Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Lexus LX470 problems
Owners filed 5 complaints about the 1998 Lexus LX470 with NHTSA between Feb 1999 and Apr 2018. The most-cited component is service brakes (2).
Complaints
5
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Visibility1
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 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
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
Service brakes
2 reports
“SAFETY ISSUE: INTERMITTENT SUDDEN COMPLETE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAVE A SUDDEN COMPLETELY ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE ON APRIL 06, 2018. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT STOP WHILE DRIVING ON APRIL 6, 2018. THE DASHBOARD ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT PLUS THE ANNOYING ALARM OUT OF THE BLUE ON APRIL 06, 2018. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BUTLER LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON APRIL 06, 2018. WITHOUT ANY REPAIRED DONE BY BUTLER LEXUS DEALERSHIP ON APRIL 10, 2018, NOW THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WORKS AGAIN AND DASHBOARD ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT PLUS ANNOYING ALARM OUT OF THE BLUE GOING AWAY ON APRIL 10, 018 @ BUTLER LEXUS DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
2 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 LEXUS LX470. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN AUDIBLE BRAKE ALARM BEGUN TO SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED THE ALARM TO SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL CRASHING INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, A THIRD VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE DRIVERS OF THE TWO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. AN ENGINEER, SENT BY THE MANUFACTURER, EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 200,000.”
Visibility
1 report
“AUTOMATIC HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT FAILED. MJS”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.