LexusIS350C2013Overview/lexus/is350c/2013/base/

2013 Lexus IS350C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2013 IS350C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2013 Lexus IS350C is a passenger car equipped with an Automatic (S6) transmission and an engine requiring 6.7 quarts of 0W-20 API oil, delivering an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for a 22 mpg combined average. When situated within the model's 2011-2015 reliability history, this iteration lands between the troubled 23-complaint peak of 2011 and the 3-complaint low of 2014. Recording 8 total owner complaints predominantly centered on visibility and wiper issues alongside 4 recalls means the 2013 model represents a moderately flawed but manageable middle ground for prospective buyers.

Model year2015201420132012

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/26/22 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 9672335028. 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 sizeP225-45R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter1780131110
Fuel filter2330031140
Spark plug9091901249
Battery2880038100
Front wiper blades8522253071 alt 8521253081
Serpentine belt99367K1550
Thermostat1632631050 alt 1603131020
Cabin air filter8713907020 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 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 6.7 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-85 · 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 Capacity1.7-3.0
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.6 Pints
Engine Oil0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.7 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 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)650 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 Capacity1.00-1.40 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.89 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance2.01-2.31 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-199 PSI. 15 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket18 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle48 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Brake ApplicationWITH SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.335 in / 0.649 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
145 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9045 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.

At 1,000 miEngine Assembly (leak inspection) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Underbody (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (road test)
Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Floor Mat (inspect) · 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 Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 2013 Lexus IS350C sits at a clear inflection point in the generation’s reliability arc: complaints dropped sharply to just 8 from 20 the year prior, while recalls continued a steady decline to 4. Notably, the 2013 model also recorded the highest number of technical service bulletins (286) in the five-year window, suggesting Lexus was proactively addressing issues before they escalated into formal recalls or widespread owner reports. The top complaint areas—visibility/wiper and engine—are minor in volume, and there were zero fire complaints, though two crash complaints are noted without a specified root cause. Compared to the 2011 and 2012 years, which had 23 and 20 complaints respectively, the 2013 shows a marked improvement, and the trend continues downward into 2014 and 2015. This positions the 2013 as a well-refined model year that benefits from earlier lessons without inheriting the higher complaint counts of its predecessors. **Takeaway:** The 2013 IS350C is a solid buy, offering a strong balance of low complaints, declining recalls, and extensive TSB-driven fixes that make it a more mature and reliable choice than the earlier years of this generation.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
286
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
8
Owner complaints
2 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 8 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Visibility/Wiper2
Visibility1
Unknown Or Other1
Engine1
Engine,Visibility/Wiper1
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Air Bags,Structure,Seats1

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 286 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-0043-23 Rev12025-06-13Electrical SystemThe air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the…
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 IS350C. 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 2013 IS350C take?

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

Does the 2013 IS350C have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the IS350C get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined mpg.