LEXUS LS · model year

1996 LEXUS LS

3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996LEXUSLS carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1996 LS is power train with 1 filings, followed by engine (1) and electrical system (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 1996 LS. 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.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN1
ENGINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20230721POWER TRAIN

I brought my car to Kendall Lexus for repairs as well as a recall on the starter solenoid. They charged me about $1,200 for these repairs, including the installation of a new starter. Unfortunately, the newly installed starter failed within a month of its replacement, causing significant inconvenience and safety concerns. Upon discovering the issue, I immediately contacted Kendall Lexus to report the problem. They agreed to have the car towed back to their dealership for further inspection and resolution. However, instead of taking responsibility for the faulty part they had installed, they had someone from Toyota contact me, stating that they wouldn’t address the problem due to my car’s age and referencing “loose wires” as the potential cause despite the fact that they were the last ones under the hood and had no problem with wiring or the age of the vehicle until they were asked to repair a faulty part they installed. I was shocked by this response, as my vehicle was in go

20230721ENGINE

I brought my car to Kendall Lexus for repairs as well as a recall on the starter solenoid. They charged me about $1,200 for these repairs, including the installation of a new starter. Unfortunately, the newly installed starter failed within a month of its replacement, causing significant inconvenience and safety concerns. Upon discovering the issue, I immediately contacted Kendall Lexus to report the problem. They agreed to have the car towed back to their dealership for further inspection and resolution. However, instead of taking responsibility for the faulty part they had installed, they had someone from Toyota contact me, stating that they wouldn’t address the problem due to my car’s age and referencing “loose wires” as the potential cause despite the fact that they were the last ones under the hood and had no problem with wiring or the age of the vehicle until they were asked to repair a faulty part they installed. I was shocked by this response, as my vehicle was in go

20230721ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I brought my car to Kendall Lexus for repairs as well as a recall on the starter solenoid. They charged me about $1,200 for these repairs, including the installation of a new starter. Unfortunately, the newly installed starter failed within a month of its replacement, causing significant inconvenience and safety concerns. Upon discovering the issue, I immediately contacted Kendall Lexus to report the problem. They agreed to have the car towed back to their dealership for further inspection and resolution. However, instead of taking responsibility for the faulty part they had installed, they had someone from Toyota contact me, stating that they wouldn’t address the problem due to my car’s age and referencing “loose wires” as the potential cause despite the fact that they were the last ones under the hood and had no problem with wiring or the age of the vehicle until they were asked to repair a faulty part they installed. I was shocked by this response, as my vehicle was in go

Compare 1996LEXUSLS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 LEXUS LS have?
The 1996 LEXUS LS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 LEXUS LS?
The most-complained component for the 1996 LEXUS LS is POWER TRAIN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 LEXUS LS 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.