2010 Lexus IS problems & reliability
40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Lexus IS, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Sep 21, 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 components.
3 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2010 Lexus IS vehicles were involved in 15 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 16 | 40% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 15% |
| Power Train | 5 | 13% |
| Unknown / Other | 5 | 13% |
| Engine | 4 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 5% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 5% |
| Steering | 2 | 5% |
| Tires | 2 | 5% |
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
“255 /40 R18 99Y XL BSW Continental CONTROLCONTACT SPORT SRS+ Tire date: 2125 DOT 1CN0FBF5W Tire pressure rear set at 38 psi checked a week prior. Tire pressure Sensor light was not on at time of incident. Purchased 7 months ago, Jan 16 2026, 3335 miles on the tire when the incident happened. Driving on a country road…”
Tires · filed Aug 23, 2026
“My vehicle's dashboard was melting. I thought it was some kind of condensation. When trying to wope it, sticky gook came off on my papertowel explosing the bottom level.of the dashboard. I went through all the levels all.the way to Corporate Lexus legal in TX as the fumes were making me sick. I am a senior citizens…”
Unknown / Other · filed May 8, 2026
“The contact owns a 2010 Lexus IS. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled, the vehicle independently accelerated while the accelerator pedal was not depressed, and all of the doors locked independently and were inoperative. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure occurred on…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed May 8, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
45 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2010 Lexus IS. The 10 most recent:
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 15, 2025
Some 2016 – 2020 model year GS F, 2008 – 2014 model year IS F, 2022 – 2025 model year IS 500, 2018 – 2025 model year LC 500, 2021 – 2025 model year LC 500c, and 2015 – 2025 model year RC F vehicles with 2UR-GSE engines…
L-SB-0032-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 30, 2025
Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2025
Some 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of Rapgard™. The paint stains may appear to be under the clear coat but are usually under wrinkles in the Rapgard™. The wrinkles may…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2025
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 21, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 21, 2024
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
L-SB-0023-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
L-SB-0024-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
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
The 2010 Lexus IS has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 2010 Lexus IS?
- · 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.