Lexus Ls400 1997
Model Ls400 made in 1997 by Lexus got 16 consumer complains, 1 investigation there are 2 recalls as well as 9 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags, electrical system and latches/locks/linkages. Technical service bulletines regarding electrical system, equipment and seat belts. The car had one investigation (vehicle speed control). There were some recalls concerningelectrical system, exterior lighting. The car has one 4.0l engine.
Model 1997
| Engine [L] | Cylinders | Transmission | Drive | Estimate MPG (city/highway/combined) | Unadjusted MPG (city/highway/combined) | Fuel | Fuel cost | Class | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ( 4.0L) | 8 | Lockup/automatic, 4 gears | RWD | 19/25/22 | 21/32/25 | Premium | $ 956 | 5 | 960825 |
Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | ||||||||||||||||
| 98V016000 | TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD. | from 04/03/1995 to 06/04/1997 | V (Vehicle) | 47525 | 02/09/1998 | MFR | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 01/27/1998 | 02/04/1998 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. due to improper assembly of the terminal for the starter motor magnetic switch, an electrical short circuit can occur if electrically-conductive liquid, such as road splash with deicing salt, enters this area. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | A starter motor no-start condition or an underhood fire can result. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will repair the magnetic switch. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owner notification began february 9, 1998. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). | |||||||||||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||||||||||||
| 06E049000 | CK MOTORSPORT, INC. | E (Equipment) | 27176 | 07/01/2006 | OVSC | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 05/24/2006 | 06/05/2006 | 571 | 108 | ||||||
| Defect Summary | Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. the recall began on july 1, 2006. owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket replacement equipment and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by the vehicle manufacturers.for more information on the lamp model numbers, click on document search and view document titled | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 98201 | 01/27/1998 | 600995 | Starter switch special service campaign . *yc | 06/17/1998 | |
| EQUIPMENT - ELECTRICAL - RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | |||||
| AU00198 | 02/13/1998 | 600355 | Vehicle experiencing static noise on weak am stations. *yc | 05/11/1998 | |
| SEAT BELTS | |||||
| BO00501 | 03/23/2001 | 619119 | Subject regarding new seat belt tongue plate stopper service parts. *tt | 05/15/2001 | |
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||||
| BO00200 | 04/28/2000 | BO00200 | 612528 | Subject regarding seat heater replacement procedure. *tt | 06/08/2000 |
| BO00200 | 03/31/2000 | 611200 | Information on the seat heater replacement procedure. *mjs | 05/31/2000 | |
| STEERING | |||||
| ST010101 | 02/16/2001 | 619796 | Subject regarding steering wheelnut service specification. *tt | 07/02/2001 | |
| STRUCTURE - BODY - TRUNK LID | |||||
| AX00101 | 03/09/2001 | 619113 | Subject regarding retro-fit internal trunk release kits. *tt | 05/14/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 01202 | 10/11/2002 | 10000251 | Suspension ball joint inspection method. *tt | 02/20/2003 | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | |||||
| PG00197 | 02/28/1997 | 52028 | Publication correction information. *jd | 07/17/1997 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - LINKAGES | ||||||
| DP03003 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 07/17/2003 | 09/23/2003 | UNINTENDED ENGINE SPEED INCREASE/SA | ||
| On may 13, 2003 the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) received an april 25, 2003 letter from mr. peter boddaert petitioning the agency to conduct a petition analysis of certain 1997 through 2000 model year lexus 300 and 400 series vehicles for problems of vehicle speed control linkages which results in sudden, unexpected excessive (vehicle) acceleration even though there is no pressure [sic]applied to the accelerator pedal.in support of his petition, mr. boddaert cites a number of odi reports concerning vehicle speed control linkages in the subject vehicles.included amongst the thirty-six reports he cites is one involving a lexus that collided with five other cars in the space of one-half mile before it could be stopped.odi found no data indicating the existence of a defect trend related to the petitioner's allegations at this time.therefore, there is no reasonable possibility that an order concerning the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect would be issued as a result of granting mr. boddaert's petition.consequently, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is denied. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 09/08/2001 | 4 | 03/17/1997 | |
