THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ARE ALL OUT. ONLY THE WARNING AND SHIFT INDICATORS LIGHTS ARE ON. I CAN'T SEE HOW FAST I AM GOING OR HOW MUCH FUEL I HAVE IN THE CAR.
1995 Lexus LS400
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1995 Lexus LS400 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 21.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all LS400 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
20 reports with mileage · 19 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
12 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO CHANGED THE WIRES TO THE BATTERY CABLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT ALSO CHANGED THE WIRES TO THE BATTERY CABLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 214,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE EVENING OF 3/7/15 MY WIFE AND I DROVE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. TO OUR HOME IN MUSCATINE, IA. AS WE EXITED I-80 AFTER ALMOST ONE HOUR OF CONSTANT INTERSTATE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AS WE CAME TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. WE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AS WELL, CAUSING PANIC. …
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THE EVENING OF 3/7/15 MY WIFE AND I DROVE FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. TO OUR HOME IN MUSCATINE, IA. AS WE EXITED I-80 AFTER ALMOST ONE HOUR OF CONSTANT INTERSTATE DRIVING, THE CAR STALLED AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AS WE CAME TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP. WE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AS WELL, CAUSING PANIC. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE TWO YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. IT SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER PROLONGED INTERSTATE DRIVING ONLY. IT DID NOT OCCUR THAT MORNING BECAUSE WE BROKE UP THE TRIP TO CR WITH A STOP IN IOWA CITY. THIS IS A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET LAST NIGHT, A VERY INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. TOYOTA'S TSB EG003-96 SPEAKS OF IT AND ITS REMEDY, PUBLISHED 10/7/96. THE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE FAULTY ECM WITH PART 89661-50224; A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AND PRESUMABLY THE REASON TOYOTA DID NOT VOLUNTARILY RECALL THE CAR. THERE WAS NO FORCED RECALL EITHER, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO THE MANY COMPLAINTS REPORTEDLY SUBMITTED TO THE NHTSA AND POTENTIAL DEADLY CONSEQUENCES OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO FAULTY ECM PROGRAMMING. PLEASE MAKE THIS POSTING AVAILABLE TO ANY POTENTIAL 1995 LS400 OWNERS AND/OR FORCE A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE STARTER. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT OF A POTENTIAL RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STAR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE STARTER. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT OF A POTENTIAL RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY) YET THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STARTER IN THE VEHICLE CLICKS. HE HAD TO MAKE APPROXIMATELY 15 ATTEMPTS IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO WHAT WAS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 LEXUS LS400. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STARTER IN THE VEHICLE CLICKS. HE HAD TO MAKE APPROXIMATELY 15 ATTEMPTS IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO WHAT WAS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V016000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
MY 1995 LS400 LEXUS WOULD NOT START UNTIL I HIT THE KEY 3 OR 4 TIMES AND NOW IT TAKES ABOUT 10 TIMES AND THE STARTER MAGNETIC SWITCH SMOKES. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM ON THIS YEAR AND CAR BUT LEXUS DEALERS ARE TURNING THE CLAIM DOWN. *TR
ON GOING AND CONTINUOUS STARTER PROBLEMS. STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ON CONSUMER GUIDE WEBSITE THAT NHTSA ISSUED A RECALL. DEALER NEVER ADVISED. HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET FROM KEARNY MESA LEXUS SERVICE MGR. BILL TITMUS. SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO INVESTIGATE "NEVER HEARD OF THAT RECALL" !!!! IF DEALER DOES NOT REPLACE STARTER …
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ON GOING AND CONTINUOUS STARTER PROBLEMS. STARTED RESEARCHING AND FOUND ON CONSUMER GUIDE WEBSITE THAT NHTSA ISSUED A RECALL. DEALER NEVER ADVISED. HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET FROM KEARNY MESA LEXUS SERVICE MGR. BILL TITMUS. SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO INVESTIGATE "NEVER HEARD OF THAT RECALL" !!!! IF DEALER DOES NOT REPLACE STARTER AND ASSEMBLY WE WILL BE FORCED TO PROCEED WITH LEGAL ACTION. *JMB *PH
DEALER REPLACED STARTER, FAILED TO INFORM ME THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH A CORRECTIVE ACTION PROVIDED BY MANUFACTURER AT NO COST TO ME. NHTSA # 98V016000. MY COST WERE IN EXCESS OF $1000.00. *AK
THE VEHICLE KEEPS RUNNING WITH OUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH
Official recalls
198V016000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly
Jan 27, 1998
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.
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.
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