IllustrationTRAVELING AT 45 50 MPH WHEN APPROACHING TRAFFIC APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE THE BRAKES DID NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN THE VEHICLE OWNER SAYS THAT THE FLOOR MATT WAS LOCKED IN PLACE
2001 Lexus LS430
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Lexus LS430 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all LS430 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
20–25K
1125–50K
1150–75K
575–100K
5100–150K
2150K+
36 reports with mileage · 16 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.
- Structure. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports1 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
52 reportsTRUNK LID STRUTS ON 2001 LEXUS LS 430 FAILED AND THE HEAVY TRUNK LID NEARLY BASHED MY BRAINS OUT. *TR
I HAVE A 2001 LEXUS LS430 WITH APPROX. 72,000 MILES IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE TRUNK LID DOES NOT STAY UP SECURELY AND IN WINDY CONDITIONS IT DROPS DOWN. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS IT HIT MY HEAD WHEN I WAS REMOVING SOME ITEMS AND WHILST I WAS LUCKY THAT SINCE MY HEAD WAS INSIDE, I WAS NOT HIT BY THE SHARP EDGE OF THE TRUNK AND N…
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I HAVE A 2001 LEXUS LS430 WITH APPROX. 72,000 MILES IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE TRUNK LID DOES NOT STAY UP SECURELY AND IN WINDY CONDITIONS IT DROPS DOWN. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS IT HIT MY HEAD WHEN I WAS REMOVING SOME ITEMS AND WHILST I WAS LUCKY THAT SINCE MY HEAD WAS INSIDE, I WAS NOT HIT BY THE SHARP EDGE OF THE TRUNK AND NOT INJURED BADLY BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY WORSE. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE STRUTS IN THE TRUNK OPENING MECHANISM. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND I SEE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ALL SORTS OF PLACES (E.G. EBAY) ADVERTISING REPLACEMENT STRUTS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN A LUXURY CAR OF THIS CALIBER AND LEXUS SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
SUDDENLY THE DRIVERS DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. WHILE INSIDE THE CAR I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND OPEN THE DOOR WITH OUTSIDE HANDLE.THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. *TR
2001 LEXUS LS430 - POWER TELESCOPIC STEERING WHEEL TILT UP/DOWN SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING (MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE SPUN TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE GUARD RAIL, IN ADDITION TO THE GUARD RAIL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED BY…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE SPUN TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE GUARD RAIL, IN ADDITION TO THE GUARD RAIL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 59,000.
ON MY 2001 LEXUS LS 430 THE TRUNK STRUTS DO NOT SUPPORT THE TRUNK VERY WELL AT ALL. THE TRUNK IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSES ON YOUR HEAD ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME. *TR
PNEUMATIC TRUNK LID SUPPORTS FAIL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. *TR
TILT STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. NOW ONLY TELESCOPIC FEATURE WORKS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, TEMPERATURE POINTS UP AND THEN DOWN TO BOTTOM, AND STAY DOWN. STOP THE CAR, CHECK RADIATOR, IT'S COLD. RESTART THE CAR, VSC OFF SIGN CAME OUT. CONTINUNE DRIVING, AFTER 25 MIN. NOTICED SOUND IN FRONT WHEELS, GET OFF FREEWAY. BATTERY OFF SIGN SHOWED UP. PUSH THE CAR ACROSS THE STREET, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDERHOOD. …
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WHILE DRIVING, TEMPERATURE POINTS UP AND THEN DOWN TO BOTTOM, AND STAY DOWN. STOP THE CAR, CHECK RADIATOR, IT'S COLD. RESTART THE CAR, VSC OFF SIGN CAME OUT. CONTINUNE DRIVING, AFTER 25 MIN. NOTICED SOUND IN FRONT WHEELS, GET OFF FREEWAY. BATTERY OFF SIGN SHOWED UP. PUSH THE CAR ACROSS THE STREET, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDERHOOD. FIRE CAME OUT FROM UNDERNEATH OF ENGINE. WITNESS PULL ME AWAY FROM THE CAR. CALL 911, AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. FULL INVESTIGATION REPORT THRU AAA AVAILABLE, WHICH SHOWED: "ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS SHORTED AND STARTED A FIRE CONSUMING COMPONENTS, WHICH WERE LOCATED FORWARD THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY CAUSING HEAVY ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGE". *TR
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
1DP02001 · Lexus Link Communication System
Opened Feb 15, 2002 · Closed Aug 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
There is no summary currently available