IllustrationWHEN HARD ACCELERATING SULFUR SMELL ENTERS CABIN MAKES ME NAUSEATED... WONDER IF CARBON MONOXIDE IS ENTERING CABIN ALSO . WHEN STOPPING OR STOPPED DRIVE SHAFT BUMPS HARD LIKE SOMEONE HITTING BACK OF VEHICLE. *JB
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all GX470 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
160–25K
525–50K
350–75K
275–100K
5100–150K
8150K+
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
What owners actually said
46 reportsI HAVE OWNED 2 GX470'S AND BOTH HAVE HAD A "KNOCKING" WHEN YOU STOP THE VEHICLE. IT FEELS AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAS TAPPED ME FROM BEHIND MY VEHICLE WITH THEIR VEHICLE. LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE, DEALER AND TECHNICIAN CLAIM THIS IS NORMAL FOR AN SUV. I HAVE OWNED A MERCEDES ML 430 AND THERE WAS NEVER A THUMP FROM THE REAR. *CB
THERE WAS SEVERE SHIMMYING/VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE WHEN IT OCCURRED ON A WET SURFACE. DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED, BUT COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
MY SUV WHEN EVER GOING UP OR DOWN A HILL AT ANY SPEED LETS OUT A HORRIBLE SMELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS BAD GAS, I LET THE TANK RUN TO EMPTY AND SWITCHED GAS DEALERS...THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. MY SON CANNOT RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE THROWING UP EVEN DURING SHORT RIDES.*AK
I BOUGHT THE 470 GX WITH 7 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO "LURCH" AT ABOUT 2500 MILES. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO LEXUS, THEY AGREED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON SOME OF THE NEW GX'S. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE, AND THEY RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT. THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE AGAIN ORDERING A NEW D…
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I BOUGHT THE 470 GX WITH 7 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO "LURCH" AT ABOUT 2500 MILES. WHEN I REPORTED IT TO LEXUS, THEY AGREED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON SOME OF THE NEW GX'S. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE, AND THEY RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION TO REPLACE THE DRIVESHAFT. THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE AGAIN ORDERING A NEW DRIVE SHAFT. THE REASON I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IS BECAUSE IT ALWAYS HAPPENS AT A FULL STOP, AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS HITTING THE CAR FROM BEHIND. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THE SENSATION OF MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, THIS IS STARTLING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A DRIVER TO REMOVE THEIR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE. I CAN'T TELL IF THE CAR ACTUALLY MOVES, HOWEVER IF IT DOES, THIS COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT (IE. "FENDER-BENDER" OR WORSE AT A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING).*AK
WHEN DESCENDING A HILL AT 40-45 MPH IN DRIVE AND GENTLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAINTAIN SPEED TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS TO "4" AND OFTEN TO "3". THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY, BUT IS NOT PREDICTABLE. WHEN REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE TOP GEAR, I MUST EITHER (1) DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL HALFWAY AND REL…
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WHEN DESCENDING A HILL AT 40-45 MPH IN DRIVE AND GENTLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAINTAIN SPEED TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS TO "4" AND OFTEN TO "3". THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY, BUT IS NOT PREDICTABLE. WHEN REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE TOP GEAR, I MUST EITHER (1) DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL HALFWAY AND RELEASE IT OR (2) MANUALLY MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER FROM "D" TO "4" AND BACK.THIS DOWNSHIFTING IS ABRUPT AND UNPREDICTIBLE. I AM CONCERNED IF IT HAPPENS ON SNOW OR ICE, THAT THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE TRACTION AND SLIDE.*AK
LEXUS GX470 HAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS FROM 10 TO 70 MPH. DEALER MADE AWARE OF PROBLEM AT 1,000 AND 5,000 MILE CHECK BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. DEALER CALLED THE PROBLEM "ROAD GROAN." *LA
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES AND THE VEHICLE SHAKES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A PERSISTENT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING AND IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *SCC *JB
2003 GX470 LEXUS HAS A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL BETWEEN 1700 AND 2200 RPM'S. HAS HAD IT SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED 18,000 MILES AGO. DEALER AND MFG DO NOT HAVE A WAY TO FIX THE VIBRATION. *LA
WHENEVER GIVING THE VEHICLE MODERATE TO HIGH ACCELERATION, A ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMES OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS. THE SMELL IS SO BAD THAT IT MAKES ME DIZZY. *AK
Official recalls
203V088000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.