1994 Lexus LS400
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
Vehicles › Lexus › LS400 › 1994
These records cover every 1994 Lexus LS400. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
68 complaints3 involved a crash4 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system
Instrument cluster illumination fails, leaving instruments invisible due to instrument design. At the same time, the fuel gauge stops indicating fuel level. on my particular vehicle, this happens when outside temperature exceeds 75 degrees fahrenheit. In cooler temperatures, the illumination and…
Instrument cluster illumination fails, leaving instruments invisible due to instrument design. At the same time, the fuel gauge stops indicating fuel level. on my particular vehicle, this happens when outside temperature exceeds 75 degrees fahrenheit. In cooler temperatures, the illumination and fuel gauge resume function. also, occasionally the tachometer and speedometer needles will stick at zero, will resume function when hitting the dash over top of the gauges hard with fist. The speedometer indicator needle has stopped illuminating under all conditions. Car has 159K miles and just purchased 4 days ago. I have read that these are very common and expensive problems with this car. I realize the car IS now 23 years old, but there should be an inexpensive solution to these problems, or at least some compensation or co-payment from the manufacturer due to the expense of these repairs. repair cost would be 30% of what I paid for the car.
- Seat belts
Both seat belts on driver and passenger side do not retract. *tr
- Seat belts
TL* the contact owns a 1994 lexus ls400. the contact stated that the front seat belts failed to retract and the seat belts did not fit snug around a person. The vehicle failed to be equipped with three seat belts in the rear seat. The failure has continued to recur. the vehicle was not taken to…
TL* the contact owns a 1994 lexus ls400. the contact stated that the front seat belts failed to retract and the seat belts did not fit snug around a person. The vehicle failed to be equipped with three seat belts in the rear seat. The failure has continued to recur. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 219,950.
- Electrical system
The dashboard panel goes "black" and all instrumentation fails and this has happened to me three times since I have had the car. then second time at about 115000 and then again at approx 129500. when this occurs the car IS not legally drivable as there IS no way to know exact speed etc. this…
The dashboard panel goes "black" and all instrumentation fails and this has happened to me three times since I have had the car. then second time at about 115000 and then again at approx 129500. when this occurs the car IS not legally drivable as there IS no way to know exact speed etc. this type of failure IS not uncommon I have been informed by repair shops and should be investigated to verify the real unreported by owners times it has occurred. it IS a very potential not to mention expensive to repair both in time and dollars, out of service approx. 10 days and costs over $1,150.00 until today when I heard about your site I did not know it existed or I would have reported each incident as it happened. note incident date above inaccurate but it was the only date the computer would input so that IS why it IS what it IS. *tr
- Electrical system
The instrument panel flickered and then went completely dark. First it would come back on after the car was driven for 10 minutes or more. Now it does not light up at all. I feel this IS a safety issue. *tr
- Electrical system · Steering
When the vehicle IS cold, the instrument panel does not light up. It takes about an hour of driving to "warm up" the dashboard and will eventually flicker. This happens constantly and seems to be an issue with all lexus ls400s. I am also having an issue with the power steering leaking. The leakage…
When the vehicle IS cold, the instrument panel does not light up. It takes about an hour of driving to "warm up" the dashboard and will eventually flicker. This happens constantly and seems to be an issue with all lexus ls400s. I am also having an issue with the power steering leaking. The leakage has caused my alternator to go bad. I have since replaced the alternator, steering pump and steering rack. The issue also seems to be for all lexus ls400s. *tr
- Steering
TL* the contact owns a 1994 lexus ls400. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the vehicle started to jerk violently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 115,000.
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 1994 lexus ls400. The contact stated that the instrument panel was defective and she was unable to see any of the gauges. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 122,000.
