LEXUS GX470 · model year

2005 LEXUS GX470

38 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005LEXUSGX470 carries 38 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 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 2005 GX470 is air bags with 10 filings, followed by structure (5) and vehicle speed control (4). 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 2005 GX470. 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.

38
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

38 filings

Crashes Reported

6 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS10
STRUCTURE5
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4
STRUCTURE:BODY3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SERVICE BRAKES2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH1
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM:SPRINGS/BAGS1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES1
SEATS1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
STEERING1
SEAT BELTS1

Recalls (1)

16V06500005/02/2016

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag c

Recent Complaints

20210415STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT STATED HE NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CHASSIS WAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 153,000.

Mileage: 153,000

20180705UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLE DASHBOARD BECOMES SHINY (ALMOST LIKE ITS MELTING) CAUSING GLARE ON THE WINDSCREEN WHEN EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT. THIS MAKES DRIVING DIFFICULT. DASHBOARD ALSO EMITS ODORS CAUSING NAUSEA

20170627UNKNOWN OR OTHER

CRACKING DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL (LEATHER PORTION) SUN BURNT JUST MISSED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM LESS THAN A MONTH (05/17) SO LEXUS OFFERED ME A FREAKING DASH MAT UP TO $200. WHAT A TOTAL JOKE!

20170324SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FAILURE FIRST OCCURRED AT 60,000 MILES. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND SHOOK WHEN DRIVEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES, CALIPERS, AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT BRAKES, CALIPERS, AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKES, CALIPERS, AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

Mileage: 89,000

20170131AIR BAGS

SAFETY RECALL GLB (NHTSA RECALL ID 16V065) ISSUED FEBRUARY 2, 2016. IT HAS BEEN ONE FULL YEAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX THE CAR! THEY SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE PARTS, AND HAVE NO PLAN ON WHEN THEY WILL GET PARTS.

20170123AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V065000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE INTERIM NOTICE DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE SO THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170104AIR BAGS

RECALL WAS FEB 2ND 2016 AND STILL NO REPAIR ABLE TO BE SCHEDULED WHEN I CALL THE LEXUS DEALER.

Mileage: 130,000

20161210AIR BAGS

MY DASH HAS CRACKED ALL OVER THE COMPLETE DASH , NOT A SMALL PART , ALL OF IT . I WAS NOTIFIED A YEAR AGO AND IT IS STILL NOT REPLACED . YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW THIS TO GO THIS LONG AND THEN AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG CAME IN THE MAIL AND IT TOO HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED ! NOW THE NEWS SAYS I LIVE IN A DAMP AND HUMID AREA SO DOES THIS MEAN I AM IN MORE DANGER ? WHY ARE THEY NOT REPAIRING THESE PROBLEMS AND WHY IS THE NHTSA NOT HELPING US?

20161210UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY DASH HAS CRACKED ALL OVER THE COMPLETE DASH , NOT A SMALL PART , ALL OF IT . I WAS NOTIFIED A YEAR AGO AND IT IS STILL NOT REPLACED . YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW THIS TO GO THIS LONG AND THEN AN ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG CAME IN THE MAIL AND IT TOO HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED ! NOW THE NEWS SAYS I LIVE IN A DAMP AND HUMID AREA SO DOES THIS MEAN I AM IN MORE DANGER ? WHY ARE THEY NOT REPAIRING THESE PROBLEMS AND WHY IS THE NHTSA NOT HELPING US?

20161027AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS GX470. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR THE AIR BAGS; HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 104,000

20160608AIR BAGS

RECEIVED A LETTER FROM LEXUS ON 11/20/2015 AND SPOKE TO LEXUS OF SAN ANTONIO, TX.,NORTH CENTRAL PARK. THE LETTER INDICATED THAT THE ENTIRE DASH BOARD HAD TO BE REPLACE DUE TO A FAULT OF COMPANY'S DEFECT EFFECTING THE AIRBAGS. I HAVE SINCE THEN RECEIVED A SECOND LETTER, AS IT WAS STATED, ON THE FIRST LETTER THAT A REPLACEMENT WOULD COME IN TO REPLACE THE OLD DEFECTIVE ONE. SINCE THEN LEXUS OF SAN ANTONIO HAS STATED, AS OF THIS MORNING, THAT THEY ARE REPLACING THEM AT 2 A WEEK AS PARTS COME IN. THERE ARE 100 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF MINE!!! IF THERE IS A TIME FRAME FOR REPLACEMENTS, I DON'T THINK MINE WOULD BE REPLACED EVER. STARTING FROM TODAY, THERE WILL BE 50 WEEKS TILL I GET CALLED IN. IS THERE GOING TO BE A SOLUTION FOR THIS REPLACEMENT? THANKS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

