2002 Lexus LS

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › body › trunk lid. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs2
000
Structure › Body › Trunk Lid1
001
Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate1
001
Structure › Body1
002
Structure1
001
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting09E012000
Filed Apr 7, 200916,270 vehiclesSabersport

Defect. SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.

Fuel System, Gasoline06E056000
Filed Jun 13, 200658,640 vehiclesUfi Filters Usa

Defect. CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE INTERFACE, EVEN THOUGH THE PERSON MAKING THE CONNECTION MAY BELIEVE THAT THE QUICK CONNECTOR IS FULLY ATTACHED.

Risk. FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body2 injured
Filed Jun 1, 201580,000 milesNJ

SUPPORTS TO KEEP TRUNK MLID OPEN FAILED AND LID CAME DOWN STRIKING HEAD. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED CAR DID NOT OFFER TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS.WILLIAM

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Feb 13, 2015225,000 milesNV

THE PISTONS THAT HOLD UP THE TRUNK FAILED. THE TRUNK FELL ON ME AND CAUSED INJURY. THESE PARTS SHOULD BE REPLACE AT THE EXPENSE OF LEXUS. IN ADDITION, THE SAME PARTS THAT SUPPORT THE HOOD, ALSO JUST FAILED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURY. *TR

Structure1 injured
Filed Feb 23, 2011120,000 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK LID WAS AJAR WHEN IT UNEXPECTEDLY FAILED AND CRASHED DOWN ONTO THE CONTACTS HEAD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A LOSS OF BLOOD AND SEVERE SWELLING OF THE HEAD. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 3/22/11 *CN UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HIS WIFE OPENED THE TRUNK LID, IT PROMPTLY CAME DOWN ON HER HEAD, WITH NO WARNING...UPDATED 01-30-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS CYLINDERS THAT HELD THE TRUNK LID UP FAILED. UPDATED 01/30/14

Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate1 injured
Filed Dec 19, 2007FL

LEXUS LS 430 2002 TRUNK STRUT FAILURE. *TR

Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Filed Dec 18, 200772,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS LS430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE MADE A SQUEAKING NOISE AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. THE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY LOOSE BOLTS. THE NOISE RECURRED TWO MONTHS AGO AND COULD POSSIBLY RESULT FROM A MANUFACTURER DEFECT WITH THE TIRE BOLTS AND THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE VERY VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED ALL OF THE BOLTS AND NUTS ON THE GROUND. HE HAS PAID $3,000 IN REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Filed Dec 7, 200777,340 milesCA

ON 9/6/2007 I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I TOOK IT TO THE TIRE PLACE, I BOUGHT A NEW TIRE THAT THEY INSTALLED. AS I DROVE AWAY I HEARD A CLICKING SOUND AND I WENT BACK TO THE STORE. TWO STUDS WERE BACKED UP A LITTLE AND LOOSENED THE NUTS. ON 11/23/2007 I HAD TO REPLACE TWO TIRES. I TIGHTENED THE STUDS. I DROVE SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AND THEN ON 11/29/2007 I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND HARD TO CONTROL. I REDUCED SPEED AND PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND TOWED THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALER. ALL THE NUTS WERE BROKEN ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DELIVERED THE CAR, THERE WERE THREE NUTS ON THE GROUND FROM MY CAR. THE LEXUS DEALER REPLACED NUTS, SPRINGS, HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY, DISC PAD PIN, DISC CYLINDER ASSY. DISC BRAKE PAD KIT, FLAGE BOLT, PARK LEVER SUB-ASSY. I HAVE ALL PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED. *TR

Structure › Body › Trunk Lid1 injured
Filed Aug 11, 200660,000 milesFL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UNLESS THE TRUNK WAS RAISED ALL THE WAY, THE TRUNK CLOSED SO FAST RESULTING IN HITTING SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE HEAD BUT NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO CATCH THE TRUNK BEFORE IT SLAMMED SHUT WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONTACT'S FINGER BEING PINNED IN THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT HAD AN X-RAY PERFORMED AND THE RESULTS DISPLAYED LIGAMENT DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2007
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20251200Routine
20240200Routine
20231200Routine
20215100Routine
20200100Routine
20191100Routine
201814200Routine
20165000Routine
20152000Routine
20143000Routine
20135000Routine
20125000Routine
20119000Routine
20108000Routine
200913000Routine
200843110Routine
200745100Routine
200617100Routine
20055200Routine
20048200Routine
20031100Routine
2002 — this page7200Routine
20013200Routine
20001200Routine
19993100Routine
19982100Routine
19971010Routine
19961000Routine
19952000Routine
19944000Routine

Compare every LS 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.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 7, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.