MajorCommonSuspension

Lexus IS250: Front lower arm rear bush wear — toe wander

Front lower arm rear bush wear — toe wander is a common suspension fault on the Lexus IS250 on the 2005–2020 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $700 to $1,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 6 documented faults on the Lexus IS250.

Vehicle: Lexus IS250
Years: 2005–2020
Fuel: petrol
Gearbox: auto
System: Suspension

This page covers the Lexus IS250 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Lexus IS250 faults6 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The rear pivot bushing of the front lower wishbone (lower control arm) on the IS-platform uses a hydraulic or high-density rubber compound bush that degrades with age, heat cycling, and accumulated load. As the bush softens and collapses internally, the control arm is free to pivot rearward under braking forces and forward under acceleration, causing the front wheel toe angle to change dynamically rather than remaining fixed. This produces characteristic toe wander — the car pulls to one side under braking, tracks inconsistently at highway speed, and resists holding a stable alignment. The bush is a press-fit item requiring a hydraulic press for removal and installation; a full four-wheel alignment must be performed after replacement.

What you would notice

Vehicle pulls to one side consistently under braking
Inconsistent straight-line tracking at highway speed
Steering wheel found off-centre shortly after a fresh alignment
Premature or uneven front tyre wear, often showing feathering
Clunking or thudding from the front suspension over road imperfections

How to check it

Where to look. Rear pivot bushing of the front lower control arm (wishbone), both left and right sides

Visually inspect the rear lower arm bush for cracking, splitting, extrusion of the rubber element, or metal-to-metal contact. Check front tyre inner edges for abnormal wear indicating persistent toe misalignment. Request the most recent wheel alignment printout and check front toe readings. If a workshop inspection is possible: With the vehicle on a hoist, grasp each front wheel at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions and apply rearward and forward force to detect play in the lower arm rear bush pivot.

Parts involved: Ball joint.

What it costs to put right

$700 to $1,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“When was the last wheel alignment performed, and were any suspension components flagged as worn?”
“Has the car ever pulled noticeably to one side when braking?”
“Have the front lower control arm bushes been inspected or replaced during ownership?”

Now check the Lexus IS250 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Lexus IS250 buyer questions

Is front lower arm rear bush wear — toe wander serious on a Lexus IS250?

We rate it major and common on the Lexus IS250. The rear pivot bushing of the front lower wishbone (lower control arm) on the IS-platform uses a hydraulic or high-density rubber compound bush that degrades with age, heat cycling, and accumulated load. As the bush softens and collapses internally, the control arm is free to pivot rearward under braking forces and forward under acceleration, causing the front wheel toe angle to change dynamically rather than remaining fixed. This produces characteristic toe wander — the car pulls to one side under braking, tracks inconsistently at highway speed, and resists holding a stable alignment. The bush is a press-fit item requiring a hydraulic press for removal and installation; a full four-wheel alignment must be performed after replacement.

How much does it cost to fix on a Lexus IS250?

$700 to $1,400 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Lexus IS250 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2020 Lexus IS250. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.