LEXUS LS · model year

2005 LEXUS LS

6 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005LEXUSLS carries 6 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, 2 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 LS is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and power train:driveline:driveshaft (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 2 active recall campaigns, 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 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 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
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
POWER TRAIN1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT1
WHEELS:HUB1
STRUCTURE:BODY1

Recalls (2)

09E01200007/04/2009

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES

06V09600003/04/2006

AIR BAGS

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDIT

Recent Complaints

20200504UNKNOWN OR OTHER

HORN NOT WORKING. VERIFIED THE FUSES ASSOCIATED WITH HORN AND ALL OR OK.

20180830STRUCTURE:BODY

THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR CLOSING SYSTEM, WHICH MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING REAR SIDE PASSENGER DOOR TO BE INCAPABLE OF SECURELY BEING CLOSED. WHEN THE DOORS ARE SOFTLY PARTIALLY SHUT, THIS SYSTEM GRABS THE DOOR AND FINISHES COMPLETELY SHUTTING THE DOOR FLUSH TO THE OUTER BODY OF THE CAR. WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS, THE DOOR CANNOT BE SHUT EVEN MANUALLY. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE ON A TRIP, THE DOOR WOULD FLOP OPEN AND CLOSED AND BE A SERIOUS HAZARD AND DANGER TO PASSENGERS, OTHER TRAFFIC AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE DOOR MIGHT COME COMPLETELY OFF THE BODY OF THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, IN MY INCIDENT, I WAS IN TOWN AND GOT TO A STORE TO PURCHASE ROPE TO TIE THE DOOR CLOSED BY STRAPPING IT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE REAR DOOR AND TAKING IT TO THE DEALER FOR VERY COSTLY REPAIR.

Mileage: 79,526

20051215WHEELS:HUB

WHEEL CENTER CAP BECAME LOOSE AND FELL OFF; DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO HONOR NEW CAR WARRANTY. *JB

Mileage: 38,500

20050802UNKNOWN OR OTHER

PAINT FLAKING ON BAND NEW LEXUS LS 430 WITH ONLY 1800 MILES. 8JB

Mileage: 1,850

20050608POWER TRAIN

I OWN A 2005 LEXUS GX470 WITH 10,000 MILES. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TOYOTA/LEXUS "BUMP/STOP" WHIPLASH SIMULATION ON A DAILY BASIS. LEXUS/TOYOTA HAD BEEN REPLACING DRIVE SHAFTS ON MANY VEHICLES WHICH "JUMP FORWARD" FOR NO REASON. LEXUS IS NOW SAYING THAT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS A "NORMAL DESIGN FUNCTION" OF THE VEHICLE. I SPOKE WITH TOM NORTON, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF LEXUS OF CHERRY HILL, NJ TODAY. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS GX470 DOES THE SAME THING THAT MY $50,000 VEHICLE DOES. MR. NORTON DID AGREE THAT LEXUS HAD REPLACED MULTIPLE DRIVESHAFTS IN THE PAST & THAT THIS CONDITION IS ABSOLUTELY NOT NORMAL. HOWEVER, HE, & I'M NOW USING MY OWN WORDS, MUST HOLD THE COMPANY LINE, & TELL CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY'RE BEING INSTRUCTED FROM LEXUS HEADQUARTERS. AS A POLICE SUPERVISOR, I DRIVE FOR A LIVING. I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED A VEHICLE "JUMPING FORWARD" AS I HAVE ON MY LEXUS GX470. SHOULD THIS PROBLEM NOT BE CORRECTED, I WILL SUE UNDER LEMON LAW. I WILL WRITE MY LEGISLATORS. I WILL WRITE EDITO

Mileage: 200

20050608POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

I OWN A 2005 LEXUS GX470 WITH 10,000 MILES. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TOYOTA/LEXUS "BUMP/STOP" WHIPLASH SIMULATION ON A DAILY BASIS. LEXUS/TOYOTA HAD BEEN REPLACING DRIVE SHAFTS ON MANY VEHICLES WHICH "JUMP FORWARD" FOR NO REASON. LEXUS IS NOW SAYING THAT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS A "NORMAL DESIGN FUNCTION" OF THE VEHICLE. I SPOKE WITH TOM NORTON, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF LEXUS OF CHERRY HILL, NJ TODAY. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS GX470 DOES THE SAME THING THAT MY $50,000 VEHICLE DOES. MR. NORTON DID AGREE THAT LEXUS HAD REPLACED MULTIPLE DRIVESHAFTS IN THE PAST & THAT THIS CONDITION IS ABSOLUTELY NOT NORMAL. HOWEVER, HE, & I'M NOW USING MY OWN WORDS, MUST HOLD THE COMPANY LINE, & TELL CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY'RE BEING INSTRUCTED FROM LEXUS HEADQUARTERS. AS A POLICE SUPERVISOR, I DRIVE FOR A LIVING. I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED A VEHICLE "JUMPING FORWARD" AS I HAVE ON MY LEXUS GX470. SHOULD THIS PROBLEM NOT BE CORRECTED, I WILL SUE UNDER LEMON LAW. I WILL WRITE MY LEGISLATORS. I WILL WRITE EDITO

Mileage: 200

Compare 2005LEXUSLS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 LEXUS LS have?
The 2005 LEXUS LS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 LEXUS LS?
Yes, the 2005 LEXUS LS has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 LEXUS LS?
The most-complained component for the 2005 LEXUS LS is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT.
Is the 2005 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.