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2002 Lexus LS430

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Lexus LS430 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.

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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

24 reports with mileage · 6 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 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. 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.

8 crash reports1 fire reports13 injury reports

Steering complaints

2 reports
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59,312 miles · Aug 21, 2009
Steering

CURRENTLY, LEXUS DOES NOT HAVE A SERVICE INTERVAL FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID THAT IS USED IN THE LS430 RACK AND PINION. I HAVE FOUND THE FLUID IS NOW DARK BROWN IN COLOR AND HAS ATTACHED TO THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE OPAQUE RESERVOIR TO VIEW THE FLUID LEVEL. THE DENIGRATED POWER STEERING FLU…

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CURRENTLY, LEXUS DOES NOT HAVE A SERVICE INTERVAL FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID THAT IS USED IN THE LS430 RACK AND PINION. I HAVE FOUND THE FLUID IS NOW DARK BROWN IN COLOR AND HAS ATTACHED TO THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE OPAQUE RESERVOIR TO VIEW THE FLUID LEVEL. THE DENIGRATED POWER STEERING FLUID HAS OCCURRED WITHIN 60,000 MILES. THIS IS THE ONLY FLUID NOT REPLACED DURING THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE RESERVOIR IS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SEE THE CURRENT FLUID LEVEL IN THE EVENT ADDITIONAL FLUID IS NEEDED TO AVOID FAILURE OF THE STEERING UNIT. THE COST OF THIS SMALL WHITE PLASTIC RESERVOIR EXCEEDS $250.00 FOR THE PART ONLY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE LABOR TO REPLACE THE UNIT, FLUID AND ANY HOSES THAT MAY BE NEEDED. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS DEALERSHIP TWICE OVER THIS ISSUE. THE TECHNICIAN ADVOCATES THAT I SHOULD JOSTLE THE RESERVOIR TO CAUSE THE FLUID INSIDE THE SEALED OR CAPPED UNIT TO SPLASH ABOVE THE BLACKENED RING. THIS DOES NOT ALLOW ONE TO SEE IF THE FLUID IS AT A DANGEROUS LEVEL. I GUESS ONE COULD BE OVER ENTHUSIASTIC AND DAMAGE, CRACK OR BREAK THE PLASTIC RESERVOIR OR A HOSE AND CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE UNIT OR OTHER ATTACHED PARTS. TWO ITEMS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IF NOT SERVICING THIS POWER STEERING FLUID, IT WILL DECREASE THE SERVICE LIFE OF THE RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT! FAILURE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING FLUID IN A TIMELY MANNER DOES CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE OPAQUE WHITE PLASTIC RESERVOIR, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO READ THE AMOUNT VISUALLY INSIDE THE RESERVOIR. THE CURRENT PRACTICE BY LEXUS SELLS PARTS AND AVOIDS SAFETY CONCERNS LEADING TO FAILURE OF STEERING COMPONENTS AND OR CAUSES PRE-MATURE FAILURE OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10281334

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2002
Steering

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES OF DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WANDERD ALL OVER THE ROAD--AFTER 20 MILES YOU HAVE TO HOLD STEERING WHEEL WITH BOTH HANDS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL EITHER GO RIGHT OR LEFT--AFTER 40 MILES IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE VEHICLE STEADY. *JG

NHTSA ODI #566348

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.