20150917CrashSERVICE BRAKES

THE LEXUS GX470 HAS MANY MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO END UP IN DEATHS FOR EXAMPLE THE SUNROOF DRAINING SYSTEM OVERFLOWS AND DRAINS ON AND NEAR THE BRAKE PEDALS AND THE THEN OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR BOARDS CAUSING THE WHOLE GENERAL AREA TO BE EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND AT TIMES RENDERING THE BRAKES UNUSABLE. THEN THE 2ND ISSUES IS THE SEAT-BELTS DO NOT ALWAYS FUNCTION CORRECTLY AT TIMES THE UNLATCH DURING HARD BRAKING. THE 3RD ISSUE IS THE STEERING WHEEL MATERIAL FAILS IN THE HIGH HEAT THE SAME AS THE DASHBOARD THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTARY RECALLED. THIS ISSUES IS SEEN ON ALMOST ALL LEXUS GX SERIES IN FL IF YOU REVIEW THE FORUM BOARDS VIA A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH YOU WILL SEE 1000'S OF OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME COMPLAINTS.

20150917CrashSTEERING

THE LEXUS GX470 HAS MANY MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO END UP IN DEATHS FOR EXAMPLE THE SUNROOF DRAINING SYSTEM OVERFLOWS AND DRAINS ON AND NEAR THE BRAKE PEDALS AND THE THEN OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR BOARDS CAUSING THE WHOLE GENERAL AREA TO BE EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND AT TIMES RENDERING THE BRAKES UNUSABLE. THEN THE 2ND ISSUES IS THE SEAT-BELTS DO NOT ALWAYS FUNCTION CORRECTLY AT TIMES THE UNLATCH DURING HARD BRAKING. THE 3RD ISSUE IS THE STEERING WHEEL MATERIAL FAILS IN THE HIGH HEAT THE SAME AS THE DASHBOARD THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTARY RECALLED. THIS ISSUES IS SEEN ON ALMOST ALL LEXUS GX SERIES IN FL IF YOU REVIEW THE FORUM BOARDS VIA A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH YOU WILL SEE 1000'S OF OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME COMPLAINTS.

20150917CrashSEAT BELTS

THE LEXUS GX470 HAS MANY MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO END UP IN DEATHS FOR EXAMPLE THE SUNROOF DRAINING SYSTEM OVERFLOWS AND DRAINS ON AND NEAR THE BRAKE PEDALS AND THE THEN OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR BOARDS CAUSING THE WHOLE GENERAL AREA TO BE EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND AT TIMES RENDERING THE BRAKES UNUSABLE. THEN THE 2ND ISSUES IS THE SEAT-BELTS DO NOT ALWAYS FUNCTION CORRECTLY AT TIMES THE UNLATCH DURING HARD BRAKING. THE 3RD ISSUE IS THE STEERING WHEEL MATERIAL FAILS IN THE HIGH HEAT THE SAME AS THE DASHBOARD THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTARY RECALLED. THIS ISSUES IS SEEN ON ALMOST ALL LEXUS GX SERIES IN FL IF YOU REVIEW THE FORUM BOARDS VIA A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH YOU WILL SEE 1000'S OF OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME COMPLAINTS.

20150519UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKING

20150225ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHEN CRANKING THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE VSC AND TRACTION LIGHT ALL COME ON. HAD THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PUT IT ON THE MACHINE SAID IT WAS SOMETHING WITH EMISSIONS THAT WOULD RUN AROUND 2K TO REPAIR AT THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE RUNS PERFECT. LIGHTS WILL GO OFF AT RANDOM TIMES BUT THEN COME BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING GREAT. OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ACCORDING TO MY GOOGLE INQUIRIES. I ALSO HAVE HAD MY ENTIRE DASHBOARD CRACK WHICH I UNDERSTAND LEXUS WILL BE FIXING AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *JS

20141026AIR BAGS

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. SERVICE IDENTIFIED A BROKEN WIRE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG. RECOMMENDATION WAS ALSO MADE TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE HARNESS AT $2500. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED, THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED FOLLOWING THE CONTOUR OF THE CONTROLS AND GLOVEBOX. THIS WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. SERVICE ADMITTED THAT THE CRACKING IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

20140826STRUCTURE:BODY

DASH BOARD HAS BEGUN TO CRACK. CONCERNED THERE WOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE FOR THE LEXUS GX470 FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS. *TR

20140816AIR BAGS

GROWING CRACKS ALL OVER THE DASH. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH MANY OTHER REPORTED INCIDENTS. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

20140816STRUCTURE

GROWING CRACKS ALL OVER THE DASH. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH MANY OTHER REPORTED INCIDENTS. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

Compare 2005LEXUSGX470 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 LEXUS GX470 have?
The 2005 LEXUS GX470 has 38 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 LEXUS GX470?
Yes, the 2005 LEXUS GX470 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 LEXUS GX470?
The most-complained component for the 2005 LEXUS GX470 is AIR BAGS with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 2005 LEXUS GX470 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.