1997 Lexus LS 400 Service and Repair Manual

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER COLLISION AT 50 MPH, AND BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK TOYOTA'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THAT THE DIRECT FRONTAL COLLISON FORCES WERE BELOW THE THRESHOLD FOR DEPLOYMENT, IMPACTING THE SOFTER PORTION OF THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE, AND WAS NOT A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, THEREFORE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TT

WHILE DRIVING MY 1997 LEXUS LS400 IN CA ON THE 605 FWY, WEST TOWARD 210 FWY, ALL SYSTEMS ON THE CAR LOCKED (STEERING WHEEL, BRAKES, GAS PEDAL) AS I WAS CHANGING LANES. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR AND AFTER SPINNING SEVERAL TIMES RAN INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO GO OVER THE DIVIDER INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND BE KILLED. I SUSTAINED NECK AND HEAD INJURIES AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT I SURVIVED AND THAT NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED. EARLY IN

A FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED VIA LETTER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THE FIRE, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED, THE RADIO DIED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DIED, THE PROBLEM WAS THEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY ALTERNATOR. AN INVESTIGATOR CONCLUDED AFTER INSPECTING VEHICLE THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERCURRENT AT THE ABS CONTROLLER VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR, THE 10 GAUGE CABLE IS UNPROTECTED AND HAS 12

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD GRINDING NOISE, DEALER HAD TO SAND ROTORS TO REMOVE RUST. *SLC

AS I WAS DRIVING, MY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN. WHEN I HAD PREVIOUSLY CHECKED THE SPEED ODOMETER IT SAID 50. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED GAINING SPEED. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE SPEED KEPT ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK! THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I SAW A SIDE ROAD AND TURNED ONTO IT. I KEPT TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND IT KEPT GOING. I THOUGHT TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT SLOWED THE VEHICLE CONSIDERABLE

VEHICLE DOES NOT START WHEN HOT. STARTER DOES NOT TURN. VEHICLE WAS NEVER RECALLED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 98V016000. MY CAR HAS A PRODUCTION DATE OF 7/97. CUT OFF DATE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN WAS 6/97. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE REPAIR OF THE MAGNETIC SWITCH IN THE STARTER. A NO START CONDITION EXISTS AND A FIRE CAN RESULT IF THE SOLENOID SHORTS OUT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD IN THE ENGINE AREA. ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS BURNED OUT. *AK MR. DAVIS WROTE IN SAYING THIS IS NOT HIS VEHICLE, NOR HAS HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS DESCRIBED, HE HAS NOT FILED ANY COMPLAINTS. *SLC

LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS WEARING OUT. THEN, SHIFTED THE TIRE TO RIGHT FRONT AND WEARING CONTINUED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD DO THAT BECAUSE BALLJOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BALLJOINT ARE MADE FROM SUBSTANCE THAT WOULD WEAR OUT AT CERTAIN MILEAGE. *AK

DASHBOARD INDICATORS LIGHTS WORKING IMPROPERLY, ILLUMINATING WHEN NO PROBLEMS ARE FOUND.

REAR VIEW MIRROR SENSOR CREATES PROBLEMS IN VISIBILITY DUE TO DESIGN.

DOORS NOT DESIGNED TO BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE, TRAPPING PASSENGERS WHO ARE LEFT IN VEHICLE.

CRASH CAUSED BY POOR WET TRACTION OF GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES. ACCIDENT WAS PRECEDED BY NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF LOST LATERAL GRIP AND SLIPPING UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION IN NORMAL DRIVING.

COTTER PINS ON THE UPPER FRONT 'A' FRAME WERE UNDERSIZED AND RUSTED.

NEW TIRES WERE NEEDED AT 20,000 MILES. *YC