NHTSA vehicle safety data

1996 Lexus SC400 Recalls & Complaints

The 1996 Lexus SC400 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Lexus dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1996 Lexus SC400. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

1996 Lexus SC400 owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Lexus SC400, describing incidents dated May 3, 2002 to March 21, 2006.

Most-cited components

Tires 2 complaints
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint
Latches/Locks/Linkages 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10154260 · Filed March 31, 2006
ON TWO OCCASIONS JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A SIGNAL, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD FOR NO REASON, AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THIS MOTION WITH THE BRAKES, SO I QUICKLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING AT 6,000 RPM. AFTER THIS OCCURRED THE…
ODI #10079832 · Filed July 19, 2004
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGERS AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK PLY SEPARATION OCCURED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INSTALLATION OF NEW…
ODI #10079831 · Filed June 24, 2004
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK THERE WAS 3/32 TREAD REMAINING ON THE TIRE. THE PLY'S SEPARATED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THIS PROBLEM…

Read all 4 complaints

TOYOTA/STARTER MOTOR

NHTSA #98V016000 · Electrical System — Starter Assembly · NHTSA notice

Reported January 27, 1998 · TOYOTA MOTOR CO., LTD.

Potentially affected: 47,525 vehicles

Owners notified February 9, 1998 · Vehicles built August 3, 1995 – August 21, 1997 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE TERMINAL FOR THE STARTER MOTOR MAGNETIC SWITCH, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR IF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE LIQUID, SUCH AS ROAD SPLASH WITH DEICING SALT, ENTERS THIS AREA.

Safety consequence

A STARTER MOTOR NO-START CONDITION OR AN UNDERHOOD FIRE CAN RESULT.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE MAGNETIC SWITCH.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 9, 1998. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1996 Lexus SC400. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Lexus SC400.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10154260

Incident: March 21, 2006 · Filed: March 31, 2006

ON TWO OCCASIONS JUST BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A SIGNAL, THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD FOR NO REASON, AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THIS MOTION WITH THE BRAKES, SO I QUICKLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING AT 6,000 RPM. AFTER THIS OCCURRED THE SECOND TIME, WHEN PARKING IN THE GARAGE, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD CHANGE BY ABOUT 200-300 RPMS ABOUT EVERY 5TH TIME WHEN JUST APPLYING THE BRAKES WHILE CAR WAS IN PARK. A POSSIBLE PROBLEM COULD BE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR 2/20/06, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR MOUNTED HIGH BRAKE LIGHT LED BUILT INTO THE REAR WING WAS NOT WORKING. THE DEALER REPAIRED THIS BY LOCATING A BROKEN (CUT?) WIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS REPAIR WAS DONE ON 3/20/06, AND FROM THE TIME I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR, (2/20/06) THERE HAD BEEN NO PROBLEM UNTIL 3/21 WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST SHOWED UP. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED IN JUST THE SAME WAY WAS THE EVENING OF 3/29 WHILE AT A STOP SIGNAL. EACH TIME, I WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT I DID EACH TIME TO SLOW THE ENGINE BACK DOWN. *JB

Tires

ODI #10079832

Incident: June 21, 2004 · Filed: July 19, 2004

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGERS AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK PLY SEPARATION OCCURED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES. THE TIRE HAD 3/32 TREAD REMAINING. *NM

Tires

ODI #10079831

Incident: June 21, 2004 · Filed: June 24, 2004

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER REAR TIRES TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER TOOK THE TIRES TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT. *AK THERE WAS 3/32 TREAD REMAINING ON THE TIRE. THE PLY'S SEPARATED ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH TIRES. THIS PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INSTALLATION OF NEW TIRES. *NM

Latches/Locks/Linkages

ODI #10019827

Incident: May 3, 2002 · Filed: May 18, 2004

PASSENGER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW DOOR TO BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE, ONLY WOULD OPEN FROM THE INSIDE; CAUSING A OVER $500 REPAIR BECAUSE A SMALL PIECE OF METAL IN THE ASSEMBLY BROKE. LEXUS COULD/WOULD NOT REPLACE JUST THE SMALL METAL PIECE, AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED CAUSING A VERY COSTLY REPAIR; THIS OCCURED IN 2003. IN MAY OF 2004, THE DRIVER'S DOOR THEN FAILED, AND ALSO WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, WOULD ONLY OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. THIS TIME THEY WERE ABLE TO CORRECT WITH A $7.00 PART AND A $120 LABOR COST TO REPLACE.*AK

Other Lexus SC400 model years

Check your 1996 Lexus SC400 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lexus SC400 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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