RoadVitals

2004 Lexus GX470 Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jan 26, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 65 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Lexus GX470 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 26, 2016

SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER GAUGES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON, WILL EITHER ACTIVATE RIGHT AWAY OR FLICKER OR DO NOTHING. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND IS HARD TO DIAGNOSE OR EVEN FIX. HAVE SEEN ON LEXUS FORUMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SEEMS MANY OF US ARE DRIVING "SPEED BLIND". I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE CLUSTER SENT OUT AND "REPAIRED", ONLY TO HAVE PROBLEM COME BACK. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS AND THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

NHTSA ID
10822194
Incident
May 21, 2014
Body & structureDriver assistance
Filed Jan 15, 2016
Crash reported

I HAVE A 2004 GX470 SUV. TODAY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT, TRYING TO BACK OUT AND LEAVE. WITH ONE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, I FOUND IT STUCK, WHICH WAS ODD, AS I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED IT BEFORE. SO I PRESSED ON IT AGAIN, I THOUGHT, LIGHTLY. I WAS TAKEN COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE, AS I SEEMED TO HAVE FLOWN BACKWARDS, AS I HAVE A V8 ENGINE, MY ACCELERATION WAS QUICK AND MY CAR IMMEDIATELY RAMMED INTO 2 PARKED CARS BEHIND ME. I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND VERY SCARED, SINCE IT WAS SO FAST AND SUDDEN. HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE? THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10820589
Incident
Jan 15, 2016
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 9, 2012
Crash reported

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR SUV AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK IT IN A BANK PARKING LOT IN NILES, IL. THE SUV ACCELERATED SUDDENLY WITHOUT MY WIFE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL CAUSING HER TO DRIVE OVER A GREEN SPACE, HIT A SIGN ON BANK'S PROPERTY, DRIVE OVER A LARGE BUSH AND A WIRE FENCE AT AN ADJACENT PARK AND FINALLY STOP AFTER REPEATEDLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. WE TOWED THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND FROM THERE TO A BODY SHOP. WE HAD THE CAR FOR 8 YEARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS ISSUE OCCURRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DAMAGE WAS ASSESSED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY.

NHTSA ID
10480321
Incident
Oct 1, 2012
Mileage
60,237 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 16, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS GX470. HE EXPERIENCED A RECURRING FAILURE IN WHICH THE BRAKES WOULD ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TOWARDS THE RIGHT. DURING THE FAILURE THE VSC LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID
10365928
Incident
Nov 16, 2010
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 16, 2010
Crash reported

PROBLEM WITH VSC ON MY 2004 LEXUS GX470. I WAS DRIVING FROM A SKI RESORT ON SNOW COVERED ROAD AT APPROX 35-37 MPH. THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL HIT A POTHOLE AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SHOT SIDEWAYS AND WE WERE HEADED OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT, THEN TRACTION CONTROL OR SOMETHING KICKED IN AND WE SHOT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO STEER BACK INTO OUR LANE AND THE REAR LEFT AGAIN SENT US INTO A SIDEWAYS SKID ACROSS THE RIGHT LANE AND HEADED OFF OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RIGHT REAR HIT A POLE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE AND SHOT US BACK INTO THE RIGHT TRAFFIC LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY GAIN CONTROL AND PULL OVER. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WE VEERED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL YARDS. I HAVE DRIVEN IN WINTER CONDITIONS FOR YEARS AND HAVE BEEN IN SLIDES BEFORE, BUT NEVER WHERE THE CAR CHANGED DIRECTION AND VEERED BACK AND FORTH INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING THE SLIDE TRAJECTORY. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE SENSORS ARE WRONG OR SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VSC AND REPORTED MY CONCERN TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND ALSO TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LEXUS AND HAD THEM RUN FULL DIAGNOSTIC, INCLUDING ZERO POINT/YAW RATE. THEY REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE VSC. THE TIRES AND BRAKES CHECKED OUT TOO. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE SERVICED BY LEXUS, EVEN OIL CHANGES. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING THIS SITE AND OTHERS FOR SIMILAR ESC/VSC COMPLAINTS AND HAVE FOUND A FEW, THEN WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE VSC PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW LEXUS GX CAME OUT, I KNEW I SHOULD REPORT THIS. THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION OF ALL LEXUS GX VSC SYSTEMS - WHETHER THEY DEVELOP FLAWS OVER TIME OR IF THERE IS SOME ISSUE INHERENT WITH THE SYSTEM THAT CAUSES THE UNCONTROLLED SKIDS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE CAR HAS GONE INTO AN UNCONTROLLED SLIDE - THE FIRST TIME THERE WERE NO DAMAGES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10326065
Incident
Mar 26, 2010
Mileage
74,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 12, 2010
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY LEXUS GX 470 HAS ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY SINCE JAN7, 2010 (FIRST OCCURRENCE) AND LAST OCCURRENCE MARCH 12, 2010 . IT GENERALLY OCCURS AT LIGHT THROTTLE FROM A STOP AND TURNING LEFT AT INTERSECTIONS AND IS COMPOUNDED BY A LOSS OF ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ALSO ON WET PAVEMENT. THUS FAR, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO KEEP SPEEDS UNDER 60 MPH. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE NOT BEEN SO FORTUNATE AND WILL NOT DRIVE IN AND /OR BE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. I'M HANDICAPPED AND HAD A SERVICE DOG WHO WAS KILLED IN ONE OF THE CRASHES. IF A NECK CAN BE BROKEN THEN WE ARE DEALING WITH A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM A FORMER TOYOTA EXECUTIVE ENGINEER/ CHIEF ENGINEER FOR 8 YEARS AND HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS SUBJECT , SUCH AS PROGRAM RETENTION OF ECM AND DENSO THROTTLE. TOYOTA KNEW OF THESE ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS BEGINNING IN 2002 HOW MANY DEATHS IN A LEXUS GX 470 , BEFORE A RECALL OCCURS????????? *TR

