LEXUS LS400 · model year

1999 LEXUS LS400

27 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999LEXUSLS400 carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 102 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 1999 LS400 is vehicle speed control with 11 filings, followed by structure:body:hood (2) and electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (2). 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 1999 LS400. 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.

27
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
102
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

27 filings

Crashes Reported

8 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 CONTROL11
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
TIRES:SIDEWALL1
TIRES1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
POWER TRAIN1
SEAT BELTS1
STEERING1
INTERIOR LIGHTING1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1

Recent Complaints

20121205CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKE DUE TO TRAFFIC. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CRASH CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES AS WELL AS AN INJURED KNEE OF THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STRUCK. THE FAILURE HAD RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND HE WAS INFORMED THE THROTTLE BODY WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, HE WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE TYPE OF FAILURE HE WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000. UPDATED 02/19/13

Mileage: 130,000

20100901STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WORKING UNDER THE HOOD IT STARTED CLOSING CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. TOYOTA WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 100,000

20100625ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

OUR 1999LS400 LEXUS IS EXPERIENCING MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE ELECTRONICS IN THE DASH. THE ODOMETER AND THE SPEEDOMETER ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. LEXUS WANTS 1200.00 TO PULL OUT DASH AND SEND AWAY TO REPAIR. I AM CONCERNED THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW WHOSE REPLACING WHAT AND ARE THEY CERTIFIED LEXUS MECHANICS??? ARE THESE EARLY MODEL LS400'S HAVING ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS OR IS THIS JUST A SINGLE CASE? PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR

20100312VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLUE TO THE TOYOTA RACING ENGINE PROBLEM. ON EACH OF TWO DAYS BEFORE I TOOK MY 1999 LEXUS 400 TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AT AN ESTIMATED 4,000+ RPMS AND EMITTED A GRINDING SOUND AS THE CAR WAS STARTED. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY, THE CAR WOULD RESTART WITHOUT A PROBLEM. STRANGELY, THE DEALER DID NOT RECORD THIS PARTICULAR COMPLAINT, BUT STATED THAT DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THAT STARTER WAS FAILING. I WAS CHARGED $990 FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS. I COULD NOT GET A SATISFACTORY ANSWER AS TO WHY A FAULTY STARTER WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RACE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR OVER 10,000 MILES SINCE THEN WITHOUT A PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 91,080

20100312ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLUE TO THE TOYOTA RACING ENGINE PROBLEM. ON EACH OF TWO DAYS BEFORE I TOOK MY 1999 LEXUS 400 TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, THE ENGINE WOULD RACE AT AN ESTIMATED 4,000+ RPMS AND EMITTED A GRINDING SOUND AS THE CAR WAS STARTED. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY, THE CAR WOULD RESTART WITHOUT A PROBLEM. STRANGELY, THE DEALER DID NOT RECORD THIS PARTICULAR COMPLAINT, BUT STATED THAT DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THAT STARTER WAS FAILING. I WAS CHARGED $990 FOR REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS. I COULD NOT GET A SATISFACTORY ANSWER AS TO WHY A FAULTY STARTER WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO RACE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR OVER 10,000 MILES SINCE THEN WITHOUT A PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 91,080

20100301ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1999 400LS LEXUS DASH PANEL DEFECTIVE. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

20100301INTERIOR LIGHTING

1999 400LS LEXUS DASH PANEL DEFECTIVE. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

20100301ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LS400. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD PANEL WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90000. UPDATED 07/07/10.*JB

Mileage: 90,000

20100216VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I'M WRITING THIS IN THE HOPES THAT IT MAY BE OF SOME HELP IN TOYOTAS BRAKE PROBLEM. MY 1999 LEXUS LS400 WOULD LOOSE THROTTLE CONTROL, THE ENGINE SPEED WOULD DROP TO IDLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS DONE TO THE THROTTLE ITSELF. AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE DEALER, THEY FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WOULD NOT WORK IF IT HAD BECOME WET. THEY REPLACED THE TPS AND THAT CURED THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 10,000

20100203CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1999 LEXUS LS 400. SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20080529SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELTS ON MY CAR DO NOT RETRACT OR STAY TIGHT ON ME ANYMORE. THEY CONTINUE TO LOOSEN AS I DRIVE. THEY ARE STIFF ALMOST BRITTLE. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE OUT LIKE IT USED TO. NOW IT MOVES AWAY FROM THE DASH IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION TOWARD MY FACE. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20080529STEERING

THE SEAT BELTS ON MY CAR DO NOT RETRACT OR STAY TIGHT ON ME ANYMORE. THEY CONTINUE TO LOOSEN AS I DRIVE. THEY ARE STIFF ALMOST BRITTLE. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE OUT LIKE IT USED TO. NOW IT MOVES AWAY FROM THE DASH IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION TOWARD MY FACE. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

20070131ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

WE HAVE OWNED 3 LEXUS AND ALL 3 OF THEM HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DIGITAL RADIO PRINT OUT. WE TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY WOULD REPLACE IT FOR OVER $500.00. WE ALSO CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO REPLACE IT. IT SEEM TO ME THAT SUCH AN EXPENSIVE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE A RADIO THAT WORKS.

20050816CrashPOWER TRAIN

WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO A SHOPPPING CENTER PARKING PLACE THAT WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE STREET, I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LUNGED OVER THE CURB AND ACROSS THE SIDEWALK INTO A BUILDING. LEXUS HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND INTIMATED THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE. *NM

Mileage: 39,121

20050725VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

LEXUS LS 400 1999 MODEL. DANGEROUS HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. FURTHER AFTER DRIVING THIS CAR FOR TWO YEARS, I HAVE NECK PAINS FROM THE DAILY WHIPLASH. TOYOTA IS IGRNORING THIS SYSTEM WIDE. IT IS AN OUTRAGE. ITS DAMAGING PEOPLES NECKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT - THEY CLAIM ITS NORMAL. OTHER DEALERS ARE TELLING CUSTOMERS ABOUT IT - - MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE MY CAR - IT'S DANGEROUS!

Mileage: 46,000

20040916STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

WHILE WORKING ON THE VEHICLE, THE HOOD FELL DOWN ON THE CONSUMER. *JB THE PISTONS IN THE HOOD WERE NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF THE HOOD. *SC

Mileage: 89,000

20040723CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, SLOWLY, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, WENT OVER THE CURB AND INTO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. *SC *JB

Mileage: 65,869

20030530CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

PETITION SEEKING NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE LEXUS VEHICLES MODEL YEARS 1997 TO 2000 WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES RESULTING IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *MR THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO REAR END THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIS. AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A POLICE CITATION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM (ODI# 760680). *SCC *NLM

20020830TIRES

RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ON A 1999, LEXUS LS400. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P225/60R16, DOT# ELA6 CBC528. MANUFACTURER AND TIRE DEALER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK *YH

20020514VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE THROTTLE SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING OR CAUSING IT TO START BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT REV WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE GREASE FROM THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY CAN MIGRATE DOWN ONTO THE THROTTLE SENSOR INTERFERING WITH ITS OPERATION. NLM

Compare 1999LEXUSLS400 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 LEXUS LS400 have?
The 1999 LEXUS LS400 has 27 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 102 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 LEXUS LS400?
The most-complained component for the 1999 LEXUS LS400 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL.
Is the 1999 LEXUS LS400 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.