- Seat belts
Both driver and passenger side seat belt does not retract. *tr
- Electrical system
1994 lexus ls400..dash lights and instrument gauges work intermittently when the outside temp IS in the 60'S or below..when the car warms, the lights and gauges will flicker on and off til the instrument cluster has warmed completely, usually 5-7mins..however, if the outside IS 45degrees or below…
1994 lexus ls400..dash lights and instrument gauges work intermittently when the outside temp IS in the 60'S or below..when the car warms, the lights and gauges will flicker on and off til the instrument cluster has warmed completely, usually 5-7mins..however, if the outside IS 45degrees or below, the warm up time for the instrument cluster to be functional IS greatly increased 2 as much as 20mins in my experience.. This can be extremely dangerous, as you are unable to see the gauges, more so @ night..i emailed lexus corp and they said they didn't know there was an issue w/this item because there weren't any complaints by the dealerships or consumers(that IS not true obviously)..they instructed me that any of their dealers are capable of making the repair and instructed me to contact one..after speaking to service @my local lexus dealership,i found this IS a $1,300 parts and labor repair and my car needed to be grounded immediately cause it IS too dangerous to drive it like that and no loaner car would available as it was a repair item that's not covered to receive a loaner...estimated down time of vehicle, 2.5 weeks..i see and hear so many complaints of this particular items failure and want to know why isn't a mandatory recall put recall put forth? Manufacturer won't obviously, it would cost them money, nevermind that can be a dangerous failure to anyone driving. *tr
- Electrical system
The dash board lights just flicker awhile before coming on. I have tried to get lexus to fix this problem and was told that it IS not on warranty. They would fix it for 1400.00. it IS now worse and do not light up. *kb
- Electrical system · Exterior lighting
I have a 1994 lexus LS 400, on days when the temp IS below 70 degrees the cluster lights do not come on. when the vehicle warms up, which the time varies, the cluster lights flicker for several minutes and then they go on. when its colder they don't go on at all. it IS impossible at night to see any gauges. Not sure why nothing IS being done with lexus on this. *tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel · Interior lighting
1994 lexus ls400 instrument panel lights not working when cold, and now even in the summer it takes longer for the lights to come on. In colder weather my lights don't go on until the car IS driven approximately 60 miles. I cannot see how fast I am going, and the safety of road construction workers…
1994 lexus ls400 instrument panel lights not working when cold, and now even in the summer it takes longer for the lights to come on. In colder weather my lights don't go on until the car IS driven approximately 60 miles. I cannot see how fast I am going, and the safety of road construction workers IS a huge issue and I want to maintain a safe the safe legal speed. The odometer doesn't register, I don't know how much gas I have,. This continues to worsen and my fear IS that eventually I will have no lights at all. Have checked into many web sites and seems to be a common issue, very expensive to repair. *Tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel · Interior lighting
1994 lexus ls400 instrument panel lights not working when cold, and now even in the summer it takes longer for the lights to come on. in colder weather my lights don't go on until the car IS driven approximately 60 miles. I cannot see how fast I am going, and the safety of road construction…
1994 lexus ls400 instrument panel lights not working when cold, and now even in the summer it takes longer for the lights to come on. in colder weather my lights don't go on until the car IS driven approximately 60 miles. I cannot see how fast I am going, and the safety of road construction workers IS a huge issue and I want to maintain a safe the safe legal speed. The odometer doesn't register, I don't know how much gas I have, the mileage IS incorrect. This continues to worsen and my fear IS that eventually I will have no lights at all. have checked into many web sites and seems to be a common issue, very expensive to repair. *tr
- Electrical system
Our 1994 lexus ls400 has approximately 85,000 miles currently. about 2 years ago the instrument panel lights became erratic, frequently failing to come on during cold weather. this would require that we waited with the engine on until the car heated up before being drivable safely. the length of…
Our 1994 lexus ls400 has approximately 85,000 miles currently. about 2 years ago the instrument panel lights became erratic, frequently failing to come on during cold weather. this would require that we waited with the engine on until the car heated up before being drivable safely. the length of warm up time has gradually increased to an intolerable level, where I have had to drive the car without instrument lights due to my wife's emergent medical conditions. this IS very hazardous, not knowing vehicle speed, fuel supply, charging status, possible engine overheating etc., any of which could cause vehicular failure or accident. we are retired and not able to pay for the expensive repairs which I have been led to believe are required. I believe this IS a safety issue which should be addressed by the manufacturer. *Tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel · Interior lighting
Lexus instrument panel lighting failure results in driver's inability to accurately determine vehicle speed. The issue has been ongoing in my 1994 lexus ls400 for several years. The vehicle has approximately 123000 miles and started at approximately 90000. In colder weather especially, the…
