1994 Lexus LS400 Owner Complaints

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATION FAILS, LEAVING INSTRUMENTS INVISIBLE DUE TO INSTRUMENT DESIGN. AT THE SAME TIME, THE FUEL GAUGE STOPS INDICATING FUEL LEVEL. ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE, THIS HAPPENS WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE EXCEEDS 75 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. IN COOLER TEMPERATURES, THE ILLUMINATION AND FUEL GAUGE RESUME FUNCTION. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER NEEDLES WILL STICK AT ZERO, WILL RESUME FUNCTION WHEN HITTING THE DASH OVER TOP OF THE GAUGES HARD WITH FIST. THE SPEEDOMETER INDICATOR NEEDLE HAS STOPPED ILLUMINATING UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. CAR HAS 159K MILES AND JUST PURCHASED 4 DAYS AGO. I HAVE READ THAT THESE ARE VERY COMMON AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I REALIZE THE CAR IS NOW 23 YEARS OLD, BUT THERE SHOULD BE AN INEXPENSIVE SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS, OR AT LEAST SOME COMPENSATION OR CO-PAYMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO THE EXPENSE OF THESE REPAIRS. REPAIR COST WOULD BE 30% OF WHAT I PAID FOR THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11002430

Incident

Jun 29, 2017

Mileage

159,003 mi

BOTH SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DO NOT RETRACT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659604

Incident

Nov 19, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT FIT SNUG AROUND A PERSON. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH THREE SEAT BELTS IN THE REAR SEAT. THE FAILURE HAS CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,950.

NHTSA ID

10605509

Incident

Mar 17, 2014

Mileage

219,950 mi

THE DASHBOARD PANEL GOES "BLACK" AND ALL INSTRUMENTATION FAILS AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THEN SECOND TIME AT ABOUT 115000 AND THEN AGAIN AT APPROX 129500. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE CAR IS NOT LEGALLY DRIVABLE AS THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW EXACT SPEED ETC. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY REPAIR SHOPS AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED TO VERIFY THE REAL UNREPORTED BY OWNERS TIMES IT HAS OCCURRED. IT IS A VERY POTENTIAL NOT TO MENTION EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR BOTH IN TIME AND DOLLARS, OUT OF SERVICE APPROX. 10 DAYS AND COSTS OVER $1,150.00 UNTIL TODAY WHEN I HEARD ABOUT YOUR SITE I DID NOT KNOW IT EXISTED OR I WOULD HAVE REPORTED EACH INCIDENT AS IT HAPPENED. NOTE INCIDENT DATE ABOVE INACCURATE BUT IT WAS THE ONLY DATE THE COMPUTER WOULD INPUT SO THAT IS WHY IT IS WHAT IT IS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575203

Incident

Feb 27, 2007

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED AND THEN WENT COMPLETELY DARK. FIRST IT WOULD COME BACK ON AFTER THE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR 10 MINUTES OR MORE. NOW IT DOES NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565063

Incident

Feb 11, 2014

Mileage

81,483 mi

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT LIGHT UP. IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING TO "WARM UP" THE DASHBOARD AND WILL EVENTUALLY FLICKER. THIS HAPPENS CONSTANTLY AND SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH ALL LEXUS LS400S. I AM ALSO HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING LEAKING. THE LEAKAGE HAS CAUSED MY ALTERNATOR TO GO BAD. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, STEERING PUMP AND STEERING RACK. THE ISSUE ALSO SEEMS TO BE FOR ALL LEXUS LS400S. *TR

NHTSA ID

10478319

Incident

Oct 1, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10464417

Incident

Mar 7, 2012

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY OF THE GAUGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

NHTSA ID

10462066

Incident

Feb 1, 2012

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10440577

Incident

Nov 16, 2011

1994 LEXUS LS400..DASH LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT GAUGES WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP IS IN THE 60'S OR BELOW..WHEN THE CAR WARMS, THE LIGHTS AND GAUGES WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF TIL THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS WARMED COMPLETELY, USUALLY 5-7MINS..HOWEVER, IF THE OUTSIDE IS 45DEGREES OR BELOW, THE WARM UP TIME FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO BE FUNCTIONAL IS GREATLY INCREASED 2 AS MUCH AS 20MINS IN MY EXPERIENCE.. THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS YOU ARE UNABLE TO SEE THE GAUGES, MORE SO @ NIGHT..I EMAILED LEXUS CORP AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS AN ISSUE W/THIS ITEM BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ANY COMPLAINTS BY THE DEALERSHIPS OR CONSUMERS(THAT IS NOT TRUE OBVIOUSLY)..THEY INSTRUCTED ME THAT ANY OF THEIR DEALERS ARE CAPABLE OF MAKING THE REPAIR AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT ONE..AFTER SPEAKING TO SERVICE @MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP,I FOUND THIS IS A $1,300 PARTS AND LABOR REPAIR AND MY CAR NEEDED TO BE GROUNDED IMMEDIATELY CAUSE IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IT LIKE THAT AND NO LOANER CAR WOULD AVAILABLE AS IT WAS A REPAIR ITEM THAT'S NOT COVERED TO RECEIVE A LOANER...ESTIMATED DOWN TIME OF VEHICLE, 2.5 WEEKS..I SEE AND HEAR SO MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEMS FAILURE AND WANT TO KNOW WHY ISN'T A MANDATORY RECALL PUT RECALL PUT FORTH? MANUFACTURER WON'T OBVIOUSLY, IT WOULD COST THEM MONEY, NEVERMIND THAT CAN BE A DANGEROUS FAILURE TO ANYONE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430358

