LEXUS LX470 · model year

1999 LEXUS LX470

14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999LEXUSLX470 carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 1999 LX470 is service brakes with 3 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and service brakes, hydraulic (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 1999 LX470. 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.

14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

1 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 BRAKES3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.1
TIRES1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS1

Recent Complaints

20220418STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

The contact owns a 1999 Lexus LX470. The contact stated that after a vehicle inspection, it was discovered that the subframe of the vehicle had sustained severe corrosion making the vehicle unsafe to drive. The cause of the corrosion was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 134,000.

Mileage: 134,000

20150922SERVICE BRAKES

I WAS WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT BEHIND A HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC AND STOPPING AND GOING AS THE LIGHT LET VEHICLES THROUGH. MY ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A LOUD CONSISTENT ALARM. I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE LIGHT AND PULLED OVER AT THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD TO APPLY SIGNIFICANT FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. IN THE PARKING LOT UNDER SAFE CONDITIONS I TESTED THE MINIMAL BRAKING I HAD LEFT AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE HOME. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL SHOP AND THE ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ABS ACCUMULATOR PUMP HAD FAILED (HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED UP). THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. I HAD A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO REACT TO THE ALARMS I WAS GIVEN. A FAILURE OF SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT CAUSES THE LOSS OF ALL POWER BRAKES. WHAT IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN THE WARNINGS I DID? I RECENTLY HAD A NEW PUMP INSTALLED AND I AM BACK ON THE ROAD. I AM VERY

Mileage: 254,000

20150914SERVICE BRAKES

STARTED VEHICLE....ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS AN AUDIBLE BUZZER. DROVE THE TRUCK 3 MILES AND LOST ALL BRAKES, PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND HAD TO USE HAND BRAKE (EMERGENCY BRAKE) TO GET STOPPED.

Mileage: 225,000

20150727SERVICE BRAKES

THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING NORMALLY ON THE FREEWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. SUDDENLY, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS BECAME ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD, FOLLOWED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS BY A BEEPING ALARM. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE 1 BLOCK INTO A PARKING LOT. ONCE IN THE PARKING LOT, THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WAS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. FURTHER TESTING FOUND THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR WITH LESS THAN 5% EFFECT ON BRAKING THE VEHICLE. LATER INVESTIGATION BY THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE BRAKE FAILURE TO BE THE RESULT OF A FAILED ABS MOTOR AND ACCUMULATOR. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE 1998 AND 1999 TOYOTA LANDCRUISER AND LEXUS LX-470 VEHICLES. NO RECALL HAS BEEN REGISTERED, NOR WILL TOYOTA / LEXUS ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM. (THOUGH CLEARLY THIS IS A PROBL

Mileage: 106,000

20101211FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WILL SUDDENLY IGNORE THROTTLE INPUT, AND WILL BE IDLING ONLY. WHILE NOT STALLED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. TO REMEDY THE SITUATION, IT IS NECESSARY TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART. IT CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO A MAJOR INTERSECTION, AND WHILE TRAVELING IN CONGESTED FREEWAY DRIVING. ONE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, BUT THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT IS GETTING WORSE, AND OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN EVER. *TR

Mileage: 102,000

20100720SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LX470. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNTIL THE CONTACT SHIFT TO A LOW GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ABS HYDRO PUMP MOTOR .THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126775 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126781.

Mileage: 126,775

20100626STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

1999 LX470 LEXUS SUV RIGHT STABILIZER BRACKET CONNECTION TO FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND BAR IS FREE FLOATING NOW. RUSTED PART IS STEEL FRAME TANG WHERE BOLTS GO THROUGH TO CONNECT TO FRAME I KNOW TOYOTA HAS FRAME RUST PROBLEMS, DEALER FOUND IT THEN RUSHED ME OUT SAID WEATHER CAUSED IT. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

20051130VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING H HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF. UPON OPENING THE SUN ROOF GLASS CRACKED AND CRUMBLED INTO PIECES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. *AK

Mileage: 79,000

20040809TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TIRE EXPLODED, BLOWING ALL THE SIDEWALL OFF THE TIRE. CONSUMER TOOK TIRE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. CONSUMER HAD TIRES ROTATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MICHELIN LTXM/S, 275/70R16. TIRES WERE NEITHER UNDER OR OVER PRESSURED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE BACK TO THE LEXUS DEALER. *AK *SC

Mileage: 63,014

20040731TIRES

GOODYEAR FORTERA HL B07, P275/70R16 TIRES RECOMMENDED AND INSTALLED AT BOY-RAD GOODYEAR FOR A LEXUS LX470 CAUSED AN UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE RIDE. THESE NEW TIRES WERE INDEPENDENTLY BALANCED AND ROTATED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT RESOLVING STABILITY ISSUES. SEEKING REFUND FROM GOODYEAR, EXPECT TO REPLACE WITH ANOTHER BRAND.*AK

20031211EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, RADIO ILLUMINATION FLASHES WHEN CD/RADIO IS ON. THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC MAKES IT A DISTRACTION FROM THE ROAD. DEALER SAYS ALL 99 LX470 HAVE SAME PROBLEM,NO ACTION TAKEN. *AK

Mileage: 38,500

20030820POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP GEARS, AND WAS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

20030506SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BREAKING CAUSE CAR TO VIBRATE, CAR IS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *NLM

Mileage: 46,000

20000308CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Compare 1999LEXUSLX470 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 LEXUS LX470 have?
The 1999 LEXUS LX470 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 LEXUS LX470?
The most-complained component for the 1999 LEXUS LX470 is SERVICE BRAKES with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 1999 LEXUS LX470 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.