Total Complaints
8 filings
LEXUS SC300 · model year
1997 LEXUS SC300
8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997LEXUSSC300 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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 SC300 is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe with 1 filings, followed by steering (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (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 SC300. 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
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050503CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONTACT STATES: DRIVER COULD NOT PLACE CAR IN PARK AS SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, INSTEAD VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, STRIKING A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, TOTAL DAMAGE TO FRONT OF CAR. WOULD NOT GO INTO PARKING MODE THEREFORE, THE KEYS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. REPAIRMAN DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER THE SHIFT WOULDN'T GO INTO PARKING MODE. *SC *JB
Mileage: 27,100
20050503CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONTACT STATES: DRIVER COULD NOT PLACE CAR IN PARK AS SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, INSTEAD VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, STRIKING A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, TOTAL DAMAGE TO FRONT OF CAR. WOULD NOT GO INTO PARKING MODE THEREFORE, THE KEYS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. REPAIRMAN DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER THE SHIFT WOULDN'T GO INTO PARKING MODE. *SC *JB
Mileage: 27,100
20050503CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONTACT STATES: DRIVER COULD NOT PLACE CAR IN PARK AS SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, INSTEAD VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD, STRIKING A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, TOTAL DAMAGE TO FRONT OF CAR. WOULD NOT GO INTO PARKING MODE THEREFORE, THE KEYS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION. REPAIRMAN DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AFTER THE SHIFT WOULDN'T GO INTO PARKING MODE. *SC *JB
Mileage: 27,100
20020326ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS EXHAUST TO VEHICLE IS DEFECTED, CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE BRACKET GETS HOT IT EXPANDS, THIS CAUSES THE BRACKET TO CRACK, DEALER STATES IT WAS POORLY DESIGNED. NLM
20010712TIRES
ON JAN 4, 1999, I PURCHASED 4 COOPER TIRES AT GEX TIRE CO, 4041 WEST MERCURY BLVD, HAMPTON, VA 23666. (DOT NUMBER: UPGRCEM339 TIRESIZE: 225/55R-16). ALL 4 TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND APPEARED TO HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF MANUFACTURING DEFECTIVES. SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASE, THE TIRES BEGAN TO CAUSE UNSTABLE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR MY CAR WHILE TRAVELING ON LESS-THAN SMOOTH ROADS, IN CURVES, AT SPEEDS AROUND 70 MPH AND ON WET ROADS. IN ADDITION, THE TIRES CAUSED MY GAS MILEAGE TO DECREASE ABOUT 3 TO 4 MPG. AFTER REPLACING THE 4 TIRES ALL OF THE ABOVE CONDITIONS WERE ELIMINATED WITHOUT ANY OTHER REPAIRS. DUE TO ACCELERATED WEAR, 2 OF THE TIRES WERE DEEMED UNSAFE AFTER ABOUT 11,000 MILES. THE REMAINING 2 HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 14,000 MILES. THE FIRST 2 TIRES WERE RETURNED TO GEX TIRE CO WHO PROMISED TO RETURN THEM TO COOPER TIRE FOR ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM. THE REMAINING 2 TIRES WERE SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO COOPER TIRE CO IN FINLAY, OH AT THEIR REQUEST FOLLOWING A COMPLAINT THAT I SENT THEM.
20000705STEERING
WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD MADE A TURN AND ALL OF SUDDEN WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING AND NO BRAKES.*AK
20000705SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD MADE A TURN AND ALL OF SUDDEN WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL STEERING AND NO BRAKES.*AK
19990823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST PIPE BRACKET FAILED. YH
Compare 1997LEXUSSC300 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 LEXUS SC300 have?▼
The 1997 LEXUS SC300 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 LEXUS SC300?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 LEXUS SC300 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS.
Is the 1997 LEXUS SC300 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.