Model year record

1995 Lexus LS400 recalls & problems

The 1995 Lexus LS400 has 2 safety recalls and 39 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (13 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints39filed by owners

Crashes · fires4 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths5 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Exterior lightingMay 24, 2006

Exterior lighting

Recall 06E04900027,176 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (OVSC)

Problem: CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

Electrical systemJan 27, 1998

Starter assembly

Recall 98V01600047,525 vehicles

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE TERMINAL FOR THE STARTER MOTOR MAGNETIC SWITCH, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR IF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE LIQUID, SUCH AS ROAD SPLASH WITH DEICING SALT, ENTERS THIS AREA.
Risk: A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Fuel economy

LS 400

19mpg combined

City / highway	17 / 23 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

4 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,350/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Electrical systemStarter assembly; Ignition › Module	13	0	0	120,000 mi
Seat beltsFront › Retractor	10	1	0	113,300 mi
Engine	4	0	0	166,050 mi
Seats	3	0	0	—
VisibilityWindshield; Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Windshield › Electrical heating element	3	0	0	—
Power trainAxle assembly › Axle shaft	2	0	0	—
SuspensionFront › Wheel bearing	2	0	0	—
Engine and engine coolingEngine	2	1	3	—
Fuel system, gasolineDelivery	2	0	0	—
SteeringSteering wheel/handle bar; Hydraulic power assist system	2	0	0	—
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	1	1	0	—
Unknown or other	1	0	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. ONLY THE WARNING AND SHIFT INDICATORS LIGHTS ARE ON. I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING OR HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE IN THE CAR.
May 27, 2019 · 300,000 miles
Seat belts
THE SEAT BELT TENSIONERS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT LEAVING A LARGE AMOUNT OF SLACK WHEN FASTENED CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE RESULT OF A CRASH. SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITION WHEN UNFASTENED. UPON DOING A SEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. OWNERS HAVE HAD VARYING DEGREES OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM LEXUS REGARDING REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. SAFETY ISSUES SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED REGARDLESS OF AGE OF VEHICLE MUCH LIKE TAKATA AIRBAGS ARE COVERED. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW BY THE MANUFACTURER AND COULD BE ARGUED THAT SUCH FLAWS RENDERS THE VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR USE/SALE.
Jan 23, 2018 · 201,000 miles
Air bagsCrash2 injuries
TAKATA RECALL ? WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED, CAUSING BURNS ON OUR ARMS, NOSE, AND PUSHED UP THE DASHBOARD AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A LOT OF WHITE GREY DUST COMING OUT OF THE EXPLOSION THAT WE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET AT 30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF IT. WE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIT THE CAR THAT HAD PULLED OUT FROM A STOP SIGN RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. THE AIRBAG SAYS SRS ON THE COVER ON THE DASH. IS THIS RELATED TO TAKATA?
Nov 17, 2015 · 80,000 miles
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO CHANGED THE WIRES TO THE BATTERY CABLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Apr 11, 2015 · 214,000 miles
Engine
THE EVENING OF 3/7/15 MY WIFE AND I DROVE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. TO OUR HOME IN MUSCATINE, IA. AS WE EXITED I-80 AFTER ALMOST ONE HOUR OF CONSTANT INTERSTATE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AS WE CAME TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. WE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AS WELL, CAUSING PANIC. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE TWO YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER PROLONGED INTERSTATE DRIVING ONLY. IT DID NOT OCCUR THAT MORNING BECAUSE WE BROKE UP THE TRIP TO CR WITH A STOP IN IOWA CITY. THIS IS A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET LAST NIGHT, A VERY INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND…
Mar 7, 2015 · 78,223 miles
Vehicle speed control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
Sep 8, 2014 · 146,000 miles
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
Jul 21, 2014 · 160,000 miles
Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,800.
Oct 20, 2012 · 172,100 miles

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