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Lexus LS400Model year report

1996 Lexus LS400 Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
116,000miles, 7 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.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 4.0L 8-cyl RWD · 17 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Lexus LS400 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1996 Lexus LS400. The part named most often is brakes, with 3 complaints (16% of the total), followed by electrical system (3) and engine cooling (2). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 116,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 21 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 2 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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: Steering (1), Tires (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 1996 Lexus LS400. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 116,000. Updated 02/23/16 updated 05/04/18”

NHTSA complaint #10808803, filed 2015-12, 116,000 miles

Fuel system: “Driving vehicle down freeway started smelling gasoline odor. Drove straight to nearest toyota dealer. To make a long story short, the seams of the fuel tank had split open. Since the fuel tank is located in the trunk the fuel drained into the cabin of the vehicle and also was spilling out on the drive of the dealership when I arrived. Tejas toyota in humble, tx. The dealer personnel immediately took the vehicle to a remote location on their lot due to the great possibility of an explosion. I contacted Lexus to notify of the situation, received an incident number. …”

NHTSA complaint #10515276, filed 2013-06, 109,489 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

0% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 109,489 and 116,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–250%25–500%50–7514%75–10071%100–15014%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 116,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

1996199741999200020022004201120132015
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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1996 Lexus LS400 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
LS 400 RWD4.0L 8-cyl4-speed automatic172419$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1996 Lexus LS400 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

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. 21 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 21 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus LS400

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20001281,5000—19—Not enough data
19992284,5000—19—Stable
199845110,1660—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199713111,5001—19—Not enough data
199619116,0001—19—Stable
199539118,0001—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19946890,0000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199365107,5000—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1992875,0000—18—Not enough data
199121119,8120—18—Stable
199024125,0001—18—Stable

All Lexus LS400 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Lexus LS400 have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 1996 Lexus LS400 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1996 Lexus LS400 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 3 complaints (16% of the total), followed by electrical system with 3.

Has the 1996 Lexus LS400 been recalled?

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

What gas mileage does the 1996 Lexus LS400 get?

The EPA rates the 1996 Lexus LS400 (LS 400, 4.0L 8-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 17 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Lexus LS400 reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 116,000 miles and the middle half falls between 109,489 and 116,000 miles; 0% 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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.