Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 39 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Lexus LS400. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 39 · page 1 of 2
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. ONLY THE WARNING AND SHIFT INDICATORS LIGHTS ARE ON. I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING OR HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE IN THE CAR.
THE SEAT BELT TENSIONERS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT LEAVING A LARGE AMOUNT OF SLACK WHEN FASTENED CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE RESULT OF A CRASH. SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITION WHEN UNFASTENED. UPON DOING A SEARCH ONLINE IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. OWNERS HAVE HAD VARYING DEGREES OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM LEXUS REGARDING REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. SAFETY ISSUES SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED REGARDLESS OF AGE OF VEHICLE MUCH LIKE TAKATA AIRBAGS ARE COVERED. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW BY THE MANUFACTURER AND COULD BE ARGUED THAT SUCH FLAWS RENDERS THE VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR USE/SALE.
TAKATA RECALL ? WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS EXPLODED, CAUSING BURNS ON OUR ARMS, NOSE, AND PUSHED UP THE DASHBOARD AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A LOT OF WHITE GREY DUST COMING OUT OF THE EXPLOSION THAT WE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET AT 30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF IT. WE SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIT THE CAR THAT HAD PULLED OUT FROM A STOP SIGN RIGHT IN FRONT OF US. THE AIRBAG SAYS SRS ON THE COVER ON THE DASH. IS THIS RELATED TO TAKATA?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO CHANGED THE WIRES TO THE BATTERY CABLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE EVENING OF 3/7/15 MY WIFE AND I DROVE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. TO OUR HOME IN MUSCATINE, IA. AS WE EXITED I-80 AFTER ALMOST ONE HOUR OF CONSTANT INTERSTATE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AS WE CAME TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. WE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AS WELL, CAUSING PANIC. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE TWO YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER PROLONGED INTERSTATE DRIVING ONLY. IT DID NOT OCCUR THAT MORNING BECAUSE WE BROKE UP THE TRIP TO CR WITH A STOP IN IOWA CITY. THIS IS A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET LAST NIGHT, A VERY INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. TOYOTA'S TSB EG003-96 SPEAKS OF IT AND ITS REMEDY, PUBLISHED 10/7/96. THE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ECM WITH PART 89661-50224; A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AND PRESUMABLY THE REASON TOYOTA DID NOT VOLUNTARILY RECALL THE CAR. THERE WAS NO FORCED RECALL EITHER, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE MANY COMPLAINTS REPORTEDLY SUBMITTED TO THE NHTSA AND POTENTIAL DEADLY CONSEQUENCES OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO FAULTY ECM PROGRAMMING. PLEASE MAKE THIS POSTING AVAILABLE TO ANY POTENTIAL 1995 LS400 OWNERS AND/OR FORCE A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,800.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RETRACT AND THERE WAS ABNORMAL SLACK IN THE BELT. THE DEALER WAS CALLED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE ALL THE SEAT BELTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,000.
AFTER DRIVING AT PROLONGED HIGHWAY SPEEDS, UPON EXITING THE FREEWAY AND IN THE PROCESS OF COMING TO A STOP AT AN EXIT RAMP, THE CAR WILL SHUT ITSELF OFF; SUBSEQUENTLY DISABLING THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING FUNCTIONALITY OF THE VEHICLE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, PLACING THE CAR IN PARK OR NEUTRAL AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE WILL RETURN FUNCTIONALITY OF DISABLED SYSTEMS. *TR
SEAT BELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED. SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY, IS COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, PART 571.209, AND STANDARD NO. 209. SPECIFICALLY, THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY IS ADDRESSED IN STANDARD 209, PARAGRAPH S5.2, (K), . THE INSTALLED SEAT BELTS FAILED TO MEET OR EXCEED THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY. DURING THE REQUIRED TESTS THE RETRACT ASSEMBLY IS SUBJECTED TO THE FOLLOWING CYCLES OF RETRACTION: CORROSION TEST:2500 CYCLES ,TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE TEST:2500 CYCLES, DUST TEST:2500 CYCLES, AUTO LOCKING RETRACTOR TEST:5000 CYCLES, EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR:45000 CYCLES, TOTAL TEST CYCLES REQUIRED FOR DESIGN CERTIFICATION:57500 CYCLES THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS 16 YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 150K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE AGE AND USE OF THE VEHICLE, FOR SAKE OF PRESENTATION, WE WILL ASSUME THE CAR IS USED EVERY DAY FOR EACH OF THE SIXTEEN (16) YEARS IN SERVICE: 16 YEARS X 365 DAYS PER YEAR = 5840 DAYS ASSUMING THE CAR IS USED TWICE (2) PER DAY = 11680 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 20% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) ASSUMING CAR IS DRIVEN THREE (3) TIMES PER DAY = 17520 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 30% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) ASSUMING THE CAR IS DRIVEN FOUR (4) TIMES A DAY = 23360 CYCLES IN THIS EXAMPLE, THE SEATBELT RETRACT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 40% OF ITS CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT. (57500 CYCLE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT) LEXUS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND HAS REPLACED THE BELTS AND COVERED PARTS BUT NOT LABOR. