AI Damage1993 Lexus LS400: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Lexus LS400 filed 65 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 65
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 65% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 3% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 3% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 42 complaints (65% of all).
- Fuel system: 5 complaints (8% of all).
- Structure: 5 complaints (8% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 65 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 42 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 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.
In addition, there was an abnormal noise heard near the engine compartment and front end of the vehicle as the vehicle surged at an extremely high rate of speed. The failure was reported to the insurance company and the manufacturer. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a collision center.
Car was in a parking lot. Started, put in reverse, then put in drive and car took off steered to the right and hit two other parked cars before I got car in neutral. Motor still reving till ignition turned off.
Driving while it was raining the vehicle spinned around and hit the guard rail, the air bag did not deploy.
Vehicle was at complete stop, at speed 20mph apllied the brakes, experience brake lockup vehicle pull very hard to right impact 1:00 position. Tt
I was going to change the fuel pump also and while researching on the internet I learned of a problem with bad electrolytic capacitors inside the car's ecu (engine computer) which can mimic a fuel supply problem.
You are unable to see how fast you are going or any warning lights and the gas gauge does not work when the dash lights go out. Driving alone is unsafe and even with our 2 children makes it very unsafe not knowing how fast you are going and fuel gauge not working so you could run out of fuel and left stranded with…
1993 lexus ls400 cluster light failure resulting in the dashboard lights being completely unreadable. Unable to determine speed, gas level or any warning lights. Read in the lexus forums that this is very common and lexus refuses to recall even though death or injury could result.
Dt*: the contact stated the brackets used to hold the hood open failed to keep pressure and allowed the hood to close without warning. The manufacturer was notified.
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 4,606 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 13% most complained about).
On average one model year of the LS400 has 28 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 65, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- 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 1993 Lexus LS400?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, fuel system, structure. Total complaints: 65. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (20%), fuel system, fuel smell (11%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Lexus LS400?
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 1993 Lexus LS400 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 1993 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.