Research · complaint index
Lexus LS400 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 5 model years of the Lexus LS400 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 1998 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12 | 0 | 0.7 | 1 | 3 | Typical |
| 1999 | 22 | 1 | 1.3 | 1 | 7 | Typical |
| 1998 | 44 | 2 | 2.5 | 1 | 7 | Most complaints |
| 1997 | 13 | 0 | 0.7 | 2 | 2 | Typical |
| 1996 | 19 | 1 | 1.0 | 2 | 4 | Typical |
- 200012 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 199922 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 199844 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 199713 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 199619 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 28, 2026
About this comparison
What Lexus LS400 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 1998 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 5 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.