LexusIS350C2012Overview/lexus/is350c/2012/base/

2012 Lexus IS350C

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 IS350C.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2012 Lexus IS350C is a passenger car equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission that delivers an EPA-estimated 18 city and 25 highway mpg, with its powertrain requiring 6.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for proper maintenance. From a reliability standpoint, this model year carries 20 owner complaints and five recalls, with the air bags serving as the primary area of concern. Although this represents a slight improvement over the 23 complaints logged in 2011, it remains far above the generation's low of just three complaints in 2014, meaning researchers should expect this mid-cycle variant to reflect the elevated reliability risks characteristic of the model's early production years.

Model year2015201420132012

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/25/21 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 filter8713907010 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 25 / 21 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 6.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 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 OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.48 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.5 qt
Transfer Case FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity1.5 Pints

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Main Bearings16
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 Capacity.88-1.10 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
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

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 SOLID ROTOR / WITH VENTED ROTOR
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.394 in / 0.709 in / 1.181 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.394 in / 0.709 in / 1.181 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 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)
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)
At 30,000 miUnderbody (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (clean) · 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)

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 IS350C sits in the middle of a clear downward trend in complaints and recalls across the generation. Complaints dropped from 23 in 2011 to 20 in 2012, then fell sharply to 8 in 2013 and 3 in 2014, while recalls declined from 7 to 5 to 4 to 3 over the same period. The 2012 model’s top complaint area is air bags (9 reports), with three crash-related complaints and no fires reported. Technical service bulletins (TSBs) remained high at 249, slightly above 2011’s 247, suggesting ongoing dealer-level fixes but no spike in formal safety actions. Because the 2012 year sits on the downward slope of the complaint/recall arc—better than 2011 but not as clean as 2013–2015—it represents a reasonable middle-ground choice, though later model years offer fewer reported issues.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
249
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
20
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 20 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags9
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Structure,Visibility/Wiper1
Engine1
Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper1
Air Bags,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)1
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting,Air Bags1
Structure,Unknown Or Other1

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 249 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 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 2012 IS350C take?

6.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 IS350C have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the IS350C get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 25 highway / 21 combined mpg.