1998 Lexus LS400

Problems owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Lexus LS400, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.

• Vehicle speed control14
• Electrical system9
• Tires6
• Exterior lighting3
• Unknown or other3
• Suspension3
• Air bags3
• Service brakes, hydraulic3
• Power train2
• Fuel/propulsion system1

NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported

Compared with other years

NHTSA ODI complaints by model year

In the Netherlands

24 first registered in 1998 are on Dutch roads; 42% arrived later as imports.

Most common APK defects

• Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen12
• Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm11
• Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)4
• Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde4
• Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm3
• Band onvoldoende profiel3
• Mistlicht voor onjuist afgesteld3
• Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld3

Colours

RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording

In the United Kingdom

199 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 213 more were declared off the road (SORN).

Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0

MOT test results in Great Britain

In 2023, 270 of these cars first registered in 1998 took their annual MOT test. 76% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1998 the figure was 64%.

DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail

In Finland

9 of these cars first registered in 1998 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 210,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.

Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0

In New Zealand

15 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 53% arrived as used imports, 47% were sold new in New Zealand.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0

Recalls

No recall campaigns cover the 1998 Lexus LS400.

Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words

Service bulletins

What Lexus told its dealers about the 1998 Lexus LS400: known faults, fixes and updates.

NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation