LEXUS LX450 · model year

1996 LEXUS LX450

10 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996LEXUSLX450 carries 10 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, 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 LX450 is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by suspension:front:shock absorber (1) and suspension:rear:shock absorber (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 LX450. 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.

10
Complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

10 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
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER1
SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1

Recent Complaints

20020404CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT

SUSPENSION TO HEAVY FOR THIS SUV. *AK

20020123CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

20010202CrashSUSPENSION:REAR

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010202CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010202CrashEQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20010202CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

19990526SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

HAVING TO REPLACE THE BRAKES ON THIS CAR. REPLACED AT 28,000 MILES NOW AGAIN AT 34,000 MILES. DO NOT RIDE BRAKES WHEN DRIVING. SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALER SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK BECAUSE OF IT'S WEIGHT. YET, DEALER IS CHARGING ME FOR REPAIRS !!!

19990107SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

BRAKE PADS WEAR EXCESSIVELY.

19981118SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER

SHOCKS FAILED.

19981118SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER

SHOCKS FAILED.

Compare 1996LEXUSLX450 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 LEXUS LX450 have?
The 1996 LEXUS LX450 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 6 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 LEXUS LX450?
The most-complained component for the 1996 LEXUS LX450 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER and SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER.
Is the 1996 LEXUS LX450 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.