Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Lexus LX470 problems

Owners filed 14 complaints about the 1999 Lexus LX470 with NHTSA between Mar 2000 and Apr 2022. The most-cited component is service brakes (3).

Complaints
14
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes3
  2. Structure2
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  4. Tires2
  5. Fuel system, gasoline1
  6. Visibility1
  7. Equipment1
  8. Power train1
  9. Air bags1

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 Nov 11, 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
20001
20010
20020
20033
20042
20051
20060
20070
20080
20090
20103
20110
20120
20130
20140
20153
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

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

3 reports
“I WAS WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT BEHIND A HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC AND STOPPING AND GOING AS THE LIGHT LET VEHICLES THROUGH. MY ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A LOUD CONSISTENT ALARM. I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE LIGHT AND PULLED OVER AT THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD TO APPLY SIGNIFICANT FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. IN THE PARKING LOT UNDER SAFE CONDITIONS I TESTED THE MINIMAL BRAKING I HAD LEFT AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE HOME. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL SHOP AND THE ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ABS ACCUMULATOR PUMP HAD FAILED (HAD COMPLETELY SEIZED UP). THIS SEEMS LIKE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. I HAD A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO REACT TO THE ALARMS I WAS GIVEN. A FAILURE OF SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT CAUSES THE LOSS OF ALL POWER BRAKES. WHAT IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN THE WARNINGS I DID? I RECENTLY HAD A NEW PUMP INSTALLED AND I AM BACK ON THE ROAD. I AM VERY LUCKY THIS ISSUE DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEEDS OR ELSE THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2015Service brakesODI 10767311

Structure

2 reports
“The contact owns a 1999 Lexus LX470. The contact stated that after a vehicle inspection, it was discovered that the subframe of the vehicle had sustained severe corrosion making the vehicle unsafe to drive. The cause of the corrosion was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 134,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2022StructureODI 11461192

Service brakes, hydraulic

2 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 LEXUS LX470. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNTIL THE CONTACT SHIFT TO A LOW GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ABS HYDRO PUMP MOTOR .THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126775 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126781.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10344192

Tires

2 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY TIRE EXPLODED, BLOWING ALL THE SIDEWALL OFF THE TIRE. CONSUMER TOOK TIRE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. CONSUMER HAD TIRES ROTATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. MICHELIN LTXM/S, 275/70R16. TIRES WERE NEITHER UNDER OR OVER PRESSURED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRE BACK TO THE LEXUS DEALER. *AK *SC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 13, 2004TiresODI 10087528

Fuel system, gasoline

1 report
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT WILL SUDDENLY IGNORE THROTTLE INPUT, AND WILL BE IDLING ONLY. WHILE NOT STALLED, IT IS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. TO REMEDY THE SITUATION, IT IS NECESSARY TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART. IT CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO A MAJOR INTERSECTION, AND WHILE TRAVELING IN CONGESTED FREEWAY DRIVING. ONE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, BUT THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT IS GETTING WORSE, AND OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN EVER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2010Fuel system, gasolineODI 10369972

Visibility

1 report
“DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING H HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF. UPON OPENING THE SUN ROOF GLASS CRACKED AND CRUMBLED INTO PIECES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT WAS REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 30, 2005VisibilityODI 10144052
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.