Parts for your 2015 Lexus Is-Strut mounts

2015 Lexus IS strut mounts — are they used?

Short answer: no, traditional “strut mounts” aren’t used on the 2015 Lexus IS (XE30 series). Technical documentation from Lexus for the XE30 platform — including Lexus global press information for the 2013–2017 IS and the factory repair manual — specifies a front double‑wishbone suspension and a rear multi‑link arrangement. That layout doesn’t use a MacPherson strut at either end, so there’s no strut top bearing plate in the classic sense.

In a MacPherson setup, the strut assembly is a structural member that locates the wheel and turns with steering, so it needs a combined rubber/ball‑bearing “strut mount” at the body tower. The IS’s double‑wishbone front end locates the wheel with upper and lower control arms, the shock and spring simply control motion and don’t act as a steering member. Up top you’ll find a shock absorber upper insulator/mount, not a strut bearing. The rear multi‑link is similar: the damper isn’t a structural strut, so again there’s an upper shock mount/insulator rather than a strut mount.

Why Lexus does it this way comes down to chassis behaviour. Double wishbones and multi‑link geometry give Lexus engineers tighter control of camber gain and tyre contact across bumps and cornering, which suits the IS’s dynamic brief. Because the damper assemblies don’t rotate for steering, there’s no need for a strut‑type top bearing plate.

Thinking about maintenance? While “strut mounts” aren’t a service item on this car, there are related components worth checking as kilometres rack up:

• Front and rear shock absorber upper insulators/bushes for cracking, perishing or knocking under sharp bumps.
• Front upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints for play that can cause clunks, feathered tyres or vague steering.
• Rear multi‑link arm bushes and toe links for wear that shows up as rear‑end steer or uneven tyre wear.
• Sway bar links and bushes for rattles over low‑speed corrugations.

If fitting aftermarket coilovers, note they may come with pillow‑ball or rubber top mounts, but these aren’t “strut mounts” in the MacPherson sense and don’t carry steering loads. After any suspension work, a proper four‑wheel alignment is a must to protect tyres and keep the IS tracking straight.

Does a 2015 Lexus IS have strut mounts?

No. The 2015 Lexus IS uses a front double‑wishbone and rear multi‑link suspension, so it doesn’t have MacPherson struts or strut mounts. It uses shock absorber upper insulators/mounts instead.

What should be serviced instead of strut mounts on a 2015 IS?

Inspect the front and rear shock upper insulators, control arm bushes and ball joints, rear multi‑link bushes, and sway bar links. Replace anything cracked, perished or loose, and get a wheel alignment afterwards.

I’m hearing a clunk over bumps — could that be a strut mount?

On this model it’s more likely a worn shock upper insulator, a tired sway bar link, or play in a control arm bush/ball joint. A road test and lever check under the bonnet and at the hubs will usually pinpoint the culprit.