IllustrationTHE FRONT SEAT BELTS RETRACTOR FAILED. *AK
1998 Lexus GS400
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all GS400 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 14 of 31 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
31 reportsWHILE DRIVING 7 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. V…
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WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT CRASHED INTO A CEMENT WALL. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK. AS A RESULT, DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. *AK
ON THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED MY LEXUS IN VIRGINIA I ALMOST DROVE THE CAR OVER THE CURB. I THOUGHT MY FOOT HIT THE GAS ACCIDENTALLY, BUT IT HAD NOT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHILE I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. LUCKILY THE PROBLEM NEVER CAUSED AN ACCIDENT SO I NEVER COM…
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ON THE FIRST DAY I PURCHASED MY LEXUS IN VIRGINIA I ALMOST DROVE THE CAR OVER THE CURB. I THOUGHT MY FOOT HIT THE GAS ACCIDENTALLY, BUT IT HAD NOT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD WHILE I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. LUCKILY THE PROBLEM NEVER CAUSED AN ACCIDENT SO I NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM. I READ A RECENT ARTICLE IN USATODAY ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE DOING IT. MY 1998 LEXUS GS400 HAS LURCHED FORWARD SEVERAL TIMES WHILE MY FOOT WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN HEAD ON COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH, HAD A FRONT COLLISION AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, NO AIR BAG LIGHT WARNING PRIOR TO THE CRASH. DRIVER WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
PRODUCT DEFECT WHEN THE LEXUS GS400 HIT HEAD ON A CONCRETE ANTI-TERRORIST RESTRAIN T BETWEEN 40-50 MILES A HR. SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN FASTER ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP CAUSE THE ENGINE WAS KNOWED OF ITS MOUNTINGS, HAND BREAK HANDLE BROKE AND TURNED 90+ DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE COIN CHANGE CLOSED CONTAINER BROKE OPEN AND CRACKED…
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PRODUCT DEFECT WHEN THE LEXUS GS400 HIT HEAD ON A CONCRETE ANTI-TERRORIST RESTRAIN T BETWEEN 40-50 MILES A HR. SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN FASTER ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP CAUSE THE ENGINE WAS KNOWED OF ITS MOUNTINGS, HAND BREAK HANDLE BROKE AND TURNED 90+ DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE COIN CHANGE CLOSED CONTAINER BROKE OPEN AND CRACKED AS IT THROUGH ITS CONTENTS ALL OVER THE DRIVERS AREA. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE I WAS THROWN WITH FULL FORCE AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH HIT ME DIRECTLY IN THE STERNUM CAUSING BLUNT CONTUSION TO THE RIB CAGE AND STERNUM. THE PAIN CAUSE IS GREATER THAN A KIDNEY STONE AND IT HAS BEEN TWO WEEKS A GO. *LA
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 30 MPH, UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURY TO DRIVER.*AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY I STARTED NOTICING THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVING CORRECTLY....AFTER FINDING THE NEAREST EXIT A PASSENGER FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE INFORMED ME THAT MY TIRE WAS FLAT...WHEN I PULLED OVER I NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT....THE TIRE INSPECTOR CHECKED THE TIRE AND FOUND SEVERAL AIR POCKETS ....HE AL…
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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY I STARTED NOTICING THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVING CORRECTLY....AFTER FINDING THE NEAREST EXIT A PASSENGER FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE INFORMED ME THAT MY TIRE WAS FLAT...WHEN I PULLED OVER I NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT....THE TIRE INSPECTOR CHECKED THE TIRE AND FOUND SEVERAL AIR POCKETS ....HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS SHREADED SEVERELY AND HAD A LOTS OF TIRE PIECES (DUST) IN THE INSIDE....HE ALSO WENT AS FAR AS TO SAY THAT THE TIRE LOOKED AS IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN COOKING INSIDE OF IT...THE TIRE LOOKED AS IF IT HAD BEEN AT LEAST 3 YEARS OLD NOT 1 MONTH. *AK (TIRESIZE: 235/45R17)
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
198V080000 · Electronic Stability Control:automatic (asc)
Apr 17, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OF THE YAW RATE SENSOR FOR THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL (VSC), THE VSC CAN OPERATE IMPROPERLY IF THE SENSOR IS AFFECTED BY CERTAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES, SUCH AS FROM A CELLULAR PHONE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE BRAKE MAY OPERATE UNEXPECTEDLY, AFFECTING STEERING AND SPEED CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE YAW RATE SENSOR.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP03003 · Unintended Engine Speed Increase/sa
Opened Jul 17, 2003 · Closed Sep 23, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
ON MAY 13, 2003 THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) RECEIVED AN APRIL 25, 2003 LETTER FROM MR. PETER BODDAERT PETITIONING THE AGENCY TO CONDUCT A PETITION ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN 1997 THROUGH 2000 MODEL YEAR LEXUS 300 AND 400 SERIES VEHICLES FOR PROBLEMS OF VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES WHICH RESULTS IN SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED EXCESSIVE (VEHICLE) ACCELERATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO PRESSURE [SIC]APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.IN SUPPORT OF HIS PETITION, MR. BODDAERT CITES A NUMBER OF ODI REPORTS CONCERNING VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL LINKAGES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.INCLUDED AMONGST THE THIRTY-SIX REPORTS HE CITES IS ONE INVOLVING A LEXUS THAT COLLIDED WITH FIVE OTHER CARS IN THE SPACE OF ONE-HALF MILE BEFORE IT COULD BE STOPPED.ODI FOUND NO DATA INDICATING THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT TREND RELATED TO THE PETITIONER'S ALLEGATIONS AT THIS TIME.THEREFORE, THERE IS NO REASONABLE POSSIBILITY THAT AN ORDER CONCERNING THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT WOULD BE ISSUED AS A RESULT OF GRANTING MR. BODDAERT'S PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.