It’s one thing for your car to be wicked, but when it actually starts melting, then you have a problem. There’s a lot to love about the 2007 Lexus IS 250, but a melting dashboard isn’t one of them. We know this isn’t a problem you hear about every day, and it turns out it affected millions of vehicles. So what went wrong?

The 2007 Lexus IS 250 is too hot to handle

You might want to think twice about parking the 2007 Lexus IS 250 in the sun. Drivers complained that the dashboard of the IS 250 got sticky and shiny, and the glare would interfere with their ability to see out of the windshield. This increased the potential for an accident, and it made some drivers feel sick from the smell. Lexus owners even reported that the side doors started melting and got sticky as well, ruining anything that came in contact with it.

Basically what was happening was the plastic used for the dashboard, door panels, and even all the interior trim reacted badly to the heat. This caused discoloration, melting, stickiness, and a general yuckiness that owners were seriously unhappy about. Sufferers said that no amount of wiping or cleaning would help get the sticky substance off, and that would just make more of a mess. 

A melting dashboard is not your average problem

Owners of the 2007 Lexus IS 250 experienced the problem at an average of 92,750 miles. CarComplaints.com gave the issue a severity rating of 8.6, or “pretty bad” because let’s face it, dashboards are kind of important. The majority of drivers who had the problem wound up having to replace the whole dashboard. Most drivers reported extreme disappointment that Lexus wouldn’t deal with the issue, forcing customers to spend money replacing the dashboard entirely.

Finally, in 2014 and again in 2017, a lawsuit was filed for the melting dashboard problem of the 07 Lexus IS 250. The lawsuit was for several different makes and models of both Lexus and Toyota vehicles, including popular Toyota models like the 4Runner, Avalon, and Camry. The lawsuit alleges that the automakers were well aware of the problem, and even sent dealerships instructions on how to deal with the problem, but never issued a recall.

Owners of 14 different models of Toyota and Lexus had to deal with the stress and expense of this issue. When they reported the problem, many owners were told there was over a year wait time for parts. Eventually, a dashboard customer support program was created for reimbursement and repair of components on about 3.5 million vehicles.

The 2020 Lexus IS has solved the issue

The Lexus IS dashboards are sticky no more. The new 2020 Lexus IS is a sophisticated luxury car that won’t leave sticky residue on its passengers. The IS combines modern engineering and bold styling to create a vehicle designed for today’s drivers.

This dashboard sports all kinds of technology and amenities, including a 10.3-inch multimedia display with touchscreen navigation, touch-based climate controls, and performance driving modes selected with the turn of a dial. Drivers also enjoy purely digital instrumentation inspired by the LFA supercar. 

Interior finishes have come a long way since 2007 as well. Leather trim replaces sticky faux-leather elements, covering the steering wheel and gear handle as well. Power, leather-upholstered adjustable front seats with ventilated heating and cooling keep drivers comfortable in the cockpit. Rear-seat comfort and convenience features include 60/40 split-folding rear seats and a convenient center console.

If you own a 2007 Lexus IS 250, summer fun just might not be in the cards thanks to its melting dashboard problem. Other than that, it’s a solid choice in the luxury sedan segment.