Total Complaints
8 filings
LEXUS LX450 · model year
1997 LEXUS LX450
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997LEXUSLX450 carries 8 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 1997 LX450 is suspension:front with 2 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and vehicle speed control:cables (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 1997 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050505TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE READ ON ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S TIRES SEPARATED YET THE TIRE REMAINED INFLATED. THE TREAD SEPARATION CAUSED SOME DAMAGE TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INSPECTED THE TIRES. THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE TIRES. *NM
Mileage: 107,000
20030409
ALMOST THE EXACT COMPLAINT AS ODI ID NUMBER 755661. I DISAGREE THAT THIS IS NOT A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS REGARDING THIS AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD "TOO BAD".
Mileage: 95,650
20011218SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE ROTORS ON THE DISC BRAKES HAVE WARPED THREE TIMES IN APP. 8000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER CONCEDES THAT THE BRAKES ARE INADEQUATE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN IT IS OWNED BY PEOPLE IN HILLY AREAS. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATES THAT THE PROBLEM OF BRAKES OVERHEATING IS PERVASIVE, BUT SAYS IT IS NOT A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER TO EITHER PROVIDE A FIX, OR EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS REFUSED. *AK
19990921VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSING VEHICLE TO COLLIDE INTO GARAGE. YH
19990218VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SUDDEN AND TRAUMATIC DECELERATION WHEN THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY (AND REPEATEDLY) RELEASED FROM CRUISE CONTROL.
19990211VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
ON ANY GIVEN OCCASION AND ANY WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS, VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO A HIGH SPEED WITHOUT DRIVER APPLICATION. DRIVER HAS TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE, WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW WITH BRAKE APPLICATION. *AK *ML
19980506SUSPENSION:FRONT
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE FRONT OF THE CAR BECOMES UNSTABLE. THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE ALTERNATELY RISE AND FALL. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS ACTION IS TO REDUCE THE SPEED.
19980426SUSPENSION:FRONT
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BECOMES UNSTABLE. LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE ALTERNATELY RISE AND FALL.
Compare 1997LEXUSLX450 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 LEXUS LX450 have?▼
The 1997 LEXUS LX450 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 LEXUS LX450?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 LEXUS LX450 is SUSPENSION:FRONT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES.
Is the 1997 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.