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS JUST FLICKER AWHILE BEFORE COMING ON. I HAVE TRIED TO GET LEXUS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NOT ON WARRANTY. THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR 1400.00. IT IS NOW WORSE AND DO NOT LIGHT UP. *KB

NHTSA ID

10429514

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

I HAVE A 1994 LEXUS LS 400, ON DAYS WHEN THE TEMP IS BELOW 70 DEGREES THE CLUSTER LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. WHEN THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, WHICH THE TIME VARIES, THE CLUSTER LIGHTS FLICKER FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND THEN THEY GO ON. WHEN ITS COLDER THEY DON'T GO ON AT ALL. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE AT NIGHT TO SEE ANY GAUGES. NOT SURE WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE WITH LEXUS ON THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10427075

Incident

Oct 12, 2010

Mileage

163,000 mi

1994 LEXUS LS400 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS NOT WORKING WHEN COLD, AND NOW EVEN IN THE SUMMER IT TAKES LONGER FOR THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. IN COLDER WEATHER MY LIGHTS DON'T GO ON UNTIL THE CAR IS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES. I CANNOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING, AND THE SAFETY OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IS A HUGE ISSUE AND I WANT TO MAINTAIN A SAFE THE SAFE LEGAL SPEED. THE ODOMETER DOESN'T REGISTER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE,. THIS CONTINUES TO WORSEN AND MY FEAR IS THAT EVENTUALLY I WILL HAVE NO LIGHTS AT ALL. HAVE CHECKED INTO MANY WEB SITES AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE, VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10375389

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

85,000 mi

1994 LEXUS LS400 INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS NOT WORKING WHEN COLD, AND NOW EVEN IN THE SUMMER IT TAKES LONGER FOR THE LIGHTS TO COME ON. IN COLDER WEATHER MY LIGHTS DON'T GO ON UNTIL THE CAR IS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES. I CANNOT SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING, AND THE SAFETY OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IS A HUGE ISSUE AND I WANT TO MAINTAIN A SAFE THE SAFE LEGAL SPEED. THE ODOMETER DOESN'T REGISTER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE, THE MILEAGE IS INCORRECT. THIS CONTINUES TO WORSEN AND MY FEAR IS THAT EVENTUALLY I WILL HAVE NO LIGHTS AT ALL. HAVE CHECKED INTO MANY WEB SITES AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE, VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10364115

Incident

Nov 5, 2010

Mileage

210,000 mi

OUR 1994 LEXUS LS400 HAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES CURRENTLY. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BECAME ERRATIC, FREQUENTLY FAILING TO COME ON DURING COLD WEATHER. THIS WOULD REQUIRE THAT WE WAITED WITH THE ENGINE ON UNTIL THE CAR HEATED UP BEFORE BEING DRIVABLE SAFELY. THE LENGTH OF WARM UP TIME HAS GRADUALLY INCREASED TO AN INTOLERABLE LEVEL, WHERE I HAVE HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT INSTRUMENT LIGHTS DUE TO MY WIFE'S EMERGENT MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS, NOT KNOWING VEHICLE SPEED, FUEL SUPPLY, CHARGING STATUS, POSSIBLE ENGINE OVERHEATING ETC., ANY OF WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICULAR FAILURE OR ACCIDENT. WE ARE RETIRED AND NOT ABLE TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS WHICH I HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE ARE REQUIRED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10290194

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

70,000 mi

LEXUS INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILURE RESULTS IN DRIVER'S INABILITY TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE VEHICLE SPEED. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING IN MY 1994 LEXUS LS400 FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 123000 MILES AND STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 90000. IN COLDER WEATHER ESPECIALLY, THE DASHBOARD READOUT IS INVISIBLE FOR APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES. WHEN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS SUFFICIENTLY WARM THEY DO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS IS A HAZARDOUS CONDITION. TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THE DEFECTIVE NATURE OF THEIR PRODUCT AND WANTS APPROXIMATELY 1200.00 TO REPLACE THEIR DEFECTIVE PART. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE I'VE DESCRIBED ON VARIOUS LEXUS OWNERS WEBSITES. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE RECALL TO CORRECT THE MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285702

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

Mileage

90,000 mi

1994 LEXUS LS 400 DASH LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. WHERE AS YOU CANNOT TELL HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. ALSO THE GAUGES DO NOT WORK. IF THE ENGINE GETS OVER HEATED , THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW. AS I AM 74 YEARS OLD WITH THE GAUGES NOT WORKING I HAVE RUN OUT MANY TIMES. I FEEL LEXUS SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276429

