As I prepared to make a right turn onto a busy street, I suddenly could not brake normally. Instead, I was unable to press the brake down as a balloon like feeling pushed it back up, but it also did not return all the way up to its normal position. The result was I was moving with no way to slow down the car. Fortunately, I was not moving at a high speed and immediately shifted into park. I was fortunate this did not occur while I was at full speed. The brake lights did turn on at the time of the issue. An independent mechanic suspects a brake booster failure. Just a month before, another mechanic performed routine maintenance and found no signs of this issue. Just 6 months before, I purchased the vehicle used with no mention of this sort of past issue.
The worst 2005 Lexus IS problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Body5
- Brakes2
- Transmission2
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Body5
- Brakes2
- Transmission2
- Acceleration1
- Engine1
- Suspension1
- Visibility1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Lexus IS 39
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a...
- Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a...
- Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a...
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad...
- Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical...
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix...
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used...
- Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign
- Some 2005 ? 2022 model year Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in...
What 2005 Lexus IS owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
This lexus has the sticky, melting dashboard issue common in many lexus vehicles located in southern states.
One day I just got into my car after cleaning it and the dash was very sticky, I thought someone split something in my car so I wiped it down but it did nothing.
Melting dashboard.
I have a 2005 is300 that is having a melting dashboard and panel issue. This is a well known issue in the lexus forums on the internet. The melting dashboard and panel issue is caused by the hot sun. Lexus has not acknowledge this issue and also refusing to cover the cost of repairing/replacing the defective parts.
Severe rusting of the sunroof.
Coasting into a parking spot , my foot not on the gas , the car took off. I had to slam my foot on the brake and with the help of the parking spot stopper the car stopped. The car felt like it was going to go over the stopper.
On the dashboard, the square of material where the SRS air bag is, on the passenger side, keeps melting when it's exposed to heat. The airbag decomposes over time due to an error in design/manufacturing, and that lexus is aware of the situation due to other customers that have had the same problem. I have safety concerns about the condition of the air bag as this continues to deteriorate overtime. This situation may affect the quality and strength of the air bag. . After research I discovered this problem has occurred in lexus vehicles as far back as 2002.
I own lexus is300, year 2005. Mileage approx 10,000 only. For approximately 1 year the gear shift selector lever sticks in park and requires that I press the shift lock override button. This has happened approximately 6 times. On the last occasion, when I was able to move the selector lever, the engine started racing, the car shot forward and resulted in a most serious series of collisions, first into a parked car then after mounting the sidewalk it smashed into two houses. I sustained a wrist fracture and bruises. All this happened in the space of about 2 seconds.
The front tires are wearing out faster on the inside (camber) than the rest of the tire. The dealer lexus (is300) said that's the way the manufacturer made it .I was never told this would happen when I bought the vehicle.
Compare the 2005 Lexus IS
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Questions about the 2005 Lexus IS
Is the 2005 Lexus IS reliable?
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2005 Lexus IS, close to a typical IS model year.
What is the 2005 Lexus IS year score?
The 2005 Lexus IS scores 67 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Lexus IS: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Lexus IS?
Body and structure, with 5 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2005 Lexus IS have?
No recalls on record.
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