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2003 Lexus GX470

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Lexus GX470 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 28.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

39 reports with mileage · 7 unknown

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

1 reports
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93,031 miles · Feb 23, 2010
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

I OWN A 2003 LEXUS GX470. ON FRIDAY JANUARY 8TH AS I WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE TURNING RIGHT TO ENTER A BLVD, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT FORCED DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM "LAUNCHING" INTO THE CROSS TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND SHAKE AND MY DAD YELLED "YOU'…

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I OWN A 2003 LEXUS GX470. ON FRIDAY JANUARY 8TH AS I WAITED FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE TURNING RIGHT TO ENTER A BLVD, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RACE WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT FORCED DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM "LAUNCHING" INTO THE CROSS TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND SHAKE AND MY DAD YELLED "YOU'RE SPINNING YOUR TIRES!" I YELLED "MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE, WHAT SHOULD I DO?" WE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. LATER, WHILE MY DAD OBSERVED FROM THE OPEN DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR, I ROUGHLY TRUMPED ON THE GAS PEDAL 2 OR 3 TIMES BECAUSE WE WERE VAGUELY AWARE OF A TOYOTA "ACCELERATOR STICKING" PROBLEM. I THEN STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE IT SEVERAL MILES - WHILE TOTALLY TERRIFIED. IMMEDIATELY I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TRANSPORTED TO MY DEALER'S FACILITIES. AND, AFTER THREE DAYS OF "TESTING," NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I DROVE HOME, SHAKING. SO, JUDGING FROM RECENT MEDIA REPORTS, WHAT WAS NEW OR DIFFERENT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE? 1) NO MATS WERE EVER USED IN THE DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT DURING THE FIVE YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. 2) THE ENGINE WAS "AT IDLE" AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BEFORE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SUDDENLY RACE. 3) I AM NOT A "TWO-FOOT" DRIVER...NEVER, EVER. 4) MY DAD CHECKED (YES, HE IS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER) TO SEE IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS IN ITS CORRECT IDLE POSITION AFTER SHUT-OFF: THE PETAL POSITION WAS NORMAL, NORMAL BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER BEING "TRUMPED" ON. 5) MY CAR WAS NOT MOVING, JUST WAITING, AT IDLE, WITH NO OPERATOR INTERVENTION PRIOR OR DURING ENGINE REV-UP. IN A NUT-SHELL, MY NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROVOKED BY A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR PETAL. THIS FAILURE HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN... NO REPAIR WAS MADE... MY DEALER CLAIMED THAT NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A LEXUS THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT...BUT CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY TODAY SHOWS THAT OTHER LEXUS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ENGINE ACCELERATION WITH NO PEDAL INVOLVEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10313443

Official recalls

2

03V088000 · Seats:mid/rear Assembly

Mar 10, 2003

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE LEXUS LINK SYSTEM, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO LOCK ONE OF THE TWO LATCHES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MIDDLE ROW LEFT REAR SEAT (LARGER SIDE OF THE BENCH SEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER). DUE TO THE THICKNESS OF THE LEXUS LINK SYSTEM STORAGE CASE, THE STOPPER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED. THIS ELEVATED POSITION MISALIGNS THE LATCH TO THE STRIKER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED WITH ONLY ONE LATCH LOCKED, THE OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT MAY BE IMPROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE LLS CASE PANELS AROUND THE SEAT STOPPER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 8, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-888-333-9376.

03V031000 · Equipment:other:labels

Feb 11, 2003

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 567, "CERTIFICATION." THE INCORRECT GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) DATA WAS PRINTED ON THE CERTIFICATION REGULATION LABEL. THE GVWR IS INCORRECTLY REFLECTED ON THE LABEL AS 6,100 LBS. THE CORRECT GVWR SHOULD BE 6,000 LBS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE CERTIFICATION LABEL DOES NOT MEET THE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS AS DESCRIBED IN THE REGULATIONS.

Remedy: AS EACH LABEL IS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER SPECIFIC, OWNERS WILL BE REQUESTED TO CONTACT THEIR LOCAL LEXUS DEALER FIRST TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR THE CORRECTED LABEL. ONCE THE LABEL HAS ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE OWNER WILL BE CONTACTED FOR LABEL REPLACEMENT. OWNER BEGAN APRIL 10, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.