Most common 2012 Lexus IS 250C problems
Share of the 4 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus IS 250C complaints by model year
Best IS 250C years: 2013, 2014, 2015. Compare all years →
2012 Lexus IS 250C recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of…
Visibility/wiper
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 vehicles manufactured August 23, 2005, through October 5, 2011; 2010-2012 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles manufactured April 10, 2009, through October 6, 2011; and 2008-2011 Lexus IS-F vehicles manufactured December 14, 2007, through July 10, 2011.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will install new wiper arm nuts, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on April 4, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2012 Lexus IS 250C:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2012 Lexus IS 250C owners say
Air bags
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Lexus is250c. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 17V006000 (air bags) however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called Lexus of clearwater located at 27547 us hwy 19 n, clearwater, fl 33761 at [phone] where it was confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and stated to the contact that she could go to orlando for the repairs but were not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Lexus IS 250c. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V006000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The Lexus san diego dealer (4970 kearny mesa rd, san diego, ca 92111-2407, [phone]) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2012 Lexus IS 250C engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Lexus IS 250C a good car?
Based on 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 IS 250C rates few complaints: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the IS 250C at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Lexus IS 250C?
The air bags — 4 complaints, 100% of all complaints for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2012 Lexus IS 250C have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2012 Lexus IS 250C, the most recent from October 17, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus IS 250C?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2014 and 2015. See the full Lexus IS 250C years comparison.
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.