LexusIS2502010Overview/lexus/is250/2010/base/

2010 Lexus IS250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2010 IS250.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2010 Lexus IS250 is a compact luxury passenger car powered by a V6 engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, requiring 6.6 quarts of 0W-20 API oil and returning EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined. Across the model’s complaint history from 2011 to 2015, owners reported 109 total issues—predominantly air bag problems—alongside nine recalls, and while the 2010 model year falls just outside that recorded window, it shares the generation’s overall reliability profile.

Model year201520142013201220112010200920082007

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/26/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9030179006. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-45R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter1780131110
Fuel filter2330031140
Spark plug9091901249
Battery2880038100 alt 2880054231
Front wiper blades8522253071 alt 8521253081
Serpentine belt99367K1550
Thermostat1632631050 alt 1603131020
Cabin air filter8713950100 alt 8713907010

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 26 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume88 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.6 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0-30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.9
Differential Gear OilGL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.48 Pints
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0-30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub214 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.88-1.01 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.11 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.88-1.01 lbs
Oil GroupPAG

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-199 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Compression142-203 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 18 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58 ft-lbs / 40 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH FN3 (16 inch) CALIPER PR NOS. 1LH/1ZG
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.39 in / 1.259 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.39 in / 1.259 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.334 in / 1.181 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
128 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9028 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Disc Brake Caliper (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test)
Every 10,000 miKeyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record covers 20112015 but does not include complaint, recall, investigation, or TSB data for the target year 2010, meaning direct federal statistics for the 2010 Lexus IS250 are unavailable in this dataset. However, the adjacent-year trend reveals a notable arc: complaints peaked at 49 in 2011, dropped sharply to 13 by 2013, then fluctuated modestly through 2015 (16–35 complaints annually). Recall activity was heaviest in 2011–2013 (3–4 recalls per year) and ceased entirely by 2014–2015, while TSBs grew from 248 to 285 through 2014 before declining to 232 in 2015. The separate complaint-category data for 2010 identifies Air Bags as the dominant concern at 64 complaints—substantially higher than any single year's total complaint count in the 2011–2015 record—suggesting the 2010 model may have experienced a concentrated, unresolved defect pattern that Lexus subsequently addressed through recalls in the following years. The sharp reduction in both complaints and recalls by 2014 indicates the generation's known issues were substantially mitigated later in the production run. **Takeaway:** The 2010 IS250 likely sits at the front end of a problem arc that Lexus corrected in subsequent model years. While it cannot be evaluated against its own federal record, the trend suggests this model year may carry unresolved Air Bag-related concerns that were later addressed via recalls. A thorough pre-purchase inspection—especially of airbag and restraint systems—is essential; otherwise, a 2012–2013 model with demonstrated recall completion and lower complaint history may represent a more defensible purchase within this generation.

9
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
279
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
109
Owner complaints
17 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 109 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags64
Vehicle Speed Control6
Unknown Or Other5
Engine4
Power Train4
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Tires2
Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 279 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0032-252025-07-30EngineSome 2016 – 2020 model year GS F, 2008 – 2014 model year IS F, 2022 – 2025 model year IS…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev12025-02-07StructureSome 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of…
L-SB-0017-19 Rev12025-02-07StructureSome 2010 – 2026 model year Lexus vehicles may exhibit paint stains after the removal of…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific IS250. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2010 IS250 take?

6.6 qt of 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2010 IS250 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the IS250 get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.