IllustrationCONSUMER STATES WHILE APPLYING BRAKES SUUDENLY VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
1998 Lexus LS400
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
Limited mileage data: 10 of 45 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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. 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.
7 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
3 reportsAT A STOP VEHICLE LURCHED OUT OF CONTROL AND ACCELERATED WITHOUT TOUCHING GAS PEDAL. BRAKES DID NOT STOP VEHICLE, AND REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. DAMAGED HOOD AND GRILL ON VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER AND VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE PEDAL GETS SOFT, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.