AI Damage1998 Lexus GS: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Lexus GS filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 75% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 50% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (75% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
On July 29th at approximately 8:30pm, I got into my car after exiting the Meijer store and noticed the car making strange noises and was hard to get in gear. I park so I donât have to back up, so I put the car in drive and it went fast in reverse, when it went forward, it went crazy and I ran into a tree island and…
While vehicle was in motion, multiple warning lights and messages illuminated, and audible chimes sounded. Brake booster failed. No brakes, no advance warning. This occurred on lockwood road, elgin tx on october 4, 2019 around 8 pm. Lexus put out a safety recall on their 2019/2020 vehicles with the same problem.
Another lexus gs-300 owner filed this report on march 6, 2007: "we own a 1998 lexus, model gs 300. This saturday my wife was driving the lexus and the entire wheel assembly came off the vehicle due the failure of the lower ball joint.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the GS has 7 complaints (24 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Lexus GS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, suspension, powertrain. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (25%), warning lights, check engine (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Lexus GS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Lexus GS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.