| Vehicle was involved in a driver side front fender collision at 50 mph, and both frontal air bags and side air bags did not deploy. dealer/manufacturer were notified. *ak toyota's legal department confirmed that the direct frontal collison forces were below the threshold for deployment, impacting the softer portion of the left front corner of the vehicle, and was not a direct frontal impact, therefore the air bags did not deploy, two people were injured in the accident. *tt | |||
| AIR BAGS - SIDE/WINDOW | |||
| 09/08/2001 | 4 | 03/17/1997 | |
| Vehicle was involved in a driver side front fender collision at 50 mph, and both frontal air bags and side air bags did not deploy. dealer/manufacturer were notified. *ak toyota's legal department confirmed that the direct frontal collison forces were below the threshold for deployment, impacting the softer portion of the left front corner of the vehicle, and was not a direct frontal impact, therefore the air bags did not deploy, two people were injured in the accident. *tt | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 08/10/1997 | |||
| Vehicle was parked and noticed that there was smoke coming out from under the hood in the engine area. attempted to open the hood and the engine was burned out. *ak mr. davis wrote in saying this is not his vehicle, nor has his vehicle experienced any problems described, he has not filed any complaints. *slc | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - DOORS - LATCH | |||
| Doors not designed to be opened from the inside, trapping passengers who are left in vehicle. | |||
| OTHER | |||
| 1 | |||
| Dashboard indicators lights working improperly, illuminating when no problems are found. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/31/1998 | 25000 | 1 | |
| While driving my 1997 lexus ls400 in ca on the 605 fwy, west toward 210 fwy, all systems on the car locked (steering wheel, brakes, gas pedal) as i was changing lanes. i had no control of the car and after spinning several times ran into the center divider. i was very lucky not to go over the divider into oncoming traffic and be killed. i sustained neck and head injuries and the car was totaled. i was very lucky that i survived and that no other cars or people were involved. early in 1998 i received a recall notice and took the car in to lexus on 2/24/98. the recall was for a starter plug problem. i trusted that after the repair i wouldn't have any problems with my lexus. in fact, just over a month later i had the accident and the car was totaled. i very happily drove lexus cars from 1992 until the accident and they were my favorite cars. i have 2 friends who had the same malfunction with a 1996 and a 1997 lexus ls 400. i feel it is my duty to provide this information to make sure it's included in studies and historical data the nhtsa keeps. i hope the information will be put to good use to prevent future accidents, injuries and deaths, regardless of the auto manufacturer. i believe the problems toyota is currently experiencing are probably happening with other auto manufacturers. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| A fire started in engine compartment while vehicle was parked in the garage. manufacturer was notified via letter. *ak consumer states that 1 week prior to the fire, all the lights on the instrument panel illuminated, the radio died and the windshield wiper died, the problem was then diagnosed as a faulty alternator. an investigator concluded after inspecting vehicle that the fire was caused by an overcurrent at the abs controller voltage conductor, the 10 gauge cable is unprotected and has 12 volt, or battery, power potential when the engine is not running and the engine is in the off position, an overcurrent will eventually produce sufficient heat and metl the connector that was secured to the bracket on top of the controller unit, once the plastic melts, a direct connection between battery voltage and ground is attained which produces a short circuit and the resultant fire. vehicle experienced a front brake shimmy. vehicle experienced a rough idle. *slc | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| A fire started in engine compartment while vehicle was parked in the garage. manufacturer was notified via letter. *ak consumer states that 1 week prior to the fire, all the lights on the instrument panel illuminated, the radio died and the windshield wiper died, the problem was then diagnosed as a faulty alternator. an investigator concluded after inspecting vehicle that the fire was caused by an overcurrent at the abs controller voltage conductor, the 10 gauge cable is unprotected and has 12 volt, or battery, power potential when the engine is not running and the engine is in the off position, an overcurrent will eventually produce sufficient heat and metl the connector that was secured to the bracket on top of the controller unit, once the plastic melts, a direct connection between battery voltage and ground is attained which produces a short circuit and the resultant fire. vehicle experienced a front brake shimmy. vehicle experienced a rough idle. *slc | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC - ROTOR | |||
