Lexus Australia is recalling 7,015 IS250, IS250C, IS350 and IS F cars built between 31 August 2005 and 25 December 2012 to replace front-passenger airbag inflators fitted during an earlier Takata recall. Owners should check their 17-digit VIN on the Lexus website, keep their contact details up to date, and book a free repair at a Lexus dealer; Lexus says the cars remain safe to drive in the meantime.
The campaign was announced on 12 November 2026. It is a proactive, voluntary recall covering replacement inflators that use a desiccated, phase-stabilised ammonium nitrate propellant. Those parts were installed when the original Takata passenger airbags were replaced. Lexus says later investigation found the propellant can still degrade after prolonged exposure to high humidity, high temperatures and repeated temperature changes.
What Lexus says about safety
Lexus says it has been advised that the inflators in this campaign have not begun to degrade, that it is not aware of any related failures in the market, and that there are no warning signs for owners to look for. It says affected cars remain safe to drive until the free repair is carried out. That is Lexus’s position, not an independent finding.
If a degraded inflator is ever involved in a crash, the airbag can deploy with too much force and send metal fragments into the cabin, which can cause serious injury or death. That is why Lexus is replacing the parts even though it says no degradation has been found so far.
Which cars are involved
The recall is limited to certain second-generation Lexus IS models: the IS250 sedan, IS250C convertible, IS350 and IS F, produced between 31 August 2005 and 25 December 2012. Not every IS built in that window is included. Lexus has identified the affected cars from its repair records, because the issue concerns replacement inflators fitted in the earlier Takata work, not the entire original production run.
The only reliable way to check a particular car is to enter the 17-digit VIN in the official checker on the Lexus Australia recalls page. The VIN is on the compliance label in the driver’s door opening, on the registration papers, and in the owner’s manual.
What owners should do
Lexus says it will contact owners of involved vehicles by registered mail, email and SMS. If you have bought, sold or inherited an older IS, or have moved house, update your details with Lexus so that notice reaches the person who has the car now.
Book the repair with your preferred Lexus dealer. The inflator will be replaced free of charge. Lexus says the work takes about 4.5 hours, though the car may need to stay longer depending on the workshop schedule. For questions, contact a Lexus dealer first, or the Lexus Customer Assistance Centre on 1800 023 009, Monday to Friday 9.30am–5.30pm AEDT, and quote the VIN.
Other current Lexus models are not part of this campaign. For the brand’s latest local line-up, see our pages on the Lexus ES 350e, the Lexus RZ 600e, and the Lexus range in Australia.
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