2008 Lexus IS F
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2008 Lexus IS F is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 18 on record.
2008 Lexus IS F at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2008 Lexus IS F recalls 5
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, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicl…
Fix: 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. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…
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, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands …
Fix: 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 charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota custome…
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, …
Fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota 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 charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer servi…
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Lexus LS vehicles manufactured May 9, 2006, to July 20, 2010, 2006-2011 Lexus GS vehicles manufactured January 6, 2005, to September 10, 2010, and 2006-2011 Lexus IS vehicles manufactured August 30, 2005, to September 10, 2010. Due to anti-corrosion plating remnants, fuel may leak from where the fuel pressure sensor is attach…
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will clean and reseal the fuel pressure sensor mounting area, free of charge. The recall began March 3, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.
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. The nuts that fasten the wiper arms may be insufficiently torqued such that if the wiper arms are …
Fix: 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.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2008 Lexus IS F common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 114 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2008 Lexus IS F MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.
What's a 2008 Lexus IS F worth?
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2008 Lexus IS F costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 1
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture Open
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. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deploymen…
NHTSA #EA21002 · Air Bags · opened Sep 2021An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 171
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 171.
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to pr…
Bulletin L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 · Structure · Dec 2025Some 2016 – 2020 model year GS F, 2008 – 2014 model year IS F, 2022 – 2025 model year IS 500, 2018 – 2025 model year LC 500, 2021 – 2025 model year LC 500c, and 2015 – 2025 model year RC F vehicles with 2UR-GSE engines may exhibit a MIL ON condition with one o…
Bulletin L-SB-0032-25 · Engine · Jul 2025Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to pr…
Bulletin L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Structure · Jul 2024Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to pr…
Bulletin L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Structure · Jul 2024Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to p…
Bulletin L-SB-0030-24 · Structure · Jun 2024Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to p…
Bulletin L-SB-0030-24 · Structure · Jun 2024Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can be identified by the presence of small, r…
Bulletin L-SB-0020-24 · Structure · Apr 2024To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before th…
Bulletin L-SB-0023-24 · Structure · Apr 2024The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especiall…
Bulletin L-SB-0024-24 · Structure · Apr 2024Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the Removal Procedure in this bulletin to re…
Bulletin L-SB-0021-24 · Structure · Apr 2024Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the IS F RWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 5
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2008 Lexus IS F. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Electrical
Issue: This recall is for certain block heater kits installed on certain vehicles or sold as accessories at Toyota or Lexus dealerships. On certain vehicles, the engine block heater cable may not have enough heat protection and could be damaged by high temperatures. If this happens, the cable could short circuit while plugged in, and cause the wiring to overheat or melt. Note:…
Transport Canada #2021723 · Nov 2021Airbag
On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propellant contained in the passenger frontal airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. As a result, if the vehicle were involved in a collision that warrants airbag deployment, fragments could b…
Transport Canada #2017007 · Jan 2017Fuel System
On certain vehicles, the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment may have been produced with particles from the anti-corrosion plating on the gasket seating surface where the fuel pressure sensor is installed. This could affect the sealing properties of the gasket seated between the pressure sensor and the pipe, potentially resulting in a fuel leak. A fuel leak in the pre…
Transport Canada #2014458 · Oct 2014Visual System
On certain vehicles, the wiper arm securing nuts could have been insufficiently tightened during assembly. If the movement of the wipers is restricted by an external load, such as heavy snow on the windshield, the wiper arms could slip and one or both wipers could become inoperative. If this occurs, driver visibility could be reduced, which could increase the risk of a crash ca…
Transport Canada #2013031 · Jan 2013Other
On certain vehicles, the accelerator pedal may become stuck in the wide open position due to an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death. Correction: Dealers will reconfigure the shape of the accelerator pedal.…
Transport Canada #2009290 · Oct 2009Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Lexus IS F
The Lexus IS (XE20) is a car produced by the Japanese carmaker Toyota under its luxury division, Lexus. Classified as a compact executive car, it represented the second generation of the Lexus IS. It served as Lexus's entry-level sedan from 2005 until its production ended in 2013. Toyota manufactured the XE20 at the facility in Tahara, Aichi, and the Kyushu factory in Miyawaka, Fukuoka. It was available as both a four-door sedan and a two-door coupe—the latter designated by a "C" at the end of their name.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2008 Lexus IS F trims & engines on record
2008 Lexus IS F vehicles on record
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2008 Lexus IS F BaseJTHBP262185003477