Lexus HS250h common problems: what to check before you buy
Credov's researched list of the 7 faults the Lexus HS250h is known for (2009–2013), 6 of them serious or costly. Each one says what to look for when you check the car, so you can spot it before you buy. Not every car has these faults: they are the ones worth checking on this model.
Known problems on the Lexus HS250h
Brake pedal sinking or pump running long
Safety risk
2009–2010 · 2AZ-FXE · hybrid · Brakes
What to look for: Feel for a brake pedal that sinks before it bites, listen for the brake pump running long, and check the recall record.
Why it matters: Lexus told MLIT that the strength assessment of the accumulator in the electronically controlled brake system was inadequate, that vertical vibration in normal driving loads part of the pressure vessel heavily, that a fatigue crack forms, and that nitrogen gas then works into the brake fluid so pedal travel increases and braking force falls.
What to look for: Check for hybrid warning lights, listen for a gearbox whine at idle, and ask if it has ever needed a tow.
Why it matters: Lexus told MLIT that the crimping of the magnet retaining plate on the generator motor shaft in the electric continuously variable transaxle was inadequate, that long idling or high-load driving wears the plate, and that it then touches the coil and shorts: the warning lamp lights and in the worst case the hybrid system stops and the car cannot be driven.
What to look for: Drive hard enough for the engine to run and feel for hesitation, surging or cut-outs, or a warning light coming on.
Why it matters: Lexus told MLIT that the fuel pump motor speed on this hybrid was set wrongly, that the motor brushes vibrate and wear out early, and that the warning lamp then comes on, fuel is no longer delivered, the car cannot run on the engine and is left unable to be driven.
2010–2015 · 2ZR-FXE, 2AZ-FXE · hybrid · Exhaust and emissions
What to look for: Smell inside the boot, around the rear seat base and under the rear of the car for petrol, ideally after a fill.
Why it matters: Lexus told MLIT that the end shape of the resin vapour passage in the evaporative emission control system was wrong, that a crack forms at that end in service, and that with long use the crack goes right through so fuel leaks and there is a fuel smell when the tank is full. Sellers often deliver a Japanese import part filled, which is exactly the condition that hides this.
What to look for: Check every warning light goes out at start-up, and look at the auction sheet for signs of taxi or hire use.
Why it matters: Lexus notified a campaign in Japan naming the HS250h specifically and giving taxi and business use as the example: repeating braking frequently over a long period can bring on a group of warning lamps together, and continued use in that state sounds the buzzer and makes the brakes less effective. HS250h was a common Japanese taxi and company car, so imports of it skew towards exactly the duty cycle Lexus describes.
What to look for: Ask for the Japanese service book and look for an ABS recall entry dated February 2010 or later.
Why it matters: Lexus told MLIT that the ABS control program was inadequate, that braking force after an ABS event drops below what it was just before, and that a driver braking over ice or a rough surface can feel the car run on and stop further away than expected if pedal effort is simply held. An early-build HS250h that never went back to a Lexus dealer in Japan may still be on the original program.
What to look for: Look through each dry front door window at a low angle for milky haze or cloudy patches that won't wipe off.
Why it matters: Lexus published a free repair notice in Japan stating that front door glass coated with an ultraviolet absorbing film, or an ultraviolet and infrared absorbing film, can have that coating damaged by strong glass cleaner and then hazed white by ultraviolet light.
Got a question about a Lexus HS250h? Ask Credov: a noise, a warning light, a part or how to fix it.
Also check on every car
On top of the faults above, every Credov inspection covers the basics: fuel smell, leaks or filler rust, engine oil leaks, power steering fluid leak, drive belt cracks or squeal, rust underneath: chassis and mounts, engine mounts, engine oil level and colour, coolant level, colour and leaks, head gasket failure signs, cold start: rattle, knock or smoke, rough or hunting idle, engine running hot on gauge, gearbox or diff oil leak, swapped gearbox without lvv and more.
Researched by Credov from manufacturer recalls and service bulletins, owner reports and workshop sources. Repair prices are typical ranges, not quotes. See also fault codes and repair costs.