2003 Lexus GS430 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus GS430, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance240.0%
- Brakes120.0%
- Seat belts120.0%
- Suspension120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY REACALL BULLETIN REGARDING UN-INTENDED ACCELERATION, MY VEHICLE NO EXHIBITS THE ISSUE THAT, WHILE IN MOTION, THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS CAN BE PUSHED SIMULTANEOUSLY, POSSIBLY CAUSING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. I FEEL MY VIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THE SAFETY RECALL LIST.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS GS430. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A CEMENT POLE. THE FRONT FENDER AND HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE IMPACT HER NECK AND BODY LUNGED FORWARD DURING THE CRASH; HOWEVER, SHE WAS NOT BRUISED. THE POLICE WAS NOTIFIED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT INDICATE WHETHER A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP TO BE INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TOTAL BRAKES FAILURE TWICE. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME AND THE BRAKES WERE WORKING AGAIN AFTER A FEW SHUTOFFS/RESTARTS OF THE ENGINE. THE SECOND TIME, DEALER CLAIMED THAT IT HAS LOCATED AN "OPEN CIRCUIT IN PUMP MOTOR" - MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED AT $2,550.53. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR CENTER AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE ONLY WAY THE SEAT BELTS WILL FASTEN IS IF THEY ARE CRISSCROSSED, AND THEN DEPENDING ON WHO FASTENS THE BELT FIRST, WILL DETERMINE WHICH OCCUPANT WILL BE TRAPPED IN SEAT BELT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2003 LEXUS GS 430 VEHICLE. DURING THE TIME THAT I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE VIBRATION AND BRAKE AND WHEEL WEAR ON THE FRONT END ASSEMBLY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ALIGNED THE FRONT END AND CHANGED TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS REPEATING. I BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE IS IMPROPERLY DESIGNED EITHER TO ACCEPT 17 IN. TIRES OR TO HANDLE A 4.3 LITER ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP INSISTS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ROTATE TIRES EVERY 5,000 MILES AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE. AS A RESULT OF THE RUN-OUT AND OUT OF BALANCE CONDITION IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKING IS UNREPEATABLE, AND, I BELIEVE, CAUSES A SEVER SAFETY CONCERN. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WITHIN 3,000 TO 4,000 MILES OF AN ALIGNMENT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ENDEMIC TO LEXUS GS 430'S WITH 17 INCH TIRES AND BELIEVE THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT INTERESTED IN CONFRONTING A DESIGN PROBLEM. I AM ASKING THAT THIS BE INVESTIGATED. I ALSO INTEND TO CONTACT TOYOTA DIRECTLY. *LA
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .