Used Car Informer
2006-2013 Lexus IS 250: IS250: direct-injection carbon buildup
What goes wrong
The IS250’s 2.5 V6 is direct-injection only and coats its intake valves in carbon, rough cold idle, misfires, sluggishness. The IS350 has port injection too and largely avoids it.
0 owner complaints on file.
6 safety recalls listed.
Complaint volume tracks how many were sold as well as how they held up , read it as a pattern, not a score. Counts change; confirm live at nhtsa.gov or by running the free check below.
What to do about it
Whatever you find, a $100-150 pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is the cheapest money you’ll spend on any used car , including this one.
Run the full free check on this IS 250 →Free · no signup · federal recall + complaint data included
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General reference information only , not a mechanical inspection, appraisal, or vehicle history report, and not specific to any individual car. Failure patterns describe documented tendencies across many vehicles; any single car may be better or worse. Cost figures are rough estimates , verify locally. The absence of a warning is not a statement that a car is safe or problem-free. Always verify recalls directly with NHTSA and get a pre-purchase inspection. Not affiliated with any manufacturer, dealer, or reporting service. No affiliate links, no commissions, no ads. © Used Car Informer, operated by MCC LLC · v6.6