Model year record

1997 Lexus LS400 recalls & problems

The 1997 Lexus LS400 has 2 safety recalls and 13 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (3 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints13filed by owners

Crashes · fires2 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths3 · 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	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc › Rotor; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	3	0	2	0	—
Vehicle speed controlCruise control	3	1	1	1	—
Electrical systemWiring › Front underhood	2	0	0	0	—
Tires	2	0	0	0	—
Air bagsFrontal; Side/window	2	2	0	4	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission	2	1	0	1	—
Engine	2	0	0	0	—
Structure	1	0	0	0	—
Latches/locks/linkagesDoors › Latch	1	0	0	0	—
Unknown or other	1	0	0	0	—
VisibilityRearview mirrors/devices	1	0	0	0	—
SuspensionFront › Control arm › Lower arm	1	0	0	0	—

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

Recent owner complaints

Tires
CRASH CAUSED BY POOR WET TRACTION OF GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES. ACCIDENT WAS PRECEDED BY NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF LOST LATERAL GRIP AND SLIPPING UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION IN NORMAL DRIVING.
Jun 15, 2018 · 20,000 miles
Electrical system
VEHICLE DOES NOT START WHEN HOT. STARTER DOES NOT TURN. VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 98V016000. MY CAR HAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 7/97. CUT OFF DATE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS 6/97. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MAGNETIC SWITCH IN THE STARTER. A NO START CONDITION EXISTS AND A FIRE CAN RESULT IF THE SOLENOID SHORTS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
Aug 13, 2015 · 198,000 miles
Vehicle speed control
AS I WAS DRIVING, MY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. WHEN I HAD PREVIOUSLY CHECKED THE SPEED ODOMETER IT SAID 50. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED GAINING SPEED. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE SPEED KEPT ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK! THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I SAW A SIDE ROAD AND TURNED ONTO IT. I KEPT TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT KEPT GOING. I THOUGHT TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT SLOWED THE VEHICLE CONSIDERABLE, BUT IT KEPT MOVING. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I KEPT PUMPING THE BREAKS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING. IT FINALLY STOP, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL ACCELERATING. I PUT THE…
Dec 9, 2014 · 230,000 miles
Vehicle speed controlCrash1 injury
WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 LEXUS LS400 IN CA ON THE 605 FWY, WEST TOWARD 210 FWY, ALL SYSTEMS ON THE CAR LOCKED (STEERING WHEEL, BRAKES, GAS PEDAL) AS I WAS CHANGING LANES. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR AND AFTER SPINNING SEVERAL TIMES RAN INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO GO OVER THE DIVIDER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND BE KILLED. I SUSTAINED NECK AND HEAD INJURIES AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I SURVIVED AND THAT NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED. EARLY IN 1998 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND TOOK THE CAR IN TO LEXUS ON 2/24/98. THE RECALL WAS FOR A "STARTER PLUG PROBLEM". I TRUSTED THAT AFTER THE REPAIR I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY LEXUS. IN FACT, JUST…
Mar 31, 1998 · 25,000 miles
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipFire
A FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED VIA LETTER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THE FIRE, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED, THE RADIO DIED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DIED, THE PROBLEM WAS THEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY ALTERNATOR. AN INVESTIGATOR CONCLUDED AFTER INSPECTING VEHICLE THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERCURRENT AT THE ABS CONTROLLER VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR, THE 10 GAUGE CABLE IS UNPROTECTED AND HAS 12 VOLT, OR BATTERY, POWER POTENTIAL WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING AND THE ENGINE IS IN THE OFF POSITION, AN OVERCURRENT WILL EVENTUALLY PRODUCE SUFFICIENT HEAT AND METL THE CONNECTOR THAT WAS SECURED…
Jan 13, 2002
Air bags › FrontalCrash2 injuries
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER COLLISION AT 50 MPH, AND BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK TOYOTA'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISON FORCES WERE BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR DEPLOYMENT, IMPACTING THE SOFTER PORTION OF THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, THEREFORE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TT
Sep 8, 2001
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower arm
LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS WEARING OUT. THEN, SHIFTED THE TIRE TO RIGHT FRONT AND WEARING CONTINUED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD DO THAT BECAUSE BALLJOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BALLJOINT ARE MADE FROM SUBSTANCE THAT WOULD WEAR OUT AT CERTAIN MILEAGE. *AK
Jan 1, 2001
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Rotor
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD GRINDING NOISE, DEALER HAD TO SAND ROTORS TO REMOVE RUST. *SLC
Dec 17, 2000

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

UNINTENDED ENGINE SPEED INCREASE/SAClosed
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…
DP03003 · opened Jul 17, 2003 · closed Sep 23, 2003