| 12/17/2000 | 1 | 03/01/2000 | |
| While driving, consumer applied brakes and heard an extremely loud grinding noise, dealer had to sand rotors to remove rust. *slc | |||
| STEERING | |||
| 03/31/1998 | 25000 | 1 | |
| While driving my 1997 lexus ls400 in ca on the 605 fwy, west toward 210 fwy, all systems on the car locked (steering wheel, brakes, gas pedal) as i was changing lanes. i had no control of the car and after spinning several times ran into the center divider. i was very lucky not to go over the divider into oncoming traffic and be killed. i sustained neck and head injuries and the car was totaled. i was very lucky that i survived and that no other cars or people were involved. early in 1998 i received a recall notice and took the car in to lexus on 2/24/98. the recall was for a starter plug problem. i trusted that after the repair i wouldn't have any problems with my lexus. in fact, just over a month later i had the accident and the car was totaled. i very happily drove lexus cars from 1992 until the accident and they were my favorite cars. i have 2 friends who had the same malfunction with a 1996 and a 1997 lexus ls 400. i feel it is my duty to provide this information to make sure it's included in studies and historical data the nhtsa keeps. i hope the information will be put to good use to prevent future accidents, injuries and deaths, regardless of the auto manufacturer. i believe the problems toyota is currently experiencing are probably happening with other auto manufacturers. *tr | |||
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 1 | 11/23/1996 | ||
| Cotter pins on the upper front 'a' frame were undersized and rusted. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER ARM | |||
| 01/01/2001 | 0 | ||
| Left front tire was wearing out. then, shifted the tire to right front and wearing continued. consumer took vehicle to dealership for alignment. mechanic told him that he could do that because balljoints needed to be replaced. the balljoint are made from substance that would wear out at certain mileage. *ak | |||
| TIRES | |||
| 1 | 03/22/1997 | ||
| New tires were needed at 20,000 miles. *yc | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | |||
| 03/31/1998 | 25000 | 1 | |
| While driving my 1997 lexus ls400 in ca on the 605 fwy, west toward 210 fwy, all systems on the car locked (steering wheel, brakes, gas pedal) as i was changing lanes. i had no control of the car and after spinning several times ran into the center divider. i was very lucky not to go over the divider into oncoming traffic and be killed. i sustained neck and head injuries and the car was totaled. i was very lucky that i survived and that no other cars or people were involved. early in 1998 i received a recall notice and took the car in to lexus on 2/24/98. the recall was for a starter plug problem. i trusted that after the repair i wouldn't have any problems with my lexus. in fact, just over a month later i had the accident and the car was totaled. i very happily drove lexus cars from 1992 until the accident and they were my favorite cars. i have 2 friends who had the same malfunction with a 1996 and a 1997 lexus ls 400. i feel it is my duty to provide this information to make sure it's included in studies and historical data the nhtsa keeps. i hope the information will be put to good use to prevent future accidents, injuries and deaths, regardless of the auto manufacturer. i believe the problems toyota is currently experiencing are probably happening with other auto manufacturers. *tr | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL - CRUISE CONTROL | |||
| 01/13/2002 | 1 | ||
| A fire started in engine compartment while vehicle was parked in the garage. manufacturer was notified via letter. *ak consumer states that 1 week prior to the fire, all the lights on the instrument panel illuminated, the radio died and the windshield wiper died, the problem was then diagnosed as a faulty alternator. an investigator concluded after inspecting vehicle that the fire was caused by an overcurrent at the abs controller voltage conductor, the 10 gauge cable is unprotected and has 12 volt, or battery, power potential when the engine is not running and the engine is in the off position, an overcurrent will eventually produce sufficient heat and metl the connector that was secured to the bracket on top of the controller unit, once the plastic melts, a direct connection between battery voltage and ground is attained which produces a short circuit and the resultant fire. vehicle experienced a front brake shimmy. vehicle experienced a rough idle. *slc | |||
| VISIBILITY - REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | |||
| 1 | |||
| Rear view mirror sensor creates problems in visibility due to design. | |||