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO BE COMMON AMONG TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES. SHOULD BE A SUBJECT OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE RESPOND IN WRITING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE STARTER. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT OF A POTENTIAL RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY) YET THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
WHILE DRIVE AT ANY SPEED OVER 40MPH, IF YOU LET OFF THE GAS THE CAR WILL BUCK OR JERK AND HAS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION SENT THE REAR END OF THE CAR SLIDING OUT ON ME. THIS CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED SINCE DAY ONE, AND DRIVEN BY THE SAME(OLDER LADY AND FAMILY FRIEND) AND THEY NEVER MENTIONED THIS WAS ABNORMAL UNTIL I DID SOME RESEARCH (AND DROVE THE CAR MYSELF) AND FOUND THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE AND HAS A TSB ON IT. TSB#EG00396. THIS IS NOW A $4000+ DOLLAR FIX AND LEXUS WON?T COVER IT NOW BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY FOR THE TSB'S 5 YEAR 40,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION BECAUSE THE JERK IS SO SEVER IT SOMETIMES CAUSES LOSS OF TRACTION ON THE REAR WHEELS. *TR
I WAS STOP A LIGHT WAITING TO GO TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY SOMETHING I DO EVERY MORNING I KNOW IT IS A BAD TURN SO I ALWAYS GO SLOWLY ALL OF SUDDEN MY CAR TAKES OFF MY WHEEL BECOME VERY HARD MY BRAKES STIFFEN MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON MY SLIPPERY WHEN WET CAME ON MY DASH WAS READING ABOUT 100 I HIT A WALL BOUNCE BACK BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED MY CAR WAS NO LONGER MOVING BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE I HAD MY FOOT ALL THE WAY ON THE GAS EVEN AFTER I GOT MY FAMILY OUT OF THE CAR IT WAS STILL GOING UNTIL I WENT AND SHUT IT OFF I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPEN MY CAR IS A LEXUS LS 400 95. *TR
THE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IN MY 1995 LEXUS LS-400 WILL NOT RETRACT THE SEATBELT. EVERYDAY WHEN I PULL IT OUT AND BUCKLE IT WONT RETRACT SO THAT IT IS SNUG AGAINST THE BODY, ITS LOOSE WHICH IN AN ACCIDENT COULD RESULT IN INJURY BECAUSE THE SEATBELT COULDN'T DO ITS JOB. LEXUS DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ACCEPT REPLACE THE WHOLE SYSTEM WHICH IS OVER $250 (PER SEAT) WHICH WAS A FAULTY DESIGN FROM THE FACTORY. *TR
FRONT SEAT BELTS BECOME LOOSE AND DO NOT HUG CLOSE TO YOUR CHEST ONCE THE CAR IS STARTED. I HAVE CHECKED LEXUS FORUMS AND HAVE FOUND OTHER LEXUS OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE RETRACTOR SYSTEM IS A DUAL RECOIL SYSTEM THAT IS ACTUATED BY A SECONDARY RELAY ONCE THE CAR IS STARTED. THE SECONDARY RETRACTOR IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU MORE FREEDOM WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING BUT SEEMS TO BECOME EXCESSIVELY LOOSE TO THE POINT OF HANGING DOWN AWAY FROM YOUR BODY. I FEAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THE SEAT BELTS WILL BE OF NO USE AND THUS THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STARTER IN THE VEHICLE CLICKS. HE HAD TO MAKE APPROXIMATELY 15 ATTEMPTS IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO WHAT WAS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
MY 1995 LS400 LEXUS WOULD NOT START UNTIL I HIT THE KEY 3 OR 4 TIMES AND NOW IT TAKES ABOUT 10 TIMES AND THE STARTER MAGNETIC SWITCH SMOKES. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM ON THIS YEAR AND CAR BUT LEXUS DEALERS ARE TURNING THE CLAIM DOWN. *TR
FRONT SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT WHILE DRIVING. *NM
AFTER DRIVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DECREASING THE SPEED DUE TO LOSS OF POWER STEERING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A SEAT BELT PROBLEM. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE. *AK *NM
BOTH OF THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THEY FAILED TO RETRACT BACK INTO THE HOLSTER. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THE SEAT BELTS WOULD BE REPLACED, BUT HAD NOT DONE SO AS OF JAN 10, 2004. *JB
ON GOING AND CONTINUOUS STARTER PROBLEMS. STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ON CONSUMER GUIDE WEBSITE THAT NHTSA ISSUED A RECALL. DEALER NEVER ADVISED. HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET FROM KEARNY MESA LEXUS SERVICE MGR. BILL TITMUS. SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO INVESTIGATE "NEVER HEARD OF THAT RECALL" !!!! IF DEALER DOES NOT REPLACE STARTER AND ASSEMBLY WE WILL BE FORCED TO PROCEED WITH LEGAL ACTION. *JMB *PH
DEALER REPLACED STARTER, FAILED TO INFORM ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH A CORRECTIVE ACTION PROVIDED BY MANUFACTURER AT NO COST TO ME. NHTSA # 98V016000. MY COST WERE IN EXCESS OF $1000.00. *AK
THE VEHICLE KEEPS RUNNING WITH OUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH
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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