LEXUS GS430 · model year

2002 LEXUS GS430

5 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002LEXUSGS430 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 GS430 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and electronic stability control (esc) (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2002 GS430. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

5
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
STRUCTURE1

Recent Complaints

20130517STRUCTURE

LIKE MANY OTHERS THAT I KNOW THAT OWN A LEXUS SC430. I THINK I HAVE A MOLD PROBLEM. I HAVE HEARD OF PEOPLE BECOMING VERY ILL FROM CAR. I ALSO SMELL A PROBLEM WITH AC AND HAVE CONDENSATION ON INSIDE OF WINDOWS. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20100304ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I BROUGHT LEXUS GS430, MODEL YEAR 2002 IN DEC 2001. MY MODEL IS NOT IN RECALL LIST. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON NOV 28, 2009 IN SAN DIEGO. BRAKING DID NOT HELP. CAR WENT OVER STREET DIVIDER IN OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANES. I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20100304VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I BROUGHT LEXUS GS430, MODEL YEAR 2002 IN DEC 2001. MY MODEL IS NOT IN RECALL LIST. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION ON NOV 28, 2009 IN SAN DIEGO. BRAKING DID NOT HELP. CAR WENT OVER STREET DIVIDER IN OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANES. I WAS LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20100205CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

MY FATHER WAS DRIVING MY 02 LEXUS GS430 WITH MY MOTHER AND 10MO OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACKSEAT. HE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN ACCELERATED TO TURN LEFT. HE WAS GOING 30-35MPH AND SAW THAT THE CAR INFRONT OF HIM WAS STOPPED AND ABOUT TO TURN. HE PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE LEXUS DID NOT SLOW DOWN. HE THEN SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE LEXUS STILL DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE LEXUS FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN THEY HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF THEM AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY FATHER IS HAVING BACK PROBLEMS AND MY MOTHER'S LEG IS BRUISED, LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER IS UNHARMED. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE IS ALSO INJURED. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

20100205CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY FATHER WAS DRIVING MY 02 LEXUS GS430 WITH MY MOTHER AND 10MO OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACKSEAT. HE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN ACCELERATED TO TURN LEFT. HE WAS GOING 30-35MPH AND SAW THAT THE CAR INFRONT OF HIM WAS STOPPED AND ABOUT TO TURN. HE PRESSED THE BRAKE AND THE LEXUS DID NOT SLOW DOWN. HE THEN SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE LEXUS STILL DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THE LEXUS FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN THEY HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF THEM AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY FATHER IS HAVING BACK PROBLEMS AND MY MOTHER'S LEG IS BRUISED, LUCKILY MY DAUGHTER IS UNHARMED. THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE IS ALSO INJURED. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

Compare 2002LEXUSGS430 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 LEXUS GS430 have?
The 2002 LEXUS GS430 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 LEXUS GS430?
The most-complained component for the 2002 LEXUS GS430 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC).
Is the 2002 LEXUS GS430 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.