Total Complaints
5 filings
LEXUS SC · model year
2005 LEXUS SC
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005LEXUSSC carries 5 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 2005 SC is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads with 1 filings, followed by tires (1) and equipment:electrical (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 2005 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.
5
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recalls (3)
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
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
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
20191015AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON
Mileage: 70,000
20070526CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
I AM AN OWNER OF A LEXUS SC-430, 2005 MODEL WITH 15428 MILES ON THE ODOMETER.THE CAR RECENTLY UNDERWENT A 15,000 MILE SERVICE. ON ARRIVING HOME AT 1:30 PM I STOPPED THE V CAR IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE AND THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. I WAS ABOUT TO REACH FOR THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER BUTTON IN THE CAR WHE IT SUDDENLY AND SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED FULL THROTTLE , WITHOUT FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT TO NO EFFECT. THE CAR DROVE THROUGH THE METAL GARAGE DOOR AND STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE BACK OF THE GARAGE WALL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS SUMMONED TO OPEN THE DOOR ON MY SIDE . I WAS DRIVEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY PARAMEDICS BUT SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES , SUSTAINING CUTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD AND INJURIES FROM THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. THE CAR HAD A 50-50 CHANCE OF BEING DECLARED A TOTAL WRITE OFF.*AK I HAVE REQUESTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY (MERCURY INSURANCE) TO HAVE THE CAR EXAMINED FORENSICALLY IN ORDER TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION. AS YET I DO
Mileage: 15,428
20051213SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON BRAKE PADS AND THE INSIDE OF ALL FOUR TIRES. *TS THE AUDIO SYSTEM WOULD SWITCH FROM CD TO RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD GO BLANK AT TIMES. THERE WAS A CRACKLING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SPEAKER. *JB
Mileage: 11,610
20051213TIRES
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON BRAKE PADS AND THE INSIDE OF ALL FOUR TIRES. *TS THE AUDIO SYSTEM WOULD SWITCH FROM CD TO RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD GO BLANK AT TIMES. THERE WAS A CRACKLING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SPEAKER. *JB
Mileage: 11,610
20051213EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON BRAKE PADS AND THE INSIDE OF ALL FOUR TIRES. *TS THE AUDIO SYSTEM WOULD SWITCH FROM CD TO RADIO INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD GO BLANK AT TIMES. THERE WAS A CRACKLING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SPEAKER. *JB
Mileage: 11,610
Compare 2005LEXUSSC to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 LEXUS SC have?▼
The 2005 LEXUS SC has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 LEXUS SC?▼
Yes, the 2005 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 2005 LEXUS SC?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 LEXUS SC is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL.
Is the 2005 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.