Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.: Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. reported this defect to federal regulators on Jan 27, 1998 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 47,525. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE TERMINAL FOR THE STARTER MOTOR MAGNETIC SWITCH, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR IF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE LIQUID, SUCH AS ROAD SPLASH WITH DEICING SALT, ENTERS THIS AREA.
The risk
A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.
5 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Lexus LS400 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 1997 Lexus SC400 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 Lexus LS400 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 1996 Lexus SC400 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 Lexus LS400 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 98V016000.
Full record for the 1997 Lexus LS400 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →