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1992 Lexus SC400

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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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

Limited mileage data: 12 of 30 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

30 reports
75,000 miles · Jul 6, 2004
Electrical System

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE LIGHTS ON MY 1992 SC40 BEGAN GOING BAD AT AROUND 75,000 MILES [1999]. BY 95,000 MILES 50% OF LIGHTS ARE OUT. BY DESIGN THE PANEL/NEEDLES MUST BE REPLACED WHICH IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCEDURE. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING IT OFF BECAUSE MY WIFE USUALLY ONLY DRIVES THE SC400 DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS, BUT NOW MY S…

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THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE LIGHTS ON MY 1992 SC40 BEGAN GOING BAD AT AROUND 75,000 MILES [1999]. BY 95,000 MILES 50% OF LIGHTS ARE OUT. BY DESIGN THE PANEL/NEEDLES MUST BE REPLACED WHICH IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PROCEDURE. I HAVE BEEN PUTTING IT OFF BECAUSE MY WIFE USUALLY ONLY DRIVES THE SC400 DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS, BUT NOW MY SON WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT OVER AND THE PROBLEM OF SAFETY DURING NIGHT DRIVING COMES INTO PLAY. TOYOTA/LEXUS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF BUILDING SUCH A GREAT CAR WITH A MONUMENTAL FLAW SUCH AS THIS. I AM NOT THE ONLY OWNER WITH THIS PROBLEM NOR IS IT RESTRICTED TO THE LEXUS BRAND OF THE PARENT TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10080462

75,000 miles · Jun 22, 2004
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COMING ON AND OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED OVER TIME AND NOW THE LIGHT REMAINS ON. THERE WAS A HYDRAULIC BRAKES RECALL 92V046000 ON THIS ISSUE BUT THE MANUFACTURE IS INDICATING THAT THE VIN NUMBER ISN'T INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VIN NUMBER RUN BY AL…

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THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COMING ON AND OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED OVER TIME AND NOW THE LIGHT REMAINS ON. THERE WAS A HYDRAULIC BRAKES RECALL 92V046000 ON THIS ISSUE BUT THE MANUFACTURE IS INDICATING THAT THE VIN NUMBER ISN'T INCLUDED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VIN NUMBER RUN BY ALLDATA AND A MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THE VIN NUMBER WAS INCLUDED. *NM THE ALL DATA DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL INDICATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS WOULD BE STRESSED BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTIONING TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS SYSTEM. THE REAR PADS WERE REPLACED AT 15000 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10074381

92,000 miles · Jun 1, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TRACTION CONTROL FAILED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075465

Mileage unknown · May 18, 2004
Exterior LightingUnknown Or Other

FRONT HEADLAMPS FILL WITH MOISTURE REDUCING NIGHT VISABILITY TO NEXT TO NOTHING. ALL YEARS OF THIS SC400 MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS $500.00 PER LIGHT AND LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT!!!. A SEAL SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND INSTALLED BY THE DEALER AT NO COST. SPENDING 1K EVERY FEW YEARS IS A RIP OFF. TH…

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FRONT HEADLAMPS FILL WITH MOISTURE REDUCING NIGHT VISABILITY TO NEXT TO NOTHING. ALL YEARS OF THIS SC400 MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER WANTS $500.00 PER LIGHT AND LABOR. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT!!!. A SEAL SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE AND INSTALLED BY THE DEALER AT NO COST. SPENDING 1K EVERY FEW YEARS IS A RIP OFF. THE FRONT DASH SPLITS AT AIR VENT. THE AM RADIO DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. *AK THE CD PLAYER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THERE ARE MANY FACTORY DEFECTS NOT ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND LIVES AT STAKE WITH A HEADLAMP PROBLEM. JUST ONE PERSON GETTING INJURED OR DIEING IS TOO MUCH. I NEED TO DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT!

