2001 Lexus IS 300 problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Lexus IS 300. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (11 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 19% |
| Suspension | 4 | 15% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 11% |
| Power Train | 3 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 7% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 7% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 7% |
| Tires | 2 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 2001 lexus is 300. While driving at approximately 70 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to accelerate without warning. Also, while driving at low speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal noise as the vehicle jerked without warning. The contact attempted to roll down the…”
Electrical System · filed Mar 4, 2016
“As the original owner of this make/model I have noticed that it goes through tires like not other call I have ever known. I am lucky to get 10-12k miles from a set of tires. In the time I have owned this vehicle I have had to purchase multiple tire sets as well as a lifetime alignment duet to the excessive wear on the…”
Suspension · filed Nov 8, 2011
“I purchased a car from a dealer in malden I heard a sound that was not familiar to me and requested the dealer check it as I had just picked up the vehicle. I made several calls and was told the dealer was with a customer or busy. On march 1, 2011 I took the vehicle to get inspected in stoughton and received a report…”
Suspension · filed Mar 15, 2011
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
70 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2001 Lexus IS 300. The 10 most recent:
Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
Safety Recall 22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2022
POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be…
Lexus PRO19-02 - · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 12, 2022
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to…
L-SB-0002-20 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2020
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to…
L-SB-0002-20 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2020
Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
Lexus Safety Re · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2020
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
L-SB-0179-17 Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2020
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01…
L-SB-0008-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2020
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to…
L-SB-0002-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 4, 2020
TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev1: G1668 Applicability has been updated to include 2019 ? 2020 model year Lexus vehicles. G2158 The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections have been updated. Any…
L-SB-0001-18-Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2019
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE January 22, 2018: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0001-18.
L-SB-0021-14_Obs · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 24, 2018
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2001 Lexus IS 300 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2001 Lexus IS 300?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.