RoadVitals

2005 Lexus SC430 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
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Latest Dec 14, 2021
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2005 Lexus SC430, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Airbags545.5%
  • Driver assistance218.2%
  • Body & structure19.1%
  • Brakes19.1%
  • Other / unspecified19.1%
  • Suspension19.1%

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

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

5
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Takata Recall. The contact owns a 2005 Lexus SC430. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V741000 (Air Bags) and drove 5 hours to the only Lexus dealer in the State of Maine. The dealer informed the contact that they would need to repair the vehicle clockspring to clear the air bag warning light prior to completing the recall repair. The contact declined and the dealer refused to complete the recall repair. The contact drove back to his residence. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the air bag warning light had been illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the dealer should have completed the recall repair. The manufacturer advised the contact that they would assist with towing the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID 11443751 · filed Dec 14, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID 10789211 · filed Nov 9, 2015

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SURGE FORWARD UNTIL CRASHING INTO A LIGHT POST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 01/10/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. SHE HIT THE GARAGE DOOR AND ADJACENT BRICK WALL. AT THAT POINT, THE GEAR SHIFT WENT INTO REVERSE, AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS OUT OF THE GARAGE, MADE A U-TURN, AND HIT A LIGHT POLE WITH THE REAR BUMPER. THE VEHICLE THEN STOPPED AND THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. UPDATED 02/28/12

NHTSA ID 10434796 · filed Nov 7, 2011

MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO OUR DRIVEWAY, AND MOVED HER FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO BRAKE ON HER LEXUS SC430. THE DRIVEWAY HAS A DOWNHILL STRETCH OF ABOUT 40 FEET WITH A LEFT TURN REQUIRED AT THE BOTTOM TO ENTER THE GARAGE. INSTEAD OF SLOWING, THE CAR TOOK OFF, WITH THE ENGINE RACING, AND CATAPULTED HER OVER THE EDGE OF THE DRIVEWAY DOWN INTO A RAVINE. SHE SUFFERED A SEVERE INJURY TO HER BACK, AND IS CURRENTLY IN GREAT PAIN. I BELIEVE HER STORY, AS I HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH THE SAME CAR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO, EXCEPT I WAS ABLE TO OVERCOME THE FORWARD MOTION OF THE CAR BY A VERY HARD APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID 10293330 · filed Nov 23, 2009

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AUTO WAS PARKED IN LOT, IGNITION OFF "IN PARK". STARTED AUTO, PUT GEAR IN REVERSE AND AUTO ACCELERATED VERY RAPIDLY, UNCONTROLLED, DOWN ONE CURB, UP ANOTHER CURB AND FINALLY STOPPED IN GRASSY AREA HAVING GONE ABOUT 150 FEET.

NHTSA ID 10722476 · filed May 31, 2015

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID 10459759 · filed May 27, 2012

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AUTO WAS PARKED IN LOT, IGNITION OFF "IN PARK". STARTED AUTO, PUT GEAR IN REVERSE AND AUTO ACCELERATED VERY RAPIDLY, UNCONTROLLED, DOWN ONE CURB, UP ANOTHER CURB AND FINALLY STOPPED IN GRASSY AREA HAVING GONE ABOUT 150 FEET.

NHTSA ID 10722476 · filed May 31, 2015

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

AUTO WAS PARKED IN LOT, IGNITION OFF "IN PARK". STARTED AUTO, PUT GEAR IN REVERSE AND AUTO ACCELERATED VERY RAPIDLY, UNCONTROLLED, DOWN ONE CURB, UP ANOTHER CURB AND FINALLY STOPPED IN GRASSY AREA HAVING GONE ABOUT 150 FEET.

NHTSA ID 10722476 · filed May 31, 2015

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .