2003 Lexus SC430 problems
Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus SC430. Air bags is the most reported problem area, at 34% of complaints. Next are brakes (14%) and tires (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 29 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 35% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 3 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 39,000 miles 14 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 0 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 14 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 39,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 3 complaints mention a crash; 1 injury reported.
It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
2003 lexus sc430. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration. *smd the consumer stated as she proceeded to pull out of a parking space, she then place the vehicle in drive, it then accelerated at a high speed. Finally after hitting a pole, it jumped the curb and ended on a busy street. The dealership sent someone out to expect the vehicle.
The car veers violently to the left or to the right when braking on a road that is not completely smooth. Depending upon the unevenness in the road, the car will jerk the steering wheel violently either way. We have had the car actually change lanes when braking. Lexus says that this is normal action for this car. If so, there are a lot of people in danger who are driving this model car. This has happened since the car was new. It now has about 3300 miles on it. *nlm
When driving on uneven pavement steering wheel jerks hard to the left and right when braking, occasionally changing to another lane. The dealer was contacted.
The car failed to start six times in the first five months. It seems they have found the cause of that problem. However, the car continues to make clunking noise whenever it goes over a bump. Lexus tells me that is normal. I say it sounds like a 1973 dodge I owned 30 years ago. The car also pulls to the right at low speeds. Again I'm told this is normal and is a result of the run flat tires. If so, they should use other tires. Parking brake light continues to come on intermittently.
2003 lexus sc430 has problems with run flat tires and rims. The rims are bent and dealer said that it was runout caused by excessive driving. I have complained to three dealers, lexus of grapevine where vehicle was purchased, lexus of shreveport/bossier and parke lexus of little rock. I am currently working with the lexus dispute settlement ctr.
Other model years of the SC430
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002