AI Damage1997 Lexus LX450: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Lexus LX450 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 38% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 13% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (38% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
While driving on the highway the read on one of the vehicle's tires separated yet the tire remained inflated. The tread separation caused some damage to the body of the vehicle. The tire manufacturer was contacted and inspected the tires. They concluded that the didn't notice anything unusual about the tires.
The manufacturer also states that the problem of brakes overheating is pervasive, but says it is not a design flaw. I have asked the manufacturer to either provide a fix, or extend the warranty for the life of the vehicle, but the manufacturer has refused.
On two occasions vehicle experienced sudden acceleration which resulted in loss of control causing vehicle to collide into garage. Yh
Vehicle experiences sudden and traumatic deceleration when the vehicle unexpectedly (and repeatedly) released from cruise control.
On any given occasion and any weather and road conditions, vehicle accelerates to a high speed without driver application. Driver has to shift to neutral in order to stop vehicle, would not stop or slow with brake application.
At highway speeds and under certain conditions the front of the car becomes unstable. The left and right side alternately rise and fall. The only way to stop this action is to reduce the speed.
At highway speeds under certain conditions the front of the vehicle becomes unstable. Left and right side alternately rise and fall.
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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the LX450 has 5 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Lexus LX450?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, suspension, service brakes. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (13%), unintended acceleration (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Lexus LX450?
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 1997 Lexus LX450 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 1997 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.