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2003 Lexus Is

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 7 of 12 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

12 reports
14,050 miles · Mar 4, 2014
Air BagsCrashInjury

VEHICLE FISHTAILED AT ABOUT 40 MPH DUE TO RWD AND ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLIED. SEATBELT WAS BEING WORN AND VEHICLE SLID ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HIT AN EARLY 2000'S F250 (I BELIEVE) ROCKER PANEL. THE WHOLE FRONT END IS DESTROYED AND I HAVE PICTURES.…

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VEHICLE FISHTAILED AT ABOUT 40 MPH DUE TO RWD AND ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLIED. SEATBELT WAS BEING WORN AND VEHICLE SLID ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HIT AN EARLY 2000'S F250 (I BELIEVE) ROCKER PANEL. THE WHOLE FRONT END IS DESTROYED AND I HAVE PICTURES. MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAD A CTSCAN AND WAS AMBULANCED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL THAT HAD A NEURO SURGEON AND KEPT OVERNIGHT. I AM NOW ON NECESSARY LEAVE FROM WORK AND IN A GREAT AMOUNT OF PAIN DUE TO A HEMORRHAGE IN MY BRAIN. I BELIEVE MY MEDICAL INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE VEHICLES AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10566913

22,300 miles · Nov 9, 2006
Air BagsCrashInjury

ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 27TH, I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY BOYFRIEND FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE. I WAS IN MY 3-DAY OLD CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED LEXUS IS300. IT WAS A 2003 WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT, IN SPECTACULAR MINT CONDITION. UPON COMING AROUND A SLIGHT BEND IN THE ROAD LEADING INTO OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX, A DEER RAN OUT INTO THE ROAD FR…

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ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 27TH, I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY BOYFRIEND FROM A FRIEND'S HOUSE. I WAS IN MY 3-DAY OLD CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED LEXUS IS300. IT WAS A 2003 WITH 20,000 MILES ON IT, IN SPECTACULAR MINT CONDITION. UPON COMING AROUND A SLIGHT BEND IN THE ROAD LEADING INTO OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX, A DEER RAN OUT INTO THE ROAD FROM THE RIGHT. I SWERVED LEFT UPON INSTINCT, AND WE HIT GRAVEL AND THEN WET GRASS. WE WERE GOING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR SKID BECAUSE IT COULD NOT GET ANY TRACTION IN THE WET GRASS. WE HIT A BRICK WALL HEAD ON, AT ROUGHLY 30 MPH, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE CAR DEPLOYED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10173050

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.