NHTSA ID
10319195
Incident
Mar 12, 2010
Mileage
31,542 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 28, 2009
Crash reported

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN A 2004 GX-470 DECELERATED FROM 30 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH TO TURN LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, ONE IN THE FRONT NEXT TO THE DRIVER THE SECOND AN INFANT IN A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK CENTER POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS COINCIDENT AS THE DRIVER INITIATED THE TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT CAR TIRES WHERE FULLY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT OPENED THE FRONT LEFT CAR DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS FULLY STOPPED. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PUSHED THE PASSENGER EXITING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO HIS SEAT AND HE NEVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL MATS IN THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL LEXUS CAR MATS. IN ADDITION A POSSIBLE RELATED SYMPTOM OCCURRED TWICE OVER THE FOUR YEAR HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO LEXUS IN WHICH IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PALM SPRINGS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS OVER 110 DEGREES THAT THERE WERE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. LEXUS RETURNED THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. EVEN AFTER THE ACCIDENT LEXUS REFUSES TO TEST THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT IS AN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING THAT RUNS A COMPANY THAT IS KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY AS RESOLVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS IN THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) (E.G. F-14, EA-6B). HIS OBSERVATION DURING THE ACCIDENT IS THAT THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOW PROBABILITY THAT THE DRIVER COULD OF MOVED THEIR FOOT FROM BRAKE THAT WAS USED TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT WHEN THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION STARTED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10293768
Incident
May 23, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 22, 2007
Crash reported

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN A 2004 GX-470 DECELERATED FROM 30 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH TO TURN LEFT INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE, ONE IN THE FRONT NEXT TO THE DRIVER THE SECOND AN INFANT IN A CAR SEAT IN THE BACK CENTER POSITION OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION WAS COINCIDENT AS THE DRIVER INITIATED THE TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT CAR TIRES WHERE FULLY TURNED TO THE LEFT AND THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT OPENED THE FRONT LEFT CAR DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS FULLY STOPPED. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION PUSHED THE PASSENGER EXITING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO HIS SEAT AND HE NEVER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL MATS IN THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL LEXUS CAR MATS. IN ADDITION A POSSIBLE RELATED SYMPTOM OCCURRED TWICE OVER THE FOUR YEAR HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SENT BACK TO LEXUS IN WHICH IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PALM SPRINGS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS OVER 110 DEGREES THAT THERE WERE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. LEXUS RETURNED THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. EVEN AFTER THE ACCIDENT LEXUS REFUSES TO TEST THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HEAT CONDITIONS. THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT IS AN ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING THAT RUNS A COMPANY THAT IS KNOW IN THE INDUSTRY AS RESOLVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS IN THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEMS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) (E.G. F-14, EA-6B). HIS OBSERVATION DURING THE ACCIDENT IS THAT THERE WAS EXTREMELY LOW PROBABILITY THAT THE DRIVER COULD OF MOVED THEIR FOOT FROM BREAK THAT WAS USED TO DECELERATE THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT WHEN THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION STARTED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10197169
Incident
May 23, 2007
Mileage
51,172 mi

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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .