14 of the 62 complaints about the 2001 Lexus LS430 are about the body and structure — 23% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,000 miles.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
6
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STRUCTURE:BODY
PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS DESIGNED TO HOLD TRUNK OPEN FAILED CAUSING TRUNK TO CLOSE WHEN IN USE ENDANGERING PERSON USING TRUNK
NHTSA complaint #11230894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE DRIVER/OWNER OF THE LEXUS LS 430 WAS PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPOT BEHIND ANOTHER CAR AT A PRIVATE CLUB. IT WAS STRAIGHT IN PARKING BEHIND A GMC YUKON. IN PULLING INTO THE SPOT, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT OVER A CURB, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED LIKE A ROCKET. THE DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND NOTHING WOULD STOP IT. SINCE THE CAR WAS ONLY ABOUT ONE FOOT AWAY FROM THE PARKED YUKON, THE LEXUS WAS STOPPED BY THE IMPACT. THE CAR WAS PUT IN PARK AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO REAR BUMPER OF THE YUKON AND THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE LEXUS AS WELL AS AN A/M REINFORCEMENT BEAM AND OTHER EXTERNAL DAMAGE. AS OF THIS DATE, DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE OF THE LEXUS IS UNDETERMINED.
NHTSA complaint #10702307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
IN THE COURSE OF OPENING THE CLOSED CAR TRUNK LID IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE THE GROCERIES THAT WERE INSIDE THE TRUNK, , I PULLED IT UP BY ITS LOWER EDGE USING THE RING FINGER OF MY RIGHT HAND. WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON FOR IT TO DO SO, THE ELECTRIC AUTOMATIC POWER TRUNK LID CLOSER MECHANISM OPERATED AND SHUT THE LID, CRUSHING AND MANGLING MY FINGER BONE AND FINGER NAIL, AND CAUSING EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND PERMANENT DISFIGUREMENT. I AM TOLD BY THE DOCTOR WHO HAS BEEN TREATING MY FINGER THAT THE FINGER SORENESS AND PAIN IS ALSO A PERMANENT CONDITION.
NHTSA complaint #10594285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
THE TRUNK DECK LID ON MY 2001 LEXUS LS430 WILL NOT STAY OPEN. THE TRUNK STRUTS HAVE FAILED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 77,000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY 12 MONTHS AGO WITH 63,000 MILES. THE TRUNK DECK LID HAS FALLEN ON MY HEAD.
NHTSA complaint #10383900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CAN NOT OPEN DRIVERS DOOR FROM INSIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10343738 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
LEXUS 430LS LEXUS TRUNK STRUT FAILURE. 55000 MILES ON ODOMETER. TRUNK LID FELL ON HEAD CREATING BUMP.
NHTSA complaint #10343735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
TRUNK STRUTS ON LEXUS LS430 2001 MODEL FAILS RESULTING IN TRUNK LID FALLING ON HANDS, HEADS, AND BODIES.
NHTSA complaint #10298762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
LIFT SUPPORTS UNABLE TO SUPPORT TRUNK. IN 2006 LEXUS LAS VEGAS, NV QUOTED US $750.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. FOUND THE COST PROHIBITIVE AND DECIDED TO MAKE DO WITH PROPPING-UP TRUNK WITH WOODEN STICK EACH TIME WE OPEN. WE ARE A RETIRED COUPLE IN OUR LATE SIXTIES, WE FIND THE PROPPING-UP PHYSICALLY TAXING AND CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. YESTERDAY, WERE IT NOT FOR MY WIFE'S FAST REFLEX, HER HEAD WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY SMASHED WHEN A GUST OF WIND SLAMMED THE PROPPED-UP TRUNK.
