Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Lexus LX470 problems

Owners filed 9 complaints about the 2005 Lexus LX470 with NHTSA between Jun 2005 and Jun 2020. The most-cited component is structure (2).

Complaints
9
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
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. Structure2
  2. Suspension2
  3. Power train2
  4. Air bags1
  5. Fuel/propulsion system1
  6. Vehicle speed control1
  7. Steering1
  8. Exterior lighting1

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 10, 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
20053
20060
20070
20080
20092
20101
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20161
20171
20180
20190
20201

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

Structure

2 reports
“JUNE 18, 2020, I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS LX 470 FROM A DEALER SHIP LOCATED AT MARYLAND. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ROTTING FRAME. WHEN I RECEIVED MY VEHICLE, I LOOKED UNDER IT AND KNOTICE THERE WAS REALLY BAD RUST ON THE FRAME. I TOUCHED AND AND MY FINGER POKED THROUGH IT. I TRIED CALL THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE CLOSING AND SAID I HAD TO CALL BACK MONDAY 6/22/2020. I HAVE KIDS AND THE FRAME IS UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE IT. I LOOKED UP FRAME RECALLS ONLINE BUT THERE WAS NON. BUT THERE WAS PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FRAME RUST.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 21, 2020StructureODI 11329878

Suspension

2 reports
“2005 LEXUS 470 HAS ONGOING HEIGHT CONTROL PROBLEMS. SERVICED 5 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, LAST TIME ON 4/20/09. ON 4/26/09, VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE VERY ROUGHLY AND THE REAR OF VEHICLE RAISED ONE INCH HIGHER THAN FRONT OF VEHICLE. ON 4/27/09, SUV RETURNED TO LEXUS DEALER FOR 6TH REPAIR APPOINTMENT FOR HEIGHT CONTROL PROBLEM. BECOMING FEARFUL OF DRIVING SUV. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2009Suspension, StructureODI 10266828

Power train

2 reports1 crash
“VIBRATION OCCURS FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHEN THE RPM ~1900 AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM 4TH TO DRIVE; DEALER IS SWAPPING OUT REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAVE NOT RECEIVED VEHICLE BACK YET; DEALER NOW SAYS VIBRATIONS ARE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION AND HAS ADVISED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION; ORIGINAL COMPLAINT DID NOT HAVE NOISE COMING FROM TRANSMISSION. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2005Power trainODI 10142468

Air bags

1 report1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS LX470. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V065000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2017Air bagsODI 11024623

Fuel/propulsion system

1 report
“VEHICLE WAS TOPPED OF WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS PRIOR TO GOING ON A OFF ROAD DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN MODESTLY UP SILVER CANYON TRAIL WITH NO MECHANICAL ISSUES UNTIL GAS FUMES BECAME APPARENT. I INITIALLY THOUGHT THE RIG WAS RUNNING RICH IN FUEL AND CONTINUED THE CLIMB. THEN ON A BREAK I NOTICED GAS SPEWING FROM THE VEHICLE'S GAS CAP. THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS PRESSURE BUILD UP. ONCE I REACHED THE TOP OF THE TRAIL THE ISSUE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED AND RECORDED. I WAITED TILL THE SPEWING OF GAS STOPPED THEN DROVE BACK DOWN. THE ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO LEXUS KEARNY MESA AND BECAUSE THE ISSUE COULD NOT BE RECREATED NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT PROPERLY RECREATED TO MAKE THE PROBLEM REAPPEAR. MY CONCERN IS POSSIBLE GAS IGNITION AND EXPLOSION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 1, 2016Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10920617

Vehicle speed control

1 report1 crash
“I HAD A 2005 LEXUS 470 CAR AND IT WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS THAT NEITHER I NOR THE OTHER DRIVER COULD NEITHER ONE HAS EVER HAD AN ACCIDENT AND I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 35 YEARS. THE CAR IN THE FIRST ACCIDENT I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS A COLLISION ON A ROAD I TAKE EVERY DAY. THE OTHER CAR WAS TOTALED HE HAD NO SKID MARKS AND THE LEXUS TIRE WAS HIT. NO ONE EVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED. THEN LAST MONTH MY GOD SON WAS DRIVING ON THE LA FREEWAY IN STOP AND GO 5 MILES AN HOUR TRAFFIC. THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO THE FLATBED TRUCK INFRONT OF HIM AND HE WAS OK BUT THE CAR TOTALED. IT IS HARD TO HURT A LEXUS 470 AND THE ONLY EXPLANATION WAS THAT THE CAR ACCELERATED INTO THE FLATBED CRUSHING THE RADIATOR. IT WAS BIZARRE AND THE CAR RUINED. I THINK TOYOTA AND LEXUS HAVE NOT FULLY EXAMINED THE LEXUS CAR FOR THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD. ANYONE OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED NO ONE WAS DRIVING FAST AND THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE ACCIDENTS EXCEPT THE LEXUS MALFUNCTION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2010Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10328462
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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