IllustrationTRUNK LID SUPPORT ON 2003 LEXUS LS430 DOES NOT SUPPORT THE TRUNK LID THEREBY ALLOWING THE LID TO FALL AND STRIKE THE PERSON ON THE HEAD WHILE PLACING OBJECTS IN THE TRUNK. DEALER DOES NOTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR
2003 Lexus LS430
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
Limited mileage data: 17 of 23 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.
- Structure. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
23 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS LS430. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THER…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS LS430. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE IN-BOUND AND THEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 45,000.
FAILURE OF REAR TRUNK STRUTS CAUSING TRUNK TO COME DOWN SHARPLY ON BACK OF MY HEAD CAUSING PAIN AND BRUISING. THE SAME HAPPENED TO MY WIFE ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. APPROXIMATE DATES GIVEN BELOW AS FORM DOES NOT CONFORM TO SEVERAL DATES. *TR
TRUNK SUPPORT STRUTS NOT FUNCTIONING APPROPRIATELY, CAUSING TRUNK LID TO ABRUPTLY FALL AND INJURING ANYTHING IN THE PATH OF CLOSURE. WE NOTICED THE INCREASING LACK OF ABILITY TO HOLD THE LID OPEN, NEVER UNDERSTANDING THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS SUPPOSE TO ALSO LIFT THE LID (IT NEVER DID LIFT THE LID AND WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR FOUR Y…
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TRUNK SUPPORT STRUTS NOT FUNCTIONING APPROPRIATELY, CAUSING TRUNK LID TO ABRUPTLY FALL AND INJURING ANYTHING IN THE PATH OF CLOSURE. WE NOTICED THE INCREASING LACK OF ABILITY TO HOLD THE LID OPEN, NEVER UNDERSTANDING THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS SUPPOSE TO ALSO LIFT THE LID (IT NEVER DID LIFT THE LID AND WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR FOUR YEARS/ 45,000 MILES) AND COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY REPLACED DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD (SEEMS LIKE EARLY LIFE FAILURE). WHEN ASKING THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR HE SAID, YES THESE DO SEEM TO WEAKEN OFTEN AND THEY COULD BE REPLACED FOR $500. THE CONSEQUENCE PRIOR TO THE DEALERSHIP VISIT WAS THE TRUNK LID FALLING AND HITTING MY BACK CAUSING BRUISING. SINCE MY SHOULDER HELPED TO ELIMINATE THE BLOW IT CERTAINLY COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE. POTENTIALLY SOMEONE WHO HAD THEIR HANDS AT THE BASE OF THE TRUNK COULD EITHER HAVE SEVERE DAMAGE OR POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIMB. FOR A HIGH-END VEHICLE, LET ALONE ANY VEHICLE, THIS EARLY LIFE FAILURE AND THE DANGER IT POSES TO ANYONE IN THE WAY OF THE FALLING TRUNK LID IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. LEXUS/TOYOTA CORPORATION SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND PROVIDE THE UPDATED TRUNK STRUT FOR THE SAFETY OF LS430 OWNERS, FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND AUTO SERVICE PERSONNEL. *TR
TRUNK STRUT FAILED AFTER ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS. MY DAD GAVE ME THE CAR AND HE WAS JUST WILLING TO LIVE WITH IT, AS HE IS VERY ILL THE CAR HAD PASSED THE 4-YEAR, 50,000 MILE POINT, BUT I WAS STRUCK BY THE FALLING TRUNK AND WISH IT REPAIRED. *TR
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALTHOUGH, THE VEHICLE STALLED THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED NO FURTHER STALLING PROBLEMS UNTIL THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE THE CONTACT…
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DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALTHOUGH, THE VEHICLE STALLED THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED NO FURTHER STALLING PROBLEMS UNTIL THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING AND DID NOT ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A DEALER.*AK
CENTER CAP ON WHEEL FELL OFF; DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO HONOR NEW CAR WARRANTY. *JB
SEVERE LOSS OF POWER (TRANSMISSION HESITATION) DURING FULL-THROTTLE DOWNSHIFT. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN IMMEDIATE POWER IS NEEDED, SUCH AS ENTERING A HIGH-SPEED EXPRESSWAY. *JB
ORIGINAL DUNLOP TIRES ON2003, LEXUS LS, 430 WORE OUT AFTER17640 MILES. *AK
POOR RADIO RECEPTION ON MARK LEVINSON SOUND SYSTEM. *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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.