Lexus instrument panel lighting failure results in driver's inability to accurately determine vehicle speed. The issue has been ongoing in my 1994 lexus ls400 for several years. The vehicle has approximately 123000 miles and started at approximately 90000. In colder weather especially, the dashboard readout IS invisible for approximately thirty minutes. When the passenger compartment IS sufficiently warm they do function properly. This IS a hazardous condition. Toyota motor company refuses to recognize the defective nature of their product and wants approximately 1200.00 to replace their defective part. There are thousands of consumers with exactly the same issue I've described on various lexus owners websites. It IS a safety issue and should result in a vehicle recall to correct the matter. *Tr
- Electrical system · Interior lighting
1994 lexus LS 400 dash lights do not come on. Where as you cannot tell how fast you are going. Also the gauges do not work. If the engine gets over heated , there's no way to know. As I am 74 years old with the gauges not working I have run out many times. I feel lexus should take care of this problem. This a safety issue. *Tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
I have 94 ls400 and when the place IS cold instrument panel takes 10 to 15 minutes to light up and that only happens when the place IS cold. When the place IS hot every thing IS fine. *Tr
- Air bags
Traveling at about 40 mph, I rear ended the vehicle in front of me. the air bags never deployed. My front end was destroyed. *Tr
- Electrical system
1. Time as in its inevitable, cold start, cold conditions. Conditions of 50F and a cold start are nearly guaranteed to exhibit this issue. 2. The instrument cluster gauges, its illumination, the center console & shifter illumination fails every cold start below 70F and can occur below 85F. A…
1. Time as in its inevitable, cold start, cold conditions. Conditions of 50F and a cold start are nearly guaranteed to exhibit this issue. 2. The instrument cluster gauges, its illumination, the center console & shifter illumination fails every cold start below 70F and can occur below 85F. A cold start in very warm conditions of around 80F will tend to hide the symptoms and or have the symptoms shortly after the car has warmed up. When the instrument cluster does not function, it generally means the shifter and console fail to illuminate at night which makes choosing the correct gear and selecting the correct climate control at night a challenge and safety hazard. During a cold start, the instrument cluster does not function or has limited/selective functionality until it IS warmed up and that usually occurs only when the cabin IS brought to an inhospitable 80-90f. So until the instrument cluster has been heated up to around 70-80f, the tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature and odometer are not illuminated and not functioning either. Another way of looking at it IS this: the odometer IS not registering miles, one does not know how fast they're going and does not know how much fuel IS available/left all before the instrument cluster has warmed up. There have been times where the instrument cluster never came on despite driving 25 miles for a total time of 20 minutes and the engine fully warmed up. 3. I have done nothing at this time to correct this error, but it has been suggested by the dealership which does acknowledge this IS a widespread issue to replace the instrument cluster at a cost of $1000 for parts and $200 for labor. this IS a very widespread issue as evidenced by the number of users who have voiced their concerns regarding this issue online. As a california resident, I can only imagine how much worse this problem can be for those who live in colder states. *tr
- Electrical system
Instrument cluster and climate control lcd failures. *tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
1994 lexus LS 400 my cluster lighting and speedometer and tachometer cables are faulty I have read that this IS problematic for this lexus model. it IS quite unsafe and the dealer wants $3,000 to repair. I feel it should have been recalled since it has been quite unsafe for the past few years. *tr
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
I 'm the owner of a 1994 lexus LS 400. The reason I am placing this complaint IS because I have been doing constant research on the reason or/s my instrument cluster has gone out. I'm very shocked to find out that a company who prides themselves on the pursuit of perfection hasn't address this…
I 'm the owner of a 1994 lexus LS 400. The reason I am placing this complaint IS because I have been doing constant research on the reason or/s my instrument cluster has gone out. I'm very shocked to find out that a company who prides themselves on the pursuit of perfection hasn't address this issue as an recall.it IS very dangerous for me and my family to travel and have to worry about not being able to determine the speed, gas consumption level or any other warning indicator lights to give us ongoing knowledge of the vehicle in operation. Because the expense of having this replace IS est. At $1200 this IS a very big inconvenience. Not to say putting my family at risk. I have truly enjoy driving my lexus and would like to continue enjoying driving it, I would hope lexus would be very concerned about the safety of their customers and their families when they operate their vehicles on these highways.this has discouraged me to even purchase another lexus because of fear that another issue like this will not be address in a recall for consumer safety.*cn
- Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Dash lights will not come on. *nm
- Electrical system
I am complaining about a common problem with the instrument cluster on the lexus ls400. It seems to be more than just a random few, as I have read multiple complaints of this happening and being a known problem that lexus refuses to address. This needs to be recalled and fixed at the expense of lexus. *nm
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10214355Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022
- 10207945POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.
