AI DamageLexus GS400: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Lexus GS400 across 5 model years: 58 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 26% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 16% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 10% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 7% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 15 complaints (26% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 9 complaints (16% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 9 complaints (16% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 7 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 58 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| Air bags | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 9 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 lexus gs400. The contact stated that while the engine was on and the vehicle stopped, the driver lifted off the brake pedal and the vehicle suddenly accelerated at a high rate of speed causing the driver to loose control and crash into a tree.
Battery drain and damaging alternater . Headlights flickers and gas leak and power steering problems.
I was driving down the street, a rather busy street trying to stop. The lexus would not stop, due to the struts and mounts are broken. Which I learned from sears automotive. The defects interfere with car overall ability to stop properly, it also sways over into the opposite lanes.
Was in a serious car wreck..have sever makes on body from seatbelt...when airbag deploy knocked out windshield..have stitches in arm from glass.car is total..had to get cut out of car.
While driving approximately 70 mph the vehicle stalled causing a vehicle to crash into the rear of the vehicle. A police report was filed. The driver was injured. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an unknown location. The vehicle was never examined for the cause of failure.
Sudden acceleration of 1998 lexus gs400 once on jan. 16,1999 with no damage. I was parking the vehicle. A second time on jan. 1, 2001. I was pulling up to a gas pump and the car suddenly accelerated into the curb at the pump and also hit the pump. Both incidents reported to dealer, but were treated as driver error.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other models of this make
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.