2008 Lexus GS

Routine

Owners filed 15 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other4
000
Engine4
000
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Exterior Lighting2
000
Visibility1
000
Steering1
000
Service Brakes1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Visibility
Filed Dec 27, 2024115,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2008 Lexus GS 350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the rearview mirror's reflective surface was fading, reducing rear-view visibility. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 115,000.

Engine
Filed May 23, 2023CA

I am writing to file a complaint against Lexus Corporation regarding a significant safety issue with my vehicle. Despite NHTSA’s recall notice for defective engine valve springs installed in certain 2008 GS350 vehicles with a specified range of VIN numbers that includes my vehicle’s, Lexus still persevered my car is not applicable for the recall and refused to cover the necessary repair costs after identifying the root cause of my car’s engine failure to be a broken valve spring out of a total of 24, as was initially diagnosed by a local auto repair shop. Their negligence of timely contacting impacted vehicle’s owner and outright refusal to cover this critical recall repair cost is truly outrageous as my own life and public safety have been in danger during these years. My vehicle experienced a near-catastrophic sudden engine failure with violent shaking and stalling at around 7:30am on April 27 while traveling on Highway 101. Fortunately, I managed to exit the highway safely during the heavy traffic and pulled into a nearby parking lot. It was towed to a local auto repair shop for initial diagnosis and a few days later transported to the Stevens Creek Lexus repair facility as instructed by them. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall (document link: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2010/RCMN-10V309-1264.pdf) encompassing the range of vehicles affected by the defective valve springs, which includes my vehicle. However, despite being wit

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed May 17, 2021CA

2008 GS350 - 129k miles - 1 owner Looking for input on whether/how to proceed as this is now a multi-year problem (2019- 2021). My 2008 Lexus GS350 had the following recalls (All fuel and engine related): NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 18V432000; NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V647000 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 09V020000; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 10V309000 Before the last fuel assembly recall work was out of warranty 2019, I started experiencing an extreme fuel odor after a decline AND each time car was started (noticeable only with windows down). No warning lights, system reported no issues. Independent mechanic found a leaking fuel injector (port on that side is "clean".) (Lexus dealerships found no issues). Replaced fuel injector, no change in fuel smell, strong as ever. Neither Lexus or Independent mechanic can determine what is wrong. Pandemic happened and I only drive the car once a week to the grocery store, strong fuel smell on startup still happens. (Haven't been on any incline/declines). 5/9/21, filled gas tank, started car, made 2 stops before heading home, "Check engine, Check VSC" and a myriad of lights came up on dash. (Total of 3 startups after filling tank, lights came on after 3rd start). Code comes up - P0430 - Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 2 All the fuel related symptoms & issues can't be a coincidence. 2 Fuel assembly recalls, fuel smell, leaking fuel injector, continued fuel smell, now catalytic converter issue even though car is barely used in the last year.

Service Brakes
Filed May 7, 202180,000 milesFL

ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM,VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM,TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 1, 202096,000 milesNC

ALMOST 2 MONTHS STARTED TO EXPERIENCE WET DRIVERS FLOOR. I DRIED THE WATER PUDDLE UP. IN TWO DAYS PUDDLE BACK ALONE WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK FLOORS WET. I DRIED THE WATER UP AGAIN. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP. TECHNICIAN UNCLOGGED THE SUNROOM HOSE DRAIN AT A COST $155.15 THE NXT COUPLE OF DAYS THE PUDDLES ARE BACK. SERVICE CONSULTED STATED THEY HOPE THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. IN 2014 LEXUS REPAIRED HVAC EVAPORATORS DRAIN HOSE ON 2007-2017 LEXUS VEHICLES EXCEPT THE LEXUS GS. I HAVE WIPE WET WINDOWS EVEN WHEN THE HVAC IS OFF. I CALLED LEXUS CLAIM WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP WITH THE PROBLEM. BUT, NEVERTHELESS MY COMPLAINT WOULD BE REVIEWED AND WAS TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER WITHIN 24 HRS. I WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP TO BRING BACK IF PROBLEM CONTINUED. I FEEL THAT WOULD BE A DIME AND NICKEL TRANSACTIONS. ON THE LEXUS BLOG MANY INDIVIDUALS HAVE SPENT UP TO $2500 AND PROBLEM STILL EXIST. TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THEY SOLD THE CARS VOWING NEVER TO PURCHASE A LEXUS. THANK YOU.

Engine
Filed Feb 10, 2020CA

THIS CAR BURNS AN INSANE AMOUNT OF OIL AND TURNS BLACK IN COLOR. I HAVE NO OIL LEAK BUT HAVE TO PUT ABOUT A QUART IN WEEKLY.

