AI Damage2002 Lexus LX470: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Lexus LX470 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 60% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 20% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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 2002 lexus lx470. While driving on a mountain road at 40 mph, the vehicle's warning sensor began beeping and the vehicle stopped abruptly. As a result, the vehicle veered off into the opposite lane towards oncoming traffic. The contact drove 15 mph until she reached her destination.
Transmission failure at highway speed. A loud bang, grinding and smell of burning transmission fluid. Small fire from leaking transmission fluid. Higher rate of these types of failures for 2000 - 2002 lx470 suv's
Water was leaking into the back of the vehicle and soaking the interior. Upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership, they thought the leak was due to the spoiler. They patched the holes in spoiler and replaced the entire hatch. But the leak recurred.
While driving 70 mph on the highway traction warning indicator illuminated, and the vehicle lost brake power and steering for a period of one minute. During that time vehicle swerved left to right, but did not come in contact with any other vehicles or objects on the road.
At the 20k service on our 2002 lexus ls430 we were informedthat we needed the front and rear bark pads replaced and the dics turned at our cost of $588. We were told that lexus redesigned the sensors and we would need to repeat this each 20k.
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 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the LX470 has 9 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Lexus LX470?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (20%), smoke, burning smell, fire (20%), transmission slipping (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Lexus LX470?
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 2002 Lexus LX470 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 2002 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.