10672593

Incident: January 1, 2010 · Filed: January 14, 2015

OVER THE YEARS MY DASHBOARD HAS DETERIORATED, THE RUBBER HAS BECOME STICKY AND NASTY JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES IN COMPLAINTS. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THIS MATTER BUT NOT MY YEAR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULDN'T APPLY TO ALL THE 2002 MODELS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE! PLEASE, COULD SOMEONE ENLIGHTEN ME? ME VEHICLE HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT AND IS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION OTHER THAN THE DASHBOARD AND SIDES OF CONSOLE. HELP, I LOVE MY CAR AND I DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THIS RECALL ALSO!! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

Visibility/Wiper

ODI #10660096

Incident: November 3, 2014 · Filed: November 21, 2014

SOMETHING ON WINDSHIELD THAT MAKES IT HARD TO SEE, IT IMPAIRS MY VISION. DASHBOARD IS LITERALLY MELTING! IT'S STICKY! NOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY LEXUS DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND SEND OUT A RECALL. FIX THEIR MISTAKES AND DO IT RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THEY TRIED TO PASS SOME CHEAPER PRODUCTS OFF ON THEIR VEHICLES BUT THAT ONLY BOUGHT THEM SOME TIME. WORD OF MOUTH IS THEIR WORST ENEMY RIGHT NOW. *TR

Structure

ODI #10626012

Incident: October 2, 2012 · Filed: August 18, 2014

AS I'M DRIVING THE DASHBOARD STARTS TO MELT AND IT'S VERY STICKY,PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS CAR AND THERE'S NO RECALL OR WARRANTEE FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR

Structure

ODI #10617551

Incident: January 1, 2005 · Filed: July 30, 2014

MY LEXUS DASHBOARD IS MELTING AWAY. THE DASH HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BY THE DEALER BUT IT IS AGAIN MELTING AWAY. *TR

Steering; Wheels

ODI #10592537

Incident: April 4, 2006 · Filed: May 19, 2014

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH MY LEXUS IS300 MODELS 2002. THERE IS SOME TYPE OF DEFECT IN THE FRAME OR FRONT ARM BUSHINGS THAT CAUSE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE FRONT INNER TIRES. DESPITE THE CAR BEING REGULARLY ALIGNED, UNEVEN AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR CONTINUES TO OCCUR ON THE INNER PORTION OF THE TIRES. TIRES WILL SOMETIMES LAST LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AND HAVE WORN DOWN TO THE STEEL IN THE INNER SIDES OF THE FRONT TIRES! THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND COMPLAINT AMONG IS 300 OWNERS. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN NO FIX FROM LEXUS AND WILL LEAD TO POTENTIAL BLOWOUTS ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO TIRE FAILURES. THIS CONDITION IS UNACCEPTABLE. THEREFORE I AM REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS DUE TO THE RESULTING TIRE FAILURE BECAUSE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION DEFECT. *JS

Unknown or Other

ODI #10586059

Incident: December 1, 2003 · Filed: May 1, 2014

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR (LEXUS IS300 2002), THE DASHBOARD, COVER TO AIR BAG (ON DASH) AND CONSOLE BEGAN TO MELT/SOFTEN AND BECOME STICKY. WHEN I FIRST REPORTED TO LEXUS, THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING. AFTER A WHILE, I CONTINUED TO COMPLAIN AND THEY REPLACED THE COVER PANEL ON DASH TO THE AIR BAG BUT NOT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD/CONSOLE. IN ALL THE YEARS OF SERVICE AT LEXUS OF PALM BEACH, THEY NEVER OFFERED TO REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THIS DID NOT SEEM RIGHT. AFTER HEARING RECENT STORY ON WPTV NEWS (CONSUMER WATCHDOG, [XXX] ), I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT I AM NOT ALONE AND THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES SIMILAR TO MINE. HTTP://WWW.WPTV.COM/MONEY/CONSUMER/STICKY-SHINY-SAFETY-ISSUE-DRIVERS-COMPLAIN-OF-SUN-GLARE-FROM-MELTING-DASHBOARDS BECAUSE MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, LEXUS IS STILL DISMISSIVE ---- BUT I DO HAVE RECORD OF THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS (INCLUDING WHEN THEY REPLACED THE AIR BAG DASH COVER, UNDER WARRANTY, SEVERAL YEARS AGO). I JUST RECEIVED EMAIL RESPONSE TODAY FROM LEXUS OF PALM BEACH, PARTS MANAGER, [XXX] AS FOLLOWS: "THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL INQUIRY. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN AND AS OF RIGHT NOW LEXUS HASN'T COME OUT WITH ANYTHING FOR YOUR MATTER. IF ANYTHING DOES ARISE, SEEING YOU PURCHASED YOUR VEHICLE NEW, ALL YOUR INFORMATION IS IN THE DATA BASE AND YOU WILL BE CONTACTED FIRST. I WISH I HAD AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW BUT WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET." GIVEN THAT I HAD REPORTED THIS ISSUE WHILE CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER WARRANTY (AND THAT LEXUS HAD ACKNOWLEDGED ISSUE AND REPLACED PORTION), I FEEL THAT LEXUS SHOULD HONOR THIS PRODUCT AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD AND CONSOLE AT THEIR EXPENSE, FOR BOTH PARTS AND LABOR. HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling; Exterior Lighting; Structure; Tires

ODI #10189197

Incident: April 27, 2007 · Filed: April 29, 2007

VEHICLE STALLS, BUCKS AND SWAYS ONTO OTHER DRIVERS NOT AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING THE VEHICLE SWAYS LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS MISSING A SPARE TIRE AND JACK, I ASKED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND WAS DENIED. ALSO, MISSING WEATHER STRIPS ON ALL 4 DOORS THE WIND ENTERS THE CAR AND ONE DAY IT IS GOING TO SWING IT DIRECTLY OFF THE ROAD . *TR

Other Lexus IS model years

Check your 2002 Lexus IS VIN

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

Check a Lexus VIN