EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
2002 Lexus LX470
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Lexus LX470, most frequently naming the brakes, body & structure and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 64 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 3 |
| Apr 2012 | 1 | 4 |
| Aug 2019 | 1 | 5 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes350.0%
- Body & structure116.7%
- Electrical116.7%
- Powertrain (other)116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govRecent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS LX470. WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S WARNING SENSOR BEGAN BEEPING AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT DROVE 15 MPH UNTIL SHE REACHED HER DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SOUTH BAY LEXUS (3215 PACIFIC COAST HWY, TORRANCE, CA 90505, 310-325-9999), BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE DEALER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE DEFECT; HOWEVER, THEIR DIAGNOSTICS SHOWED NO FAILURES RELATED TO THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
- NHTSA ID
- 11245852
- Incident
- Aug 11, 2019
- Mileage
- 164,000 mi
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. A LOUD BANG, GRINDING AND SMELL OF BURNING TRANSMISSION FLUID. SMALL FIRE FROM LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. HIGHER RATE OF THESE TYPES OF FAILURES FOR 2000 - 2002 LX470 SUV'S *JS
- NHTSA ID
- 10455459
- Incident
- Aug 14, 2011
- Mileage
- 110,000 mi
WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND SOAKING THE INTERIOR. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP, THEY THOUGHT THE LEAK WAS DUE TO THE SPOILER. THEY PATCHED THE HOLES IN SPOILER AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE HATCH. BUT THE LEAK RECURRED. CURRENTLY, DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE WATER WAS SEEPING THROUGH THE LIGHT IN THE THIRD DOOR HATCH WHICH HAD A LEAK. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10076209
- Incident
- Sep 9, 2002
- Mileage
- 5,704 mi
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY TRACTION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE LOST BRAKE POWER AND STEERING FOR A PERIOD OF ONE MINUTE. DURING THAT TIME VEHICLE SWERVED LEFT TO RIGHT, BUT DID NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS ON THE ROAD. TRACTION LIGHT WENT OFF, AND VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. IT WAS FOUND THAT HYDRAULIC UNIT ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, AND WAS REPLACED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 10057903
- Incident
- Feb 7, 2004
- Mileage
- 30,800 mi
AT THE 20K SERVICE ON OUR 2002 LEXUS LS430 WE WERE INFORMEDTHAT WE NEEDED THE FRONT AND REAR BARK PADS REPLACED AND THE DICS TURNED AT OUR COST OF $588. WE WERE TOLD THAT LEXUS REDESIGNED THE SENSORS AND WE WOULD NEED TO REPEAT THIS EACH 20K. HOW CAN A CAR THAT SELLS FOR OVER 60 THOUSAND DOLLARS HAVE SUCH A BAD REDESIGN?
- NHTSA ID
- 10040963
- Incident
- Jul 31, 2003
- Mileage
- 22,792 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
EQUIPMENT
Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; TIRES; WHEELS
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.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to be a ?leak? should be repaired accordingly and will be covered under warranty if applicable. Cases that are determined to be a ?seep? should be documented on the repair order and inspected at the next service interval. Follow the Repair Information in this bulletin to determine if the concern in question is a fluid leak or fluid seep and review the Repair Procedure section to address this condition.
ENGINE; POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:LUBRICANT
TSB: Vehicles may display evidence of a fluid leak or fluid seep from powertrain components. This bulletin explains how to determine the differences between a fluid leak versus a fluid seep. Cases that are determined to be a ?leak? should be repaired accordingly and will be covered under warranty if applicable. Cases that are determined to be a ?seep? should be documented on the repair order and inspected at the next service interval. Follow the Repair Information in this bulletin to determine if the concern in question is a fluid leak or fluid seep and review the Repair Procedure section to address this condition.
STEERING
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE June 23, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0023-20.
WHEELS
TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. ST004-01, SU001-08, and L-SB-0174-08. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Be sure to review the entire content of this service bulletin before proceeding. This Service Bulletin provides best practice procedures for vehicle pulling complaint, diagnosis, and repair for 2002 ? 2021 model year Lexus vehicles. This information supplements Repair Manual procedures when the symptoms are: ?Vehicle Pulling: The vehicle moves to the right or left when the driver holds the steering wheel while driving straight ahead without exerting steering effort. ?Steering Wheel Off Center: The vehicle travels straight, but the steering wheel is not pointed straight ahead. The vehicle is not pulling. Before repairing a vehicle pulling to one side, it is necessary to clearly identify the cause of the pulling condition. Frequently, pulling to one side is diagnosed as a wheel alignment concern. However, the actual cause may be related to the lateral force generated by the tires, vehicle damage, road crown or worn components. Performing a wheel alignment when tire force is the cause could result in the wheel alignment being set at a value outside of specifications. This could then cause other problems such as uneven tire wear, etc. A customer may notice a pull to the left when in the left lanes of travel and notice a pull to the right or no pull when traveling in the right lanes of travel on the very same section of roadway. This road crown effect is environmental and cannot be corrected with suspension adjustments or any other wheel or tire modification discussed in this bulletin.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.