Incident

May 14, 2008

Mileage

86,341 mi

I HAVE 94 LS400 AND WHEN THE PLACE IS COLD INSTRUMENT PANEL TAKES 10 TO 15 MINUTES TO LIGHT UP AND THAT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE PLACE IS COLD. WHEN THE PLACE IS HOT EVERY THING IS FINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10250760

Incident

Nov 20, 2008

Mileage

164,500 mi

TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MPH, I REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. MY FRONT END WAS DESTROYED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10245431

Incident

Oct 10, 2008

1. TIME AS IN ITS INEVITABLE, COLD START, COLD CONDITIONS. CONDITIONS OF 50F AND A COLD START ARE NEARLY GUARANTEED TO EXHIBIT THIS ISSUE. 2. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES, ITS ILLUMINATION, THE CENTER CONSOLE & SHIFTER ILLUMINATION FAILS EVERY COLD START BELOW 70F AND CAN OCCUR BELOW 85F. A COLD START IN VERY WARM CONDITIONS OF AROUND 80F WILL TEND TO HIDE THE SYMPTOMS AND OR HAVE THE SYMPTOMS SHORTLY AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT FUNCTION, IT GENERALLY MEANS THE SHIFTER AND CONSOLE FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AT NIGHT WHICH MAKES CHOOSING THE CORRECT GEAR AND SELECTING THE CORRECT CLIMATE CONTROL AT NIGHT A CHALLENGE AND SAFETY HAZARD. DURING A COLD START, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT FUNCTION OR HAS LIMITED/SELECTIVE FUNCTIONALITY UNTIL IT IS WARMED UP AND THAT USUALLY OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE CABIN IS BROUGHT TO AN INHOSPITABLE 80-90F. SO UNTIL THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN HEATED UP TO AROUND 70-80F, THE TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ENGINE TEMPERATURE AND ODOMETER ARE NOT ILLUMINATED AND NOT FUNCTIONING EITHER. ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT IT IS THIS: THE ODOMETER IS NOT REGISTERING MILES, ONE DOES NOT KNOW HOW FAST THEY'RE GOING AND DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH FUEL IS AVAILABLE/LEFT ALL BEFORE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS WARMED UP. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEVER CAME ON DESPITE DRIVING 25 MILES FOR A TOTAL TIME OF 20 MINUTES AND THE ENGINE FULLY WARMED UP. 3. I HAVE DONE NOTHING AT THIS TIME TO CORRECT THIS ERROR, BUT IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHICH DOES ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AT A COST OF $1000 FOR PARTS AND $200 FOR LABOR. THIS IS A VERY WIDESPREAD ISSUE AS EVIDENCED BY THE NUMBER OF USERS WHO HAVE VOICED THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS ISSUE ONLINE. AS A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORSE THIS PROBLEM CAN BE FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN COLDER STATES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10234894

Incident

Oct 14, 2004

Mileage

10,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND CLIMATE CONTROL LCD FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233845

Incident

Jul 15, 2001

Mileage

81,000 mi

1994 LEXUS LS 400 MY CLUSTER LIGHTING AND SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER CABLES ARE FAULTY I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS PROBLEMATIC FOR THIS LEXUS MODEL. IT IS QUITE UNSAFE AND THE DEALER WANTS $3,000 TO REPAIR. I FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED SINCE IT HAS BEEN QUITE UNSAFE FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223493

Incident

Apr 3, 2008

Mileage

96,000 mi

I 'M THE OWNER OF A 1994 LEXUS LS 400. THE REASON I AM PLACING THIS COMPLAINT IS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN DOING CONSTANT RESEARCH ON THE REASON OR/S MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS GONE OUT. I'M VERY SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT A COMPANY WHO PRIDES THEMSELVES ON THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION HASN'T ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS AN RECALL.IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY TO TRAVEL AND HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED, GAS CONSUMPTION LEVEL OR ANY OTHER WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS TO GIVE US ONGOING KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLE IN OPERATION. BECAUSE THE EXPENSE OF HAVING THIS REPLACE IS EST. AT $1200 THIS IS A VERY BIG INCONVENIENCE. NOT TO SAY PUTTING MY FAMILY AT RISK. I HAVE TRULY ENJOY DRIVING MY LEXUS AND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ENJOYING DRIVING IT, I WOULD HOPE LEXUS WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHEN THEY OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES ON THESE HIGHWAYS.THIS HAS DISCOURAGED ME TO EVEN PURCHASE ANOTHER LEXUS BECAUSE OF FEAR THAT ANOTHER ISSUE LIKE THIS WILL NOT BE ADDRESS IN A RECALL FOR CONSUMER SAFETY.*CN

NHTSA ID

10213359

Incident

Sep 11, 2007

Mileage

155,000 mi

DASH LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10181907

Incident

Jan 9, 2005

Mileage

50 mi

I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE LEXUS LS400. IT SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN JUST A RANDOM FEW, AS I HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING AND BEING A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT LEXUS REFUSES TO ADDRESS. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED AT THE EXPENSE OF LEXUS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172058

Incident

Sep 9, 2006

Mileage

60,000 mi