1998 Lexus GS400

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 POSSIBILITY THAT AN ORDER CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT WOULD BE ISSUED AS A RESULT OF GRANTING MR. BODDAERT'S PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS ON AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THE DRIVER LIFTED OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND CRASH INTO A TREE. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE SPEED EXCEEDED MORE THEN 60 MPH. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. DURING THE CRASH, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, BACK, LEGS AND ARMS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, FACE AND EYE, BACK AND LEGS. BOTH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED AWAY. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MANUFACTURER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 272,000.

NHTSA ID

11207221

Incident

Sep 15, 2017

Mileage

272,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, A RATHER BUSY STREET TRYING TO STOP. THE LEXUS WOULD NOT STOP, DUE TO THE STRUTS AND MOUNTS ARE BROKEN. WHICH I LEARNED FROM SEARS AUTOMOTIVE. THE DEFECTS INTERFERE WITH CAR OVERALL ABILITY TO STOP PROPERLY, IT ALSO SWAYS OVER INTO THE OPPOSITE LANES. BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP PROPERLY, I WAS REAR ENDED, BY ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS GOING ABOUT 35-45 MILES PER HOUR. THE DRIVER TOLD ME THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP. I NOW HAVE SEVERE BACK AND HEAD PAINS.

NHTSA ID

10840065

Incident

Feb 25, 2016

FAILED BRAKE BOOSTER MOTOR FOR MASTER CYLINDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452748

Incident

Mar 23, 2012

Mileage

121,450 mi

LEXUS STUCK PEDAL--I DRIVE A 1998 LEXUS GS400 WHICH I BOUGHT NEW. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT, I'D PRESSED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN("FLOORED IT") MANY TIMES AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. HOWEVER IN MORE RECENT YEARS, I RARELY "FLOORED IT" . ONE TIME LAST SUMMER, I PUSHED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PASS A CAR AND THE PEDAL STUCK. MY CAR ACCELERATED FROM 35MPH TO 70MPH IN A MATTER OF SECONDS ON A LOCAL ROAD. I HIT THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BUT IT KEPT SPEEDING UP. I WAS ABLE TO PRY UP THE PEDAL UP WITH MY TOE AVERTING A NEAR-ACCIDENT. THIS WAS BEFORE ALL OF THE NEWS WITH TOYOTA'S SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAME TO LIGHT. I DIDN'T TAKE THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL LEXUS SHOP BECAUSE, THEY CHARGE AT LEAST $2000 EVERYTIME I TAKE IT IN. I DROVE THE CAR FOR ANOTHER YEAR BUT MADE SURE NOT TO PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN. HOWEVER, I AM INTENDING ON TRADING IN THE CAR NOW AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE DEFECT IS FIXED BECAUSE ANY FUTURE OWNERS OF THIS CAR WILL NOT BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE GOVERNMENT BEFORE TAKING IT IN BECAUSE (A) I WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO BE AWARE THAT LEXUS(NOT JUST TOYOTAS) HAS THIS PROBLEM OF STUCK PEDAL/ACCELERATION (B) IN CASE THE GOV WANTED TO CONDUCT ANY INVESTIGATION WITH MY VEHICLE REGARDING THE STUCK PEDAL FOR EVIDENCE OR RESEARCH BEFORE LEXUS DOES ANYTHING WITH IT(IT DID NOT INVOLVE A FLOORMAT-THE PEDAL JUST STUCK AND DIDN'T COME BACK UP AFTER I RELEASED MY FOOT) (C) COMPEL LEXUS TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY DEFECT BEFORE SELLING IT TO A FUTURE OWNER. I FEEL THIS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH REGARDING THIS MATTER. LEXUS HAS MANAGED TO STAY OUT OF TOYOTA'S RECENT CULPABILITY ISSUES, BUT CERTAINLY MY LEXUS HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. YOU MAY ALSO WANT ENGINEERS TO EXAMINE MY PEDAL FOR MORE RESEARCH OR EVEN EVIDENCE AS TO WHY THIS OCCURS IN LEXUS/ TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332417

Incident

Jun 1, 2009

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE WAS DRIVING 15 MPH ONTO A RAMP, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND AS HE DEPRESSED HIS BRAKES THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND REAR ENDED A TRUCK PUSHING HIM INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE TWO OTHER OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE WITH MINOR INJURIES TO THEIR KNEES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CALLED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,867. UPDATED 04/13/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/22/10

NHTSA ID

10313693

Incident

Oct 9, 2009

Mileage

184,867 mi

SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF 1998 LEXUS GS400 ONCE ON JAN. 16,1999 WITH NO DAMAGE. I WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE. A SECOND TIME ON JAN. 1, 2001. I WAS PULLING UP TO A GAS PUMP AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO THE CURB AT THE PUMP AND ALSO HIT THE PUMP. BOTH INCIDENTS REPORTED TO DEALER, BUT WERE TREATED AS DRIVER ERROR. SECOND INCIDENT CAUSED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PUMP AND MODERATE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. I AM REPORTING THIS AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN NO REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON TOYOTA VEHICLES AS FAR BACK AS 1998. I CURRENTLY OWN A 2007 LEXUS GS350 WITH 15K MILES AND A 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH 26K MILES AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH EITHER CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310627

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

1998 LEXUS GS400 WITH BALL JOINT FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THE BALL JOINT FAILURE. HE SENT THE BALL JOINT TO LEXUS FOR INSPECTION. *KB

NHTSA ID

10223941

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS GS 400. WHILE DRIVING 17MPH IN A PARKING LOT, HIS FOOT ACCIDENTALLY SLIPPED CAUSING HIM TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED AND CAUSED THE CONTACTS CHEST TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN INTO THE SEAT. THE ENGINE SIZE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS CONFIRMED BUT IS LISTED AS INVALID.

NHTSA ID

10205292

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

Mileage

96,000 mi

Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022

POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.

Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003 93, and PG002-90. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1990 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.

TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates

TSB: Replacement Certification Labels. OBSOLETE NOTICE November 28, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0179-17.