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 10, 2020CA

SPEAKERS - I'VE HAD 2 "BLOW" BUT THEY WEREN'T BLOWN, THE SPEAKER GLUE HAD JUST DISSOLVED AND THE TOP OF THE SPEAKERS WERE RATTLING. I CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE REAR BLOWN SPEAKER BECAUSE THE ENTIRE BACK SEAT HAS TO BE REMOVED TO ACCESS IT. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT IN ALL OF THE FORUMS I'VE VISITED THAT THESE SPEAKERS FALL APART.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 3, 2019DE

REAR VIEW MIRROR CLOUDY AND SHOWING BLACK SPOTS

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jan 17, 201870,000 milesAL

WHEN DRIVING AT LEAST 3 MIN THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS GOES OUT.DONT MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET IT FIX

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 16, 2017144,000 milesAZ

FUEL SMELL SEEMING TO ORIGINATE FROM UNDER THE HOOD

Engine
Filed Sep 2, 2017160,000 milesTN

SMELL OF GAS IN THE MAIN CABIN ALL OF THE SUDDEN WHEN DRIVING ON A CITY STREET. UPON EXITING CAR, SMELL OF GAS COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 20, 2017CA

SAFETY ISSUE: LEXUS GS 350 2008 HAS THE ISSUE OF REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS LOOSING UNDER THE GLASS THE SPECIAL TEXTURE. LEXUS COMPANY SAVED MONEY AND REPLACED HIGH QUALITY OF REAR VIEW MIRROR TO CHEAP STRUCTURE. MIRROR LOOKS LIKE FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. APPEARANCE OF REAR VIEW MIRROR IS SCRATCHED UP WITH RANDOM BLACK SPOTS, FOGGY TO THE POINT THAT YOU CANNOT SEE THROUGH IT DURING THE LATE DARK HOURS OF THE EVENING AND NIGHT. EVEN THOUGH THE TOP OF THE GLASS IS SMOOTH WITHOUT ANY TRACE OF NEGLECT. THIS ISSUE STARTED TO BE A LONG TIME AGO WITH A SMALL BAD APPEARANCE, BUT IT'S GRADUALLY GETTING WORSE. LEXUS OF ROSEVILLE AT 300 AUTOMALL DR, ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 ON APRIL 19, 2017, OFFERED TO BUY FOR $1235 THEN THEY GAVE ME DISCOUNT OF $882 BECAUSE OF MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE OLD LEXUS GS 400 1998 AND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR LOOKS PERFECT. PLEASE REVIEW THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

Engine
Filed Nov 9, 2015132,000 milesIL

AFTER HAVING THE CAMSHAFT TIMING GEAR REPLACED DUE TO THE RECALL, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS BURNING A LOT OF OIL BUT THERE WAS NO LEAK. MY CAR WOULD BE OUT OF OIL 1,800 MILE PRIOR TO ME NEXT OIL CHANGE AND I WOULD NEED TO ADD 2 QUARTS OF OIL TO MY CAR. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS OIL SEEPAGE IN THE TIMING CHAIN AREA WHICH IS A $3,500 REPAIR. THE MORE I RESEARCH, THE MORE I'M FINDING THAT PEOPLE ARE STATING THIS IS RELATED TO THE RECALL PERFORMED.

Steering
Filed Sep 7, 201490,000 milesWI

STEERING RACK FAILURE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. PROBLEM DISCOVERED PRIOR TO ANY POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. *TR

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jan 24, 2011VA

NEARLY CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF A LEXUS SEDAN SLOWING FOR FULL SPEED TOLL PAYMENT. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD DAYTIME DRIVING LIGHTS, THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HEAVY RAIN WAS AFFECTING VISIBILITY AND THE LACK OF ANY REAR LIGHT INDICATIONS NEARLY LEAD TO A MULTIPLE VEHICLE CRASH. I BELIEVE THIS CONDITION EXISTS ON MOST VEHICLES WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND MAY VERY WELL HAVE LED TO NUMEROUS FATAL ACCIDENTS. NO LIGHT ON THE READ OF A VEHICLE DURING POOR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS CAN NO DOUBT LEAD TO RE-END CRASHES. *TR

15 of 15 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20200100Routine
20191100Routine
20182100Routine
20171100Routine
20165100Routine
20153000Routine
20143000Routine
201319010Routine
20121000Routine
20113000Routine
201010000Routine
20092000Routine
2008 — this page15000Routine
200725200Routine
200644601Fatalities reported
20051100Routine
20042100Routine
20034100Routine
20021100Routine
20013100Routine
20000100Routine
19994100Routine
19984100Routine
19961000Routine
19952000Routine

Compare every GS year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.