Because this manual is scoped to the 2003 Lexus IS 300 as it was actually built — the 3.0L inline-six (2JZ-GE) and the trim your car left the line in — the clearances, torque values and service sequences in it are the ones Lexus specified for this model year, not numbers carried over from an adjacent one.
Engines
- 3.0L l6 GAS Naturally Aspirated
Trims
- Base, Automatic
- Base, Standard
- SportCross
Known issues on the 2003 IS 300. No recalls are on federal record for the 2003 IS 300. Owners have still filed 34 complaints for the year, and Lexus has issued 30 technical service bulletins covering it. The diagnostic and repair procedures behind the systems those bulletins address are here.
Whether the job is routine maintenance on the 2JZ-GE or a diagnosis that starts with one of those bulletins, it keeps you on the OEM procedure and the correct specification for this 2003 IS 300.
EASY SPIN. *TR
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 NO
Brand new owner - first owner at time of lease/finance terms and conditions. Car accelerated numerous times during ownership that caused harm to both my young son and I life, placed us in harms way and accident occurred in California due to faulty emissions, acceleration out of control, and braking problems. This Lexus was dangerous, unreliable, caused mental and emotional issue coupled with anxiety. Lexus was negligent in handling numerous issues and concerns reported to dealership and has d
Brand new owner - first owner; Car accelerated numerous times during ownership that caused harm to both my young son and I life. This IS250 Lexus was dangerous, unreliable, caused mental and emotional issues. Lexus was negligent in handling numerous issues and concerns related and has done nothing to compensate me for to date relating to multi-billion dollar law suits.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 LEXUS IS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASH INTO THE CONTACTS VEHICLE HEAD ON AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD, NECK AND LEFT SHOULDER INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A BOAT THAT BROKE FREE FROM A TOWING VEHICLE AND ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. THE SEAT BELTS WERE BEING USED AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT, BUT NONE OF THE SIX AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE DID ARRIVE ON THE SCENE AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. *AK *SCC *JB
I SPECIAL ORDERED A 2003 LEXUS IS 300 IN 2002 IN WHICH WAITED 2 MONTHS FOR ITS ARRIVAL. THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS WITH COMPONENTS ON MY CAR BUT LEXUS SELECTED JUST A FEW TO SEND LETTERS TO. INITIALLY, THE DASHBOARD WAS MANUFACTURE WITH DEFECTIVE MATERIAL AND LEXUS CORPORATION REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF IT. I AM STILL WORKING ON THIS ISSUE THEN THERE IS THE SENSOR2 BANK1 WHICH MY TRAC OFF BLINKING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE SCARY THINGS IS WITH THE SENSOR ISSUE THE CAR WILL STOP RUNN
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS BROADSIDED. THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *NM *SC *JB
I WAS SITTING IN MY 2003 LEXUS IS 300 4 DOOR IT WAS A RAINY AND UNUSUALLY COOL DAY SO I ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN AND WITH THE CAR IDLING I LISTENED TO SOME MUSIC AND CONTEMPLATED WHERE TO EAT DINNER IT BEING AROUND 5.30 PM. SUDDENLY THE THROTTLE OPENED UP AND THE CAR SHOT OFF LIKE A ROCKET OVER THE CURBING THROUGH SOME BUSHES AND INTO A POND MAYBE 15 FEET AWAY THE CAR WAS MOVING SO FAST THAT AS IT WAS SINKING IT MOVED OUT ABOUT 20 FEET. IT WAS COMPLETELY SUBMERGED AND I WAS LUCKY TO UNBUCKLE THE
THE DASHBOARD AND CENTER CONSOLE IS MELTING, LEAVING A STICKY & SHINY SURFACE MAKING IT HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. A WARRANTY CAMPAIGN WAS ISSUED FOR SEVERAL OTHER LEXUS MODELS TO ADDRESS THIS VERY ISSUE, HOWEVER, THE 2003 IS300 WAS EXCLUDED. LEXUS COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASON AS TO WHY THIS EXACT DEFECT WAS NOT ADDRESSED FOR THE 2003 IS300 MODEL, SINCE THEY ADDRESSED THE VERY SAME ISSUE WITH AN OLDER 2003 GX470 MODEL. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND EXTREMELY WELL MAINTAINED, SO SUN
COMPLETE CLUTCH FAILURE AT 23,400 MILES. *JB
WAS SLOWLY PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE. CAR WAS CARRIED OVER PARKING BUMPER INTO BUSHES BEYOND, WITH DAMAGES TO BODY AND UNDERCARRIAGE OVER SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR
MY CAR HAS 51000 MILES ON IT AND I'M TOLD MY ALTERNATOR SHOULD BE REPLACED. I TOOK MY CAR FOR ONE THINGS AND THE DEALERSHIP FOUND 4 DIFFERENT ISSUES WHICH 2 OF THE ISSUES I AM AWARE OF. GRANT YOU ALL THE PARTS IN MY CAR ARE THE ORIGINAL PARTS. I SERVICE MY CAR ACCORDING TO LEXUS 25,000 - 75,000 MILES SERVICES. HOW CAN I WELL KEPT AND SELDOM DRIVE VEHICLES HAVE AN ALTERNATOR ISSUE? ON FEBRUARY 7, 2003, THERE WAS COMPLAINTS OF THE (BULLETIN#:T10001308) CD BECOMING JAMMED IN CD CHANGER. IMPROVEMEN
HIGH WIND NOISE AND FLAPPING NOISE FROM THE DRIVER DOOR; IT'S VERY ANNOYING AND UNCONVERTIBLE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THE NOISES PRODUCED BY THIS PROBLEM. LEXUS CLAIMS THEIR CARS AS LUXURY CARS, BUT ALSO CLAIMS THAT A WIND NOISE AND A FLAPPING NOISE ARE NORMAL FOR $34K LUXURY CARS. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY EVEN DID NOT WANT TO TRY TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK
Showing the 15 most serious of 34 complaints filed with NHTSA.
