2002 LEXUS SC430 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT STATED HE RECEIVED A LEXUS VOLUNTARY RECALL LETTER FOR THE AIR BAG INFLATER AND THE REPAIR HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE AIR BAG FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE PASSENGER INJURY AT ANY MOMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN A PARKING LOT CAUSING MY VEHICL TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. TOYOTA EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY REFUSESD TO GIVE ME A LETTER SAYING THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE WHICH I REQUESTED IN WRITING TWICE. UPDATED 02/14/11 *BF

LEFT BALL JOINT FAILURE. SHEARED OFF CAUSING LOSS OFF VEHICLE CONTROL. FINALLY STOPPED JUST FEET FROM GOING OVER THE EDGE OF A DROP OFF. DAMAGE TO LEFT SIDE FRONT END COMPONENTS, LEFT FRONT FENDER AND BOTH FRONT TIRES DESTROYED. *TR

VSC AND VSC OFF LIGHTS COME ON WHEN VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE AND MOVING FROM COMPLETE STOP. THERE'S NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOR THERE IS ANY DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE. REPORTS FROM DISCUSSION BOARD INDICATE THAT THIS IS WIDESPREAD AMONG TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES AND REPORTS STATED THAT TOYOTA IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC430. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, A BUS CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SCRAP YARD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT IGNORED THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,000. UPDATED 12/12/08 *CN UPDATED 12/15/08. *JB UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ UPDATED 01/05/09.*JB

TRUNK LID DROPPED AND HIT ME ON THE HEAD BECAUSE THE AIR(?) CYLINDERS HAVE FAILED AND WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT THE TRUNK LID WHEN IT IS OPEN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN TURNING ON THE VEHICLE THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE DASHBOARD GAUGES COULD NOT BE READ IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THERE WAS A SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE DASHBOARD TO ILLUMINATE AT DUSK. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THERE WAS NO WAY TO BYPASS THE SENSOR. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06.*JB

2002 LEXUS SC 430 DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE EQUIPPED RUNFLAT TIRES.*MR THE CONSUMER DIDN'T LIKE THE RUN FLAT TIRES BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED UNBEARABLE ROAD NOISE AND MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. WHEN THE TIRES ENCOUNTERED GROOVED PAVEMENT THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT 2 OF THE TIRES WERE BULGING AND ON EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE. *NM

I OWN A 2002 LEXUS SC430 WHICH HAS BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RUNFLAT TIRES ON IT. I PUT ON A NEW SET OF TIRES 1 YEAR AGO AND 17,000 MILES LATE, THE VEHICLE IS ALL OVER THE ROAD, TIRES WEAR EXCESSIVELY ON THE INSIDES, AND I'VE HAD IT ALIGNED ABOUT 3 TIMES IN THAT 1 YEAR. A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE SAME VEHICLE AND HE HAD TO GET RID OF IT FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TIRES BECOME VERY NOISY AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL THE WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THIS HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRE ONLY LASTS 10,000 MILES, BUT WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO AN ALIGNMENT EXPERT AT ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP, HE STATED THAT IS IS DEFINITELY AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF TREAD LIFE LEFT ON THE REST OF THE TIRES. UPON FURTHER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE HTTP://LEXUSOWNERSCLUB.COM, I FOUND OUT THAT MANY OF THE SC430 OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME TIRE WEAR/STEERING PROBLEM AND THAT THE CAR WAS BUILT WITH A NEGATIVE CAMBER AND THAT PUTS MORE WEAR ON THE TIRES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AS IT DOES GREATLY AFFECT THE STEERING AND SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. WE ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE IT ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE LEXUS COMPANY IS BLAMING THE PROBLEM ON THE POTENZA TIRES. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIMELY ASSISTANCE ON THIS. *JB

MY SC430 HAS HAD A STRONG SULFUR SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM (AFTER MEDIUM TO HEAVY ACCELERATION) SINCE IT WAS NEW. WHEN I FIRST MENTIONED IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED TO PUT A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON IT AND IT SHOULD GO AWAY. I GAVE IT SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES AND IT DIDN'T HELP. THEY THEN CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM AND REFERRED ME TO A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT SAID I SHOULD TRY A DIFFERENT BRAND OF FUEL. I TRIED EVERY BRAND OF FUEL SOLD IN MY AREA (CHEVRON, UNION 76, SHELL, MOBILE, TEXACO, ARCO, ASTRO, ETC.) AND NONE OF THEM MADE ANY DIFFERENCE. MY DEALERSHIP THEN RAN EXTENSIVE TESTS ON MY VEHICLE AND SAID IT WAS PERFORMING NORMALLY. I'M EMBARRASSED TO HAVE ANYONE RIDE IN MY CAR. I REQUESTED LEXUS BUY IT BACK AT KELLY BLUE BOOK PRICE AND THEY SAID BECAUSE IT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME. THEY SHOULD TELL POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN UNLESS THEY DON'T PLAN TO ACCELLERATE TO FREEWAY SPEED OR PASS ANYONE.*AK