Problems · NHTSA complaints
2008 Lexus GX470 problems
Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2008 Lexus GX470 with NHTSA between May 2008 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (4).
Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Air bags2
- Service brakes, electric2
- Structure1
- Suspension1
- Power train1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Service brakes1
- Electrical system1
- Equipment1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
1
5
1
0
1
1
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Vehicle speed control
4 reports4 crashes
“THIS IS A REPORT OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. ON JULY 30, 2016, THE LEXUS EXITED A CONVEYOR-BELT TYPE CARWASH AT 5203 KIRBY DRIVE, HOUSTON, TEXAS 77098. MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR WITH TWO CHILDREN (AGES 4 AND 2) IN CAR SEATS. AFTER RECEIVING THE GREEN LIGHT FROM THE CARWASH TO PROCEED, MY WIFE SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE AND THE LEXUS TOOK OFF TOWARDS KIRBY, A VERY BUSY FOUR-LANE STREET. MY WIFE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT WORK. THE LEXUS HIT A FLOWERBED ADJOINING KIRBY AND STRUCK A LARGE 3' DIAMETER DECORATIVE CONCRETE BALL WHICH SLOWED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED IT TO THE RIGHT. MY WIFE THEN TURNED OFF THE LEXUS AT THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED DAMAGES REQUIRING $9,166.58 IN REPAIRS. A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA FILMED THE INCIDENT. THE COPY IS TOO BIG TO ATTACH SO IT CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/AH4WR0ZOJ-A. ALSO, THE FOOTAGE WAS MAGNIFIED AND REVEALS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON WHILE THE VEHICLE ROCKETED TOWARDS THE FLOWERBED AND THAT THEY THEN WENT OFF, DEMONSTRATING THAT THE DRIVER 'PUMPED' THE BRAKES IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE CAR. THIS EDITED FOOTAGE IS AT HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/9QKMML4BI3K. THE INTERNET CONTAINS SUBSTANTIAL DISCUSSIONS OF…”
Service brakes, hydraulic
4 reports1 crash
“FOR THE THIRD TIME, THE BRAKES ON OUR 2008 LEXUS GX FAILED. THIS TIME, WHEN PUT IN REVERSE IN THE GARAGE, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY STARTED MOVING--HITTING OUR GARAGE DOOR AS IT WAS GOING UP. THE CAR THEN CONTINUED ANOTHER 40 FEET, INTO A RETAINING WALL--REPEATED PRESSING OF THE BRAKES DID NOTHING--AS IN EARLIER TIMES. *TR”
Air bags
2 reports1 crash
“TAKATA RECALL CAR RIDE WAS LIKE RIDING A WILD BRONCO”
Service brakes, electric
2 reports
“ON MARCH 22, 2010, WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR GARAGE, OUR LEXUS GX470 EXPERIENCED A BRAKE FAILURE. THE DRIVER, [XXX], EVEN OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AND PUT HER FOOT DOWN TO TRY TO STOP THE CAR. INSTEAD THE DOOR WAS ALSO DAMAGED WHEN THE CAR HIT A RETAINING WALL. LATER THAT SAME DAY, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN, BUT THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE. *TR”
Structure
1 report
“This 2008 Lexus GX 470 (VIN: [XXX] ) has paint primer adhesion failure exposing bare metal. Color code is 070 Blizzard Pearl. The peeling starts at the primer/E-coat substrate layer, not clear coat. This matches the documented failure mode in Lexus CSP ZLL / L-SB-0046-19. The exposed metal creates corrosion risk on the roof and body shell over time, which is a safety concern. Lexus refused goodwill correction because my VIN production date was slightly outside the cutoff, even though the failure is identical to affected units and repair was already estimated at $10,047.96 by a Lexus certified collision center. I am reporting this as a safety corrosion exposure issue due to primer adhesion defect.”
Suspension
1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 LEXUS GX470. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AND SWAYED BACK AND FORTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOWSON LEXUS (1040 YORK RD, TOWSON, MD) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.