Total Complaints
6 filings
LEXUS SC · model year
2002 LEXUS SC
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002LEXUSSC carries 6 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, 1 injury, 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 2002 SC is air bags with 3 filings, followed by steering (1) and suspension (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 3 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 2002 SC. 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
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER | 1 |
Recalls (3)
15V28600013/05/2015
AIR BAGS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf
15V28500013/05/2015
AIR BAGS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, T
18V88300012/12/2018
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modul
Recent Complaints
20250929ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2002 Lexus SC430. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 110,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 220,000.
Mileage: 220,000
20191230STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE FRONT SUSPENSION PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. *DT CONSUMER REQUESTED ISSUE BE REMOVED FROM YOUR DATABASE.*JB
Mileage: 77,000
20191230SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE FRONT SUSPENSION PULLED TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. *DT CONSUMER REQUESTED ISSUE BE REMOVED FROM YOUR DATABASE.*JB
Mileage: 77,000
20191127AIR BAGS
LEXUS HAS EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PERFORM AIRBAG RECALL REPLACEMENT
20150914AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
20071024CrashAIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT IS AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,400. UPDATED 01/07/08.*LJ
Mileage: 37,400
Compare 2002LEXUSSC to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 LEXUS SC have?▼
The 2002 LEXUS SC has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 LEXUS SC?▼
Yes, the 2002 LEXUS SC has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 LEXUS SC?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 LEXUS SC is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SUSPENSION.
Is the 2002 LEXUS SC 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.