NHTSA ODI #10072808

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2003
Electrical SystemEquipment

MY LEXUS SC400 1992 HAS A CRACKED CENTER AC VENT, BAD CD CHANGER AND ALMOST ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS ARE BURNED OUT. THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR ON ALMOST EVERY SC400 IN THE EARLY MODEL YEARS AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE DUE TO DESIGN FAULTS BY THE LEXUS COMPANY.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10014286

100,000 miles · Apr 1, 2003
Electrical System

THE ELECTRONIC SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DOES NOT LIGHT UP AND YOU CANNOT TELL THE SPEED OF YOUR VEHICLE. LEXUS MADE THE REPLACEMENT PART RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. IT SELLS FOR AROUND $1000. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10013807

73,000 miles · Jan 16, 2003
Electrical SystemExterior LightingInterior Lighting

HEADLAMP LENS FOG UP, REDUCING ILLUMINATION DRAMATICALLY AND CAUSING A SAFTEY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. HAVE NOTED MUCH NEWER MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, SO IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTUER'S DEFECT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE PREMATURE: SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE LIGHT FAILURE, CD CHANGER F…

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HEADLAMP LENS FOG UP, REDUCING ILLUMINATION DRAMATICALLY AND CAUSING A SAFTEY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. HAVE NOTED MUCH NEWER MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, SO IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTUER'S DEFECT AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE PREMATURE: SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE LIGHT FAILURE, CD CHANGER FAILURE, AND CRACKED DASH AIR VENT FRAMES.

NHTSA ODI #10002784

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control

TS

NHTSA ODI #8021943

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2002
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING DASH GAUGE NEEDLES FOR ALL GAUGES DID NOT ILLUMINATE TO INDICATE SPEED/ GAS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION, AN DVEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

NHTSA ODI #8003265

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2001
EquipmentExterior LightingCrash

CD CHANGER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF ERRORS AND THE BAD PART IS THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION FOR ADAPTERS TO GET NEW UNITS. THE DEALER IS THE ONLY PLACE TO GET A UNIT FROM AT HORRIBLE PRICES $700. FOR A NEW ONE AND AROUND $450.00 FOR A REFURBISH ONE THAT WILL PROBABLY FAIL IN A YEAR RIGHT AFTER THE WARR. …

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CD CHANGER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF ERRORS AND THE BAD PART IS THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION FOR ADAPTERS TO GET NEW UNITS. THE DEALER IS THE ONLY PLACE TO GET A UNIT FROM AT HORRIBLE PRICES $700. FOR A NEW ONE AND AROUND $450.00 FOR A REFURBISH ONE THAT WILL PROBABLY FAIL IN A YEAR RIGHT AFTER THE WARR. GO BY WWW.CLUBLEXUS.COM AND GO BY THE SC OR ANY OF THE FORUMS THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.. THE HEADLIGHTS HOLD CONDINSATION THAT BLURS VISION AT NIGHT, THE PWER STEERINGPUMP IF LEAKS SOME DIRECTLY ON THE ALTERNATOR CAUSES PREMATURE FAILURE MY ALT. HAS BEEN REPLACED BEFORE AND I JUST FOUND OUT WHY IT HAS BEEN FAILING BY A LEXUS TECHICIAN. AND THE DASH VENT CRACKS WITHOUT A CAUSE ON MANY OF THE CARS AND THE PRICE TO REPLACE THAT CENTER ABS PEICE IS $460.00 ONLY FROM LEXUS. WHY IS IT CRACKING IN THE FIRST PLACE? MANY CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEMS.... OLDER AND NEWER... .

NHTSA ODI #744471

Official recalls

1

92V046000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components

Apr 1, 1992

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE/TRACTION CONTROL COMPUTER LOGIC PROGRAM WAS INCOMPLETE, RESULTING IN THE TRAPPING OF BRAKE FLUID PRESSURE IN THE REAR BRAKE LINES. FAILURE TO RELEASE THE REAR BRAKE LINE PRESSURE CAUSES A CONDITION WHERE BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION RESULTS IN ACTIVATION OF THE FRONT BRAKE ONLY, AND CONTINUAL REAR BRAKE DRAG.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FAILURE TO RELEASE THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE REARBRAKE LINES CAUSES THE REAR BRAKES TO "DRAG" AND A CONDITION WHERE ONLY THEFRONT BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED BY OPERATOR. THISRESULTS IN EARLY WEAR OF THE REAR BRAKE LINING, INCREASES OF STOPPING DISTANCES,AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE/TRACTION CONTROL COMPUTER, AND IF ANY BRAKE SYSTEM IS DAMAGED FROM THE DEFECTIVE OPERATION OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE/TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, REPAIR THE DAMAGE AT NO COST.

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.