LexusIS250C2012Overview/lexus/is250c/2012/base/

2012 Lexus IS250C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 IS250C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2012 Lexus IS250C is a passenger‑car built on the IS platform and powered by a six‑cylinder engine that requires 6.6 qt of 0W‑20 API oil, mated to an automatic S6 transmission and delivering EPA ratings of 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. While its fuel economy and smooth automatic gearbox are notable, the model recorded a modest 36 owner complaints overall, with air‑bag issues emerging as the most frequent problem and four recalls issued during its production run. Within the 2011‑2015 complaint window, the 2012 year falls between the peak of 49 complaints in 2011 and the low of a single complaint in 2015, positioning it as a mid‑cycle example of the IS250C’s generally improving reliability trajectory.

Model year2015201420132012

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
Tire sizeP225-45VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030179006 alt 9672335028
Engine air filter1780131110
Fuel filter2330031140
Spark plug9091901249
Battery2880038100
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, 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
Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.6 qt

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.88-1.10 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance2.01-2.31 @ 68 degreesF ohms
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

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH FLOATING CALIPER / WITH OPPOSED CALIPER
Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 18 ft-lbs
Brake ApplicationWITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Torque Caliper to Bracket18 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle48 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Brake ApplicationWITH FLOATING CALIPER / WITH OPPOSED CALIPER
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 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 10,000 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.

At 5,000 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (clean)
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 18,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (clean) · 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)

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 2012 Lexus IS250C sits within a generation that shows a clear downward trend in federal complaints, from a peak of 49 in 2011 to just 1 by 2015, indicating that early issues were progressively resolved. With 36 complaints and 4 recalls, the 2012 model year aligns with the 2011 level of recall activity but marks the start of a steep decline in reported problems, suggesting it benefits from initial fixes while still exhibiting some of the generation’s early concerns. Air bag complaints dominate at 17, including 7 crash-related reports, though the data does not specify a root cause. Technical service bulletins remain high at 257, reflecting ongoing manufacturer guidance, but the subsequent drop in complaints implies these efforts were effective. Overall, the 2012 IS250C is a reasonable choice within this generation, offering a balance of lower complaint volume than the 2011 model and the same recall count, but a pre-purchase inspection should verify that all four recalls have been addressed.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
257
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
36
Owner complaints
7 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 36 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags17
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Electrical System2
Structure,Visibility/Wiper1
Electrical System,Vehicle Speed Control,Service Brakes1
Engine1
Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper1
Air Bags,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1

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 257 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
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 IS250C. 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 2012 IS250C take?

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

Does the 2012 IS250C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the IS250C get?

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