2000 Lexus GS400 recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Jun 22, 2010 · 100,834 milesElectrical system
  WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR SUDDENLY STOP WITH NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL. I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BUT IT DID NOT RESPONDED, EVENTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING BUT THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN TAKEN TO THE LEXUS DEALER THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THEY TOLD ME IT WILL COST ME AROUND $3,000.00 TO REPLACE IT. IS THIS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO HAPPEN OR IS IT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR?. WE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING BUT IT COULD BE WORSE DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC HOURS. *TR
• Jul 2, 2009 · 103,000 miles · crash · 1 injuryAir bags › Frontal
  ON JULY 2 ,2009, MY WIFE STRUCK ANOTHER CAR BROADSIDE WITH OUR 2000 LEXUS GS400. THE POINT OF IMPACT ON THE LEXUS WAS WITH THE LEFT FRONT PORTION (HEADLIGHT AREA) OF THE FRONT. SHE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO BRAKE. THE IMPACT, AND SEATBELT, CAUSE A MODERATE SIZED BRUISE ON HER LEFT BREAST AREA. LEXUS INDICATES THEIR AIRBAGS DEPLOY ON FRONTAL OR "NEAR FRONTAL" COLLISIONS AT 8 TO 14 MPH. YET, IN THIS CASE, WHAT I THINK IS A "NEAR FRONTAL" COLLISION, THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I CONTACTED LEXUS, BUT THEY CONTEND IT WAS NOT A "FRONTAL" COLLISION, AND THEREFORE THE BAG DID NOT NEED TO DEPLOY. THEN WHY DO THEY INDICATE THAT IN "NEAR FRONTAL" COLLISIONS THE AIRBAG…
• Apr 10, 2004 · 30,900 milesVehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
  I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY FATHER, MING SUEN ON I-95 SOUTH BOUND NEAR I-15 INTER-CHANGE IN MY 2000 LEXUS GS400(30900 MILES). THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCKED(NOT BY CARPET OR FLOOR MAT) MECHNICALLY, AND MY CAR DOWNSHIFTED ITSELF AND WENT INTO FULL POWER ACCELERATION AT THE ENGINE SPEED OF OVER 5000 RPM. I TRIED TO BRAKE WITH FULL FORCE, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND THE CAR WAS GOING AT 85MPH AND GAINING SPEED! THE WHOLE INCIDENT LAST FOR ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES, AND I DIALED "911" AND TRIED TO ASK FOR HELP. BEFORE THE CALL WAS CONNECTED, I MAGICALLY REGAIN CONTROL OF MY LEXUS. THE ACCELERATOR DIS-ENGAGED AND THE ENGINE SPEED RETURNED TO NORMAL. I FELT THE BRAKE WAS LOSING POWER AND BECAME VERY…
• Jun 12, 2001Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
  WHEN APPLYING BRAKES CONSUMER HIT ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DISTANCE BETWEEN BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND GAVE A REPORT, MANUFACTURER WILL SEND IT TO ENGINEER. *AK
• Feb 12, 2001Tires
  THE TIRE HAD AN UNDISCLOSED DEFECT THAT CAUSED A SPLIT ON THE INSIDE OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, THE DEALER SAID THIS OCCURED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS MISALIGNED THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE ALL FOUR TIRES SHOW SIMILAR INSIDE WEAR (BRIDGESTONE PROTENZA RE 030 235/45Z417). NLM
• Mar 1, 2001Tires › Tread/belt
  BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE 030 TIRE (P235/45R17) WAS FLAT AND CONSUMER COULD SEE A LONG SPLIT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE ALSO EXPOSING THE STEEL BELTS, THE LEXUS SERVICE MANAGER AND BRIDGESTONE DEALER STATE THAT ALL 4 TIRES SHOW SIGNS OF SIMILAR INSIDE TIRE WEAR, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT THE TIRES BE REPLACED AND ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS SOME VIBRATION IN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. *SLC
• Aug 11, 2000Vehicle speed control › Linkages
  WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & STARTED TO PRESS DOWN ON BRAKES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF ACCELERATION. 2ND TIME PROBLEM, NOT DUPLICATED AFTER IT HAPPENED PRIOR TO TAKING TO DEALERSHIP. HAD HAPPENED 6 DIFFERENT TIMES SINCE THEN & PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE. MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW CAUSE OF ACCELERATION.*AK
• Jul 24, 2000Suspension
  CAR STARTED TO PULL TO RIGHT 3 DAYS FROM PURCHASE, WAS TOLD WHEN CALLED IN ITS OK COME IN WHEN YOU COME FOR 5,000 MILES SERVICE. HAVE GONE 4 TIMES FOR REPAIR WAS NOT DONE. CAR STILL PULLING TO RIGHT. AT 4TH ATTEMPT WAS TOLD TO LEAVE THE CAR THERE BUT NEEDED THE CAR, SO I MADE FIFTH ATTEMPT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND AS OF TODAY 10/3/2000 WAS TOLD BY LONGO LEXUS WANTS TO MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM JUST EXHAUSED DEALING WITH LONGO AND LEXUS IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER. NEED ASSISTANCE HOW CAN I FILE A COMPLAIN WITH LEMON LAW. PLEASE SOMEONE CALL ME. I AM OUT OF OPTIONS AND LEXUS DOES NOT CARE IF THEY LOSE A CUSTOMER.

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• DP03003 · opened Jul 17, 2003 · closed Sep 23, 2003UNINTENDED ENGINE SPEED INCREASE/SA
  ON MAY 13, 2003 THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) RECEIVED AN APRIL 25, 2003 LETTER FROM MR. PETER BODDAERT PETITIONING THE AGENCY TO CONDUCT A PETITION ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2000 MODEL YEAR LEXUS 300 AND 400 SERIES VEHICLES FOR PROBLEMS OF VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES WHICH RESULTS IN SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED EXCESSIVE (VEHICLE) ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO PRESSURE [SIC]APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.IN SUPPORT OF HIS PETITION, MR. BODDAERT CITES A NUMBER OF ODI REPORTS CONCERNING VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INCLUDED AMONGST THE THIRTY-SIX REPORTS HE CITES IS ONE INVOLVING A LEXUS THAT COLLIDED WITH FIVE OTHER CARS IN THE SPACE OF ONE-HALF MILE BEFORE IT COULD BE STOPPED.ODI FOUND NO DATA INDICATING THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND RELATED TO THE PETITIONER'S ALLEGATIONS AT THIS TIME.THEREFORE, THERE IS NO REASONABLE…