Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Lexus IS 250 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 2007 Lexus IS 250. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the accelerator pedal depressed on its own, stuck to the floor board, and the vehicle crashed into her house through the garage wall. The engine was revving excessively when the incident occurred. The vehicle lunged forward and the bottom of the vehicle went into the house first. There were no injuries reported and no police report was taken. The vehicle had not been inspected to find out why the failure occurred. She called the dealer and the manufacturer but received no assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were 18,778.
Tl contact owns a 2007 Lexus is250. She stated that while driving 5 MPH when the accelerator pedal was engaged, it became stuck to the floor, accelerated on its own and crashed into her garage wall. The vehicle bounced off of the wall and moved in reverse 3 feet she then turned the vehicle off. There were front end damages and no injuries. The dealer was contacted and they stated to call the corporate office and file a report. The vehicle will be inspected to determine what caused the failure. The failure and current mileages were 18,778. Updated 04/01/10. The dealer concluded that nothing was wrong with the vehicle. Updated 05/13/10
I was driving my Lexus IS 250 AWD (2007) at 30 MPH on route 27 in montgomery county ,md at 7 am on August 14, 2007. My gas pedal became stuck and I crashed into a tree. My car IS totaled and I sustained neck and back injuries. The consumer learned there was a recall regarding the defect. Updated 10/09/07.
I own a Lexus is250, I pushed down on the gas pedal and it got stuck. I rammed into a car and hit it twice before the car would stop. I hit the car on the sensory going 35 miles per hour and my air bags didn't deploy. Updated 01/08/15 updated 01/14/15.
Engine light comes on and the car stalls or cuts off. The vsc light and traction light IS on also. There's a burning smell that happens often. In addition my acceleration pedal causes me issues also which has put a whole in mat by getting stuck from time to time.
I was driving to the gym at 5:30 am on July 3, 2008 in my Lexus IS 250. I pressed on the accelerator after a light turned green and the car took off, speeding faster and faster. I tried using the brakes and that didn't help. I engaged the emergency brake and that didn't work. My car continued to go faster and faster. I was scared to death and didn't know what else to do. Thankfully there was very little traffic due to the time of day. I pressed the electronic ignition button and that didn't work. I was preparing jump out of the car that was now speeding at about 60mph or so when I thought to put the car in park. That finally stopped the car. I jumped out of the car and a pedestrian lent me his cell phone to call my husband. …
I have an IS 250 Lexus, 2007. I purchased the car on October of 2006. Since my purchase, the car jumped back and forwards when the air conditioner was started and sometimes it shake when I stopped on a red light or a stop signal. I have complained about this issue many times but the dealer said that the computer do not detects the problem. Last month (July 22, 2010), I was driving my car on the highway and it unexpectedly decelerates and began to shake. I was unable to drive faster than certain miles. Also, the vsc light came on. My car has been in the dealer for a month right now and they do not have a final and conclusive diagnosis of what caused the incident and how to fix it. Further, I know other persons who this problem was occurred twice, so I expect it to occur again. …
At approximately 40,000 mi. My 2007 Lexus IS 250 developed a problem of stalling, shaking, misfiring and the vsc light, traction skid light and check engine lights all come on. The dealership initially tried to tell me that the gas cap was not on tight (not true) and then they tried to tell me that just turning the lights off would fix the problem (also not true). After I insisted that the problem was serious and dangerous, the technician drove the car home and had the same problem that I had been experiencing. Finally, the dealership decided that carbon had built up on the valves and that was causing the engine to misfire and all the lights to come on. The dealership sent the valves to a shop and had them cleaned and ground down. The service manager told me that there was a design flaw and this IS what Lexus told them to do to fix it. …
On 3/5/11 at approximately 8:30 am, I was in a parking lot traveling at about 5 MPH in drive with my right foot lightly applying the brake when the brakes seemed not to hold as they should and the engine suddenly increased to 4500 - 5500 RPM. I applied increased force to the brake pedal, placed the gear shift into park, and noted the rpms climbing above 5500. I then pressed the start/stop button and the engine stopped. This episode occurred on dry, smooth asphalt on a clear, cold (30 degree) day. The engine was at normal operating temperature, initially running at near idle (in the parking lot), with the gear shift in drive, cruise control off, radio, cd, A/C, defroster were all off. Heat and fan were on with interior temp set at 74 degrees. This episode has not repeated as of the filing of this report (4 days post-event). …
Upon starting the car the car shook and got a vsc and engine check light. Called the dealer right away and they said they would have to charge 100 to see what happened. Come to find. Out after the fact there was a voluntary notice put out by Lexus on this issue which they have extended warranties for. This has already happened twice to me while driving and both times Lexus will not fix it under warranty claiming it does not happen when they take it in. They will not fix the problem unless it occurs while their testing even though the notification indicating the issue IS coming up. They have also claimed it IS safe to drive although it does not seem safe to have a car randomly stall at any point of time. My research has shown that this IS a common problem for consumers with this car. …
Acceleration complaints in other IS 250 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2007 Lexus IS 250?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2007 Lexus IS 250, 10% of the model year's 213 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Lexus IS 250 acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2007 Lexus IS 250, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 Lexus IS 250 acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.