RoadVitals

1996 Lexus SC400

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
4
Latest Mar 31, 2006
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jan 27, 1998
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Lexus SC400, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, brakes and interior & seats categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 26 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels250.0%
  • Brakes125.0%
  • Interior & seats125.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

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.gov
98V016000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

Jan 27, 1998
47,525 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE TERMINAL FOR THE STARTER MOTOR MAGNETIC SWITCH, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR IF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE LIQUID, SUCH AS ROAD SPLASH WITH DEICING SALT, ENTERS THIS AREA.
The risk: A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.
TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD.View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Mar 31, 2006

ON TWO OCCASIONS JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A SIGNAL, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD FOR NO REASON, AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THIS MOTION WITH THE BRAKES, SO I QUICKLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING AT 6,000 RPM. AFTER THIS OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME, WHEN PARKING IN THE GARAGE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD CHANGE BY ABOUT 200-300 RPMS ABOUT EVERY 5TH TIME WHEN JUST APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE CAR WAS IN PARK. A POSSIBLE PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR 2/20/06, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR MOUNTED HIGH BRAKE LIGHT LED BUILT INTO THE REAR WING WAS NOT WORKING. THE DEALER REPAIRED THIS BY LOCATING A BROKEN (CUT?) WIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE ON 3/20/06, AND FROM THE TIME I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, (2/20/06) THERE HAD BEEN NO PROBLEM UNTIL 3/21 WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST SHOWED UP. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED IN JUST THE SAME WAY WAS THE EVENING OF 3/29 WHILE AT A STOP SIGNAL. EACH TIME, I WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I DID EACH TIME TO SLOW THE ENGINE BACK DOWN. *JB

NHTSA ID
10154260
Incident
Mar 21, 2006
Mileage
70,290 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 19, 2004

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGERS AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK PLY SEPARATION OCCURED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES. THE TIRE HAD 3/32 TREAD REMAINING. *NM

NHTSA ID
10079832
Incident
Jun 21, 2004
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 24, 2004

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK THERE WAS 3/32 TREAD REMAINING ON THE TIRE. THE PLY'S SEPARATED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THIS PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10079831
Incident
Jun 21, 2004
Interior & seats
Filed May 18, 2004

PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW DOOR TO BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE, ONLY WOULD OPEN FROM THE INSIDE; CAUSING A OVER $500 REPAIR BECAUSE A SMALL PIECE OF METAL IN THE ASSEMBLY BROKE. LEXUS COULD/WOULD NOT REPLACE JUST THE SMALL METAL PIECE, AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED CAUSING A VERY COSTLY REPAIR; THIS OCCURED IN 2003. IN MAY OF 2004, THE DRIVER'S DOOR THEN FAILED, AND ALSO WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, WOULD ONLY OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. THIS TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO CORRECT WITH A $7.00 PART AND A $120 LABOR COST TO REPLACE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10019827
Incident
May 3, 2002
Mileage
157,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

Safety Recall 22

EQUIPMENT

Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022

Lexus PRO19-02 -

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.

Lexus Safety Re

EQUIPMENT

Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements

L-SB-0179-17 Obs

EQUIPMENT

TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates

L-SB-0008-20

EQUIPMENT

TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003 93, and PG002-90. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1990 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.

L-SB-0048-08 Obs

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

TSB: Replacement Certification Labels. OBSOLETE NOTICE November 28, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0179-17.

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

Lexus SC400 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2001100—
2000100—
1999200—
1998200—
1997110—
1996Viewing410—
1995900—
1994200—
1993900—
1992301046.2
1990100—

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.