LEXUS GS450H · model year

2008 LEXUS GS450H

5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008LEXUSGS450H carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 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 2008 GS450H is unknown or other with 1 filings, followed by service brakes (1) and power train (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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2008 GS450H. 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
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SERVICE BRAKES1
POWER TRAIN1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
ENGINE1

Recalls (1)

10V30900006/07/2010

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2008 LEXUS PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 26, 2005 THROUGH AUGUST 4, 2008. MICRO-FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE MATERIAL OF THE VALVE SPRING MAY DEGRADE THE STRENGTH OF THE VALVE SPRING, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE SPRING TO BREAK.

Recent Complaints

20180723ENGINE

I AM THE OWNER OF A LEXUS 2008 GS450H AND TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY VEHICLE. ON JUNE 10, 2017, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE DEALERSHIP IN ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA FOR THE 80K MILE SERVICING.. NO OTHER WORK WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE BETWEEN JUNE 10 - AUGUST 29, 2017 AND NO ONE WAS EVEN UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE, SUBSEQUENT EXPENSES TO REPAIR AND RELATED EXPENSES. AS I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE, PART OF THE LEXUS MULTIPOINT INSPECTIONS REQUIRES SERVICE PERSONNEL TO PERIODICALLY INSPECT AND ADJUST THE ENGINE COOLANT (RADIATOR) AND RADIATOR CAP TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT NEEDS REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. THE ATTACHED SERVICE HISTORY REFLECTS THAT THIS SIMPLE INSPECTION WAS NEVER COMPLETED DURING THIS JUNE 10, 2017 SERVICING. ON AUGUST 29, 2017, WHILE DRIVING TO ARIZONA FROM CALIFORNIA, THE RADIATOR CAP FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. I WAS STRANDED 90 MILES NORTH OF THE NEAREST TOWN IN 110-DEGREE HEAT WITH SUBSTANDARD

20180326FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I OWN A 2008 LEXUS GS 450H. I RECENTLY (MARCH 2018) HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR THAT I NEED TO SHARE WITH THE NHTSA. WHEN STARTING MY CAR, I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS OBVIOUSLY WRONG. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE NEAREST AUTO SHOP WHERE THEY TROUBLESHOT THE GASOLINE LEAK TO A FUEL PRESSURE PULSATION DAMPER ON THE FUEL RAIL OF THE ENGINE. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE DISCOVERED THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS FOR GASOLINE LEAKS IN THE ENGINE BAYS OF LEXUS VEHICLES. I DID BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE "ELF" RECALL IN 2015 WHICH COVERS THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR. WHEN READING ABOUT THE "9LA" AND THE "BLA" RECALLS, IT SEEMS THAT MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE AFFECTED VEHICLES OF THESE RESPECTIVE RECALLS. SO WE HAVE A PROBLEM. I DID HAVE THE "LEAKY FUEL" RECALL FOR MY CAR PERFORMED BY THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP (3 YEARS AGO) BUT I STILL ENDED UP WITH AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION WITH GASOLIN

Mileage: 172,606

20170901FirePOWER TRAIN

AS I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, I HEARD A POP AND LOST ALL POWER TO CAR. I ROLLED OVER TO SIDE OF STREET, WHILE NOTICING SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON PASSENGER SIDE. OPENED HOOD AND SAW A FIRE BY ENGINE WALL. I HAD A COUPLE OF BOTTLES OF WATER WITH ME. I PORED WATER ON FIRE AND AFTER ONE MINUTE DISTINGUESTED THE FIRE.

Mileage: 59,000

20160528SERVICE BRAKES

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY ABS ACTUATOR. THIS HAS MADE BRAKING HARD, SOMETIMES UNRESPONSIVE, AND DISABLES THE ABS. I TOOK IT TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP WHERE THIS WAS CONFIRMED AND I WAS QUOTED OVER $4,000 TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. I CALLED LEXUS CORPORATE TO WORK OUT A DEAL, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNWILLING TO COOPERATE. LOOKING THIS ISSUE UP ON THE INTERNET IT IS ALL OVER. MANY OWNERS OF THE GS450H HAS EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AND AS A RESULT HAVE HAD TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX IT. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE ABS ACTUATOR AND LEXUS THEMSELVES HAVE ADMITTED IT HOWEVER THEY FAIL TO REPLACE THEM. THE PART ON MOST CARS IS 44050-30260 WHICH LEXUS HAS DISCONTINUED SELLING. THE NEW PART IS LABELED AS 44050-30670. HYBRID TOYOTA CAMRYS HAVE BEEN GRANTED A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO ENSURE DRIVERS ARE SAFE ON THE ROAD, HOWEVER LEXUS GS450H OWNERS DO NOT EVEN THOUGH BOTH CARS ARE BUILT ON THE SAME PLATFORM. (HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CRO/NEWS/2014/07/WHY-TOYOTA-SHOULD-RECALL-THE-CAMRY

Mileage: 85,000

20160501CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED RAPIDLY FROM VERY SLOW SPEED IN HYBRID MODE WHEN IN PROCESS OF STOPPING TO PARK BEHIND ANOTHER CAR ON FRIENDS PROPERTY, RESULTING RAMMING CAR AHEAD.

Mileage: 80,000

Compare 2008LEXUSGS450H to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 LEXUS GS450H have?
The 2008 LEXUS GS450H has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 LEXUS GS450H?
Yes, the 2008 LEXUS GS450H has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 LEXUS GS450H?
The most-complained component for the 2008 LEXUS GS450H is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2008 LEXUS GS450H 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.