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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes2
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  3. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19991
20001
20010
20020
20030
20040
20050
20060
20070
20080
20090
20100
20111
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20182

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 10, 2018Service brakesODI 11084360

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10413515

Visibility

1 report
“AUTOMATIC HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT FAILED. MJS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 1999VisibilityODI 605902
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.