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Lexus LS430Model year report

2001 Lexus LS430 Problems

Complaints
52filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
60,000miles, 36 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 4.3L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Lexus LS430 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Lexus LS 430 most often report the trunk lid failing to stay open, with complaints of the lid dropping or slamming shut. The second main theme is sudden acceleration, including surges when the brakes were applied and surges at low speed while parking or backing up. Some trunk reports describe a gradual loss of support over time, while the acceleration reports describe sudden events.

  1. Body and structure

    Trunk lid won't stay open or slams shut

    • 16 complaints (31%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (13 state mileage)
    • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2007–2019

    Owners report that the trunk lid will not stay up, drops while in use, or slams shut, and often link this to gas struts or lift supports that have lost their holding force. Many complaints describe the lid striking the head, neck, or hands while loading groceries or luggage, sometimes in windy conditions. Some owners say a repair quote was too costly, so they propped the lid up with a stick, and some report that replacement struts were only available through the dealer. Some complaints say dealer service staff said the supports were not strong enough for the lid. Mileage given in these complaints ranges from about 30,000 to 110,000 miles, and some owners say the lid's support weakened gradually over time.

    What to check: Open the lid and let go near the top of its travel to see whether it stays up on its own, and ask whether the struts or lift supports have been replaced. Keep head and hands clear of the lid when loading or closing it.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The trunk struts failed to support the trunk and slammed shut as I was retrieving groceries out of the trunk. It left a very nasty bump on the back of my head. It no longer supports the trunk lid weight at all. It is dangerous and I must always hold it open with one hand and the trunk is heavy. I have bumped my head and hands multiple times when the trunk comes down.”

    NHTSA complaint #10720969, filed 2015-05, 110,000 miles

    “I had opened the trunk on my Lexus sl-430 to place some personal items for transport. I was leaning down when suddenly the trunk lid came crashing down with the corner of the trunk striking me in the area around the eye and the upper cheek bone. The injury resulted in bruising and swelling around the eye and has resulted in continuing pain, swelling and discomfort in the eye, ear and cheek bone. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10178801, filed 2007-01, 35,820 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Sudden acceleration, including when braking

    • 8 complaints (15%)
    • median 52,000 mi at 9.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2006–2015

    Owners describe the car accelerating or surging on its own, sometimes after the brake pedal was pressed and the car kept moving. Many events happened at low speed while parking, backing out, or driving slowly, and some led to collisions. Some complaints say the brakes did not slow the car, and in some cases the dealer reportedly found no problem. An owner believed a floor mat had been caught under the accelerator pedal. Mileage given in these complaints ranges from about 28,600 to 173,560 miles, and many events happened at low speed while parking, backing out, or driving slowly.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the service bulletin on the accelerator pedal sensor assembly has been carried out, and check that floor mats are secured away from the pedals. On a test drive in a safe, empty area, confirm that the car slows normally when the brake is pressed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “This is the second time that I have applied the brakes and the car accelerates rather than stopping. The first time was in july 2006 right after I had purchased the car. That time I accelerated into the back of a police car and did a lot of damage to the front of the car. I have driven over 120,000 miles and 9 years without this happening again. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10693225, filed 2015-03, 150,000 miles

    “I turned around in a parking lot by backing up and reversing my direction, after I reversed my direction the car shot forward without my foot on the gas pedal. I kept pumping the brake hoping it would stop and I shot out of the parking lot into the line of traffic and avoided two lanes of cars driving west until I collided with a car heading east. It ripped off the front bumpers of both cars. I felt trapped in the car and could not control it. It just kept accelerating. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10453893, filed 2012-04, 31,195 miles

Buying note. Trunk lid support and sudden acceleration are the main themes for this model year, so a test drive that checks the trunk stay and the brake response at low speed is a practical starting point. A pre-purchase inspection and the service history can show whether these areas were already checked or repaired.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 42 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 52 consumer complaints for the 2001 Lexus LS430. 36 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 60,000 miles. Of all complaints, 10 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 22 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 52 technical service bulletins for this model year.

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: Steering (2), Suspension (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Exterior lighting (1), Seats (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Body and structure: “The trunk deck lid on my 2001 Lexus LS430 will not stay open. The trunk struts have failed. The car has only 77,000 miles on it. The problem started approximately 12 months ago with 63,000 miles. The trunk deck lid has fallen on my head.”

NHTSA complaint #10383900, filed 2011-02, 65,000 miles

Latches, locks and linkages: “Rear door latch failed and the door no longer closes. Dealer said the plastic latch deteriorated and needs to be replaced with a new one but there is no service bulletin on it. Looks like a safety issue why the door latch is made from plastic and the door can actually open while in motion.”

NHTSA complaint #10291628, filed 2009-11, 125,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “Approached an intersection with a red light while driving approximately 40mph. When I pressed my brakes from about a block away, my 2001 Lexus LS430 suddenly surged. I had two feet on the brake and also tried to put the car in neutral, then park. The car did not slow down. Was going approximately 50mph when I rear-ended someone because my car would not stop. My car was totaled, both driver and passenger airbags deployed. I was using the floor mat that came with the vehicle and it was fastened. I filed a complaint with toyota the day after the accident, and received a response on jan. 21, 2010. …”

NHTSA complaint #10305549, filed 2010-02, 43,000 miles

Brakes: “Dt: the brakes did not work properly. The brakes were soft and mushy. It was like pushing on a pillow. It was hard to judge if they were going to work. Took the vehicle to the dealer, and said everything was normal. Have another Lexus and it did not do this. Started noticing this on march 30, 2005. Rear ended another vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #10132817, filed 2005-08, 39,900 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 36 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,900 and 88,800 miles.

6%0–100%10–2531%25–5031%50–7514%75–10014%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (36 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 60,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’02’05’088’11’15’22
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 2001 Lexus LS430 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 430 RWD4.3L 8-cyl5-speed automatic162319$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

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2001 Lexus LS430 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 52 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 52 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lexus LS430

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20052148,8000—18—Falling
20042875,0002—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20032345,0000—19—Stable
20023059,1560—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20015260,0000—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Lexus LS430 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Lexus LS430?

Owners of the 2001 Lexus LS 430 most often report the trunk lid failing to stay open, with complaints of the lid dropping or slamming shut. The issues reported most often: Trunk lid won't stay open or slams shut; Sudden acceleration, including when braking.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Lexus LS430 have?

NHTSA recorded 52 consumer complaints for the 2001 Lexus LS430 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Lexus LS430 is reported most often?

Body and structure is named most often, in 14 complaints (27% of the total), followed by latches, locks and linkages with 9.

Has the 2001 Lexus LS430 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Lexus LS430 get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Lexus LS430 (LS 430, 4.3L 8-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 23 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 2001 Lexus LS430 reported?

Among the 36 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 60,000 miles and the middle half falls between 39,900 and 88,800 miles; 36% 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.