Summary
The Lexus IS 250 has 3 recalls covering 2006 through 2012 model years, the most serious being a passenger-side airbag inflator defect on 2006-2012 vehicles registered in high-humidity regions where the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, risking serious injury or death.
This is part of the broader Takata airbag recall and primarily affects vehicles that have spent time in warm, humid climates such as the Gulf Coast states, Hawaii, and US territories. The propellant inside the inflator degrades over time under those conditions, causing it to fire with far more force than intended. The 2006 model year has two additional recalls. On 2006 AWD models, the accelerator pedal linkage can catch on a plastic pad in the carpet, stick in a partially depressed position, and prevent the throttle from returning to idle, which can cause unintended acceleration. Also specific to the 2006 model year, a separate airbag propellant degradation issue can cause the passenger frontal airbag to deploy with excessive force, independent of the inflator rupture concern.