1997 LEXUS LS400 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
23
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
2
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1997 LEXUS LS400
The 1997 LEXUS LS400 has received a total of 23 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY. 2 technical service bulletins have been issued by Toyota Motor Corporation for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (2 complaints), Tires (2 complaints), and Vehicle Speed Control (2 complaints).
Recalls for the 1997 LEXUS LS400
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 1997 LEXUS LS400, potentially affecting up to 74,701 vehicles.
Recall 06E049000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 27,176 vehicles affected
Defect: CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Consequence: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
View full details →Recall 98V016000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
| 47,525 vehicles affected
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.
Consequence: A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1997 LEXUS LS400
23 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1997 LEXUS LS400. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Air Bagsfrontal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Air Bagssidewindow | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainautomatic Transmission | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdisc | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsdiscrotor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspensionfrontcontrol Armlower Arm | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Controlcruise Control | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilityrearview Mirrorsdevices | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
CRASH CAUSED BY POOR WET TRACTION OF GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES. ACCIDENT WAS PRECEDED BY NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF LOST LATERAL GRIP AND SLIPPING UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION IN NORMAL DRIVING.
VEHICLE DOES NOT START WHEN HOT. STARTER DOES NOT TURN. VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 98V016000. MY CAR HAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 7/97. CUT OFF DATE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS 6/97. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MAGNETIC SWITCH IN THE STARTER. A NO START CONDITION EXISTS AND A FIRE CAN RESULT IF THE SOLENOID SHORTS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
VEHICLE DOES NOT START WHEN HOT. STARTER DOES NOT TURN. VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 98V016000. MY CAR HAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 7/97. CUT OFF DATE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS 6/97. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MAGNETIC SWITCH IN THE STARTER. A NO START CONDITION EXISTS AND A FIRE CAN RESULT IF THE SOLENOID SHORTS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
VEHICLE DOES NOT START WHEN HOT. STARTER DOES NOT TURN. VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 98V016000. MY CAR HAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 7/97. CUT OFF DATE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS 6/97. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MAGNETIC SWITCH IN THE STARTER. A NO START CONDITION EXISTS AND A FIRE CAN RESULT IF THE SOLENOID SHORTS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
AS I WAS DRIVING, MY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. WHEN I HAD PREVIOUSLY CHECKED THE SPEED ODOMETER IT SAID 50. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED GAINING SPEED. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE SPEED KEPT ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK! THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I SAW A SIDE ROAD AND TURNED ONTO IT. I KEPT TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT KEPT GOING. I THOUGHT TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT SLOWED THE VEHICLE CONSIDERABLE, BUT IT KEPT MOVING. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I KEPT PUMPING THE BREAKS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND THE CAR WAS STILL MOVING. IT FINALLY STOP, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL ACCELERATING. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND THE MORE THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. I PUT BACK IN DRIVE AND IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE VEHICLE. I TOLD MY SONS TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I TURN THE ENGINE OFF, THE CAR JUMPED AND I RAN AWAY FROM THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL SMOKING. I CALLED 911. THE CAR STOPPED SMOKING AND REMAINED IN PLACE. MY HUSBAND CAME AND STARTED THE VEHICLE IT ACCELERATED AND HE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND IT STOPPED. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND PARKED IT. I AM NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THIS IS THE REASON THAT I HAVE NOT ENTERED A VIN NUMBER. *TR
Safety Rating for the 1997 LEXUS LS400
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1997 LEXUS LS400 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1997 LEXUS LS400
Toyota Motor Corporation has issued 2 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1997 LEXUS LS400. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
L-SB-0025-14 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES
TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost. Once the system is reset, all previously registered keys will be erased.
AU00198 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING STATIC NOISE ON WEAK AM STATIONS. *YC
NHTSA Investigations for the 1997 LEXUS LS400
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the LEXUS LS400
- 1992 LEXUS LS400 — 10 complaints
- 1993 LEXUS LS400 — 83 complaints
- 1994 LEXUS LS400 — 76 complaints
- 1995 LEXUS LS400 — 48 complaints
- 1996 LEXUS LS400 — 24 complaints
- 1997 LEXUS LS400 (current)
- 1998 LEXUS LS400 — 52 complaints
- 1999 LEXUS LS400 — 27 complaints
- 2000 LEXUS LS400 — 16 complaints
- 2001 LEXUS LS400 — 2 complaints
Other LEXUS Models
- LEXUS ES350 — 1,531 total complaints
- LEXUS RX — 1,154 total complaints
- LEXUS RX350 — 1,065 total complaints
- LEXUS IS 250 — 938 total complaints
- LEXUS ES300 — 862 total complaints
- LEXUS RX300 — 849 total complaints
- LEXUS ES — 817 total complaints
- LEXUS IS — 765 total complaints