NHTSA complaint #10296928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
ON MY 2001 LEXUS LS 430 THE TRUNK STRUTS DO NOT SUPPORT THE TRUNK VERY WELL AT ALL. THE TRUNK IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND CLOSES ON YOUR HEAD ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10233548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
PNEUMATIC TRUNK LID SUPPORTS FAIL AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10227433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 LEXUS LS430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK LID FAILED TO REMAIN OPEN. HE FELT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TRUNK STRUTS WEARING OUT. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #10197631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
I OPENED THE TRUNK OF MY HUSBAND'S LEXUS 430 2001,ON MAY 14, 2007 MY CHILD REACHED INSIDE TO RETRIEVE HIS BACKPACK AND THE LID OF THE TRUNK SLAMMED SHUT. HE WAS VERY BADLY BRUISED. PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT I REACHED INTO THE OPEN TRUNK TO MOVE LUGGAGE AND LID SLAMMED SHUT ON MY NECK. I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM INJURIES. THE TRUNK LID WAS VERY HEAVY AND STRUTS DID NOT SUPPORT IT. PURCHASING PARTS TODAY TO HAVE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10190743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT TO MY INITIAL COMPLAINT # 10181946 WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME COMPLAINT AS # 10178801. I HAVE POSTED MY COMPLAINT ON EDMUNDS CHAT ROOM AND GOT THIS RESPONSE: "I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 LS 430 TRUNK STRUTS. I HAVE CALLED AND VISITED 5 DIFFERENT AUTO PARTS STORES AND THE STRUTS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. THE TRUNK LID HAS FELL ON MY HEAD NUMEROUS TIMES. IT IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT OF LEXUS QUALITY. THE TRUNK STRUTS/SHOCKS ARE LABELED AS "1FE28 W676". LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE FOUND ANY AFTERMARKET ALTERNATIVES. I DO NOT WANT TO BUY NEW ONES FROM LEXUS IF THEY ARE ONLY GOING TO FAIL AGAIN IN A SHORT TIME. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM W/THE TRUNK STRUTS/SHOCKS, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO RESPOND TO THE MESSAGE POSTED BY "SLEXY1" (MSG. #8044)OR THIS MESSAGE, TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS TO YOUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALER, AND FINALLY TO CONTACT LEXUS BY THE 800 NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER CARE. MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME POSITIVE RESPONSES IF WE ALL COMPLAIN TOGETHER. THANKS! MATTHEW MANNING RXSTUDENTSBCGLOBAL.NET " PLEASE KNOW THIS NEW INFORMATION THAT I FOUND OUT FROM MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALER. I BASICALLY FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR AT IN 10/00 THAT THE PART NUMBER FOR THOSE TRUNK STRUTS WAS CHANGED FROM ENDING IN "30" TO "31" SOMETIME AFTER 2001. LEXUS KEEPS THE REASONS FOR THESE CHANGES A SECRET EVEN FROM THEIR DEALERS, SO I COULD NOT FIND OUT "WHY" FOR THE CHANGE. BUT, I'M REQUESTING THAT LEXUS CORPORATE ALLOW MY DEALER TO INSTALL THE "31" TRUNK STRUTS, AS I'M FAIRLY SURE THAT THE NEW ONES HAVE BEEN "BEEFED UP".
NHTSA complaint #10183301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
MY WIFE, WHO IS GETTING OVER BREAST CANCER, HAS BEEN HIT IN THE HEAD MANY TIMES, AS I HAVE, BY THE 2001 LS 430 TRUNK LID COMING DOWN DUE TO MODERATE WINDS AND JUST PUTTING GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK. I SAID THAT AT LEAST THREE DEALER SERVICE MANAGERS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE SHOCKS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK ARE UNDER ENGINEERED, AND NOT SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK LID. THIS CONDITION GETS WORSE OVER TIME, BUT I DID COMPLAIN ABOUT IT TO SEWELL LEXUS OF FORT WORTH MANY YEARS AGO. IT WAS NEVER WRITTEN UP AS I WAS TOLD THAT THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE WAS TO REPLACE THOSE SHOCKS WITH THE EXACT SAME SHOCKS. THAT WAS UNSATISFACTORY TO ME AT THE TIME, IT STILL IS, AND I WAS NEVER TOLD TO CALL THE LEXUS 800 NUMBER UNTIL KEVIN (SERVICE MGR. AT LEXUS OF EL CAJON, CA.) SUGGESTED THAT I AT LEAST TRY. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM EXPLAINED IN COMPLAINT NUMBER 10178801 BY "JB". I HOPE SOMEONE AT LEXUS HAS IMPROVED STRUTS MADE FOR THIS TRUNK LID AND NOTIFIES ME TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED WITH A RECALