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Lexus GS400Model year report

1998 Lexus GS400 Problems

Complaints
31filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
81,500miles, 14 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 Lexus GS400 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 1998 Lexus GS400. The part named most often is air bags, with 7 complaints (23% of the total), followed by brakes (6) and seat belts (5). 14 of the complaints include a mileage, and 21% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 81,500 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 11 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 27 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 3 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Brakes complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Interior lighting (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Product defect when the Lexus GS400 hit head on a concrete anti-terrorist restrain t between 40-50 miles a hr. Speed could have been faster according to the repair shop cause the engine was knowed of its mountings, hand break handle broke and turned 90+ degrees to the left. The coin change closed container broke open and cracked as it through its contents all over the drivers area. The air bag failed to deploy and the I was thrown with full force against the steering wheel which hit me directly in the sternum causing blunt contusion to the rib cage and sternum. …”

NHTSA complaint #10046906, filed 2003-11, 71,980 miles

Brakes: “I was driving down the street, a rather busy street trying to stop. The Lexus would not stop, due to the struts and mounts are broken. Which I learned from sears automotive. The defects interfere with car overall ability to stop properly, it also sways over into the opposite lanes. Because the car wouldn't stop properly, I was rear ended, by another car that was going about 35-45 miles per hour. The driver told me that he thought I was at a complete stop. I now have severe back and head pains.”

NHTSA complaint #10840065, filed 2016-03

Seat belts: “22 sets of tires worn out on the front. I had a head on collision with a building--the seat belt failed to restrain me be cause of slack and the deception/fraud of lexeus po005-1. You have to make a specific complaint about the belts or they are not covered by warranty. Po005-1 has beed with held from the public. Lexus is trying to find a way to coverup the tb. We have over 250,000 vehicles on the road with out the po005-1 not being .”

NHTSA complaint #10203351, filed 2007-09, 70,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “Lexus stuck pedal--I drive a 1998 Lexus GS400 which I bought new. When I first bought it, I'd pressed the pedal all the way down( floored it ) many times and everything was fine. However in more recent years, I rarely floored it . One time last summer, I pushed the pedal all the way down to pass a car and the pedal stuck. My car accelerated from 35mph to 70mph in a matter of seconds on a local road. I hit the brakes several times but it kept speeding up. I was able to pry up the pedal up with my toe averting a near-accident. …”

NHTSA complaint #10332417, filed 2010-05, 180,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

21% of the 14 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 70,000 and 121,450 miles.

7%0–107%10–257%25–5021%50–7529%75–1007%100–15021%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (14 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 81,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’997’01’03’05’08’12’19
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1998 Lexus GS400 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 27 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 27 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus GS400

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20008100,8340———Not enough data
19991757,1880———Stable
19983181,5001——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Lexus GS400 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 Lexus GS400 have?

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 1998 Lexus GS400 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1998 Lexus GS400 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 7 complaints (23% of the total), followed by brakes with 6.

Has the 1998 Lexus GS400 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 1998 Lexus GS400 reported?

Among the 14 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 81,500 miles and the middle half falls between 70,000 and 121,450 miles; 21% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.