- 10205352Windshield Wiper Blade Maintenance and cleaning
- 10205346Auto matic Transmission Replacement kPrecautions
- 10205319Brake Pedal Force Gauge SST for Parking Brake Inspection.
- 10176283Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements
- 10174889TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 06, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0008-20. Replacement Certification Labels and VIN Plates
- 10174888TSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service Bulletin Nos. L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003-93, PG002-90, L-SB-0048-08, PG007-07, PG016-01, PG015-01, PG004-97, PG003-97, PG003 93, and PG002-90. The aforementioned bulletins are obsolete, and any printed versions should be discarded. Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN plates (the metal plate riveted to dashboard) (see Figure 1) for most 1990 ? 2020 model year vehicles may be available provided the requests meet the criteria listed in this Service Bulletin.
- 10133923Lexus vehicles are equipped with SRS, including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. If a customer expresses any concerns that the SRS airbags or pretensioner devices did not per
- 10133849A new Special Service Tool (SST 09709-00002) has been introduced to aid in the inspection procedure for certain vehicles equipped with a floor pedal-type parking brake system. This bulletin references the correct method for installing the Brake Pedal Force Gauge. Refer to the appropriate Repair Manual for parking brake pedal travel inspection and adjustment specification.
- 10132108This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0082-14.
- 10132083Adhesive & sealant cross reference Information
- 10132006This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0092-13.
- 10132004The following procedures are recommended during routine maintenance or in the event of a customer concern for wiper performance.
- 10131964Lexus vehicles are equipped with Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), including various airbags and in some models, seat belt pre-tensioners, to help reduce the risk of injury in a collision. If a customer expresses any concerns that the SRS airbags or pre-tensioner devices did not perform as expected (including an unintended deployment event), please follow the steps in the recommendations section below.
- 10131653TSB: Replacement Certification Labels. OBSOLETE NOTICE November 28, 2017: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0179-17.
- 10111398LSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of any cleaners or fluids may increase the risk of further damage to electrical components.
- 10111205LSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals contain silicone or other compounds that may contaminate electrical contacts, and therefore increase electrical resistance and decrease switch performance. The use of any cleaners or fluids may increase the risk of further damage to electrical components.
- 10109447TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE-October 16, 2014: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0082-14.
- 10109445TSB: The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of the correct torque converter bolts during automatic transmission/transaxle assembly replacement. Incorrect torque converter bolts or missing washers can cause damage to the torque converter assembly. Use the information in this bulletin when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly.
- 10109444TSB: The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON" shifting issues and/or transmission damage. Use the information in this bulletin when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly.
- 10000251Suspension ball joint inspection method.
- 619796Subject regarding steering wheelnut service specification.
- 619119Subject regarding new seat belt tongue plate stopper service parts.
- 619113Subject regarding retro-fit internal trunk release kits.
- 41099Radiator reservoir tank sub-assembly and supply parts.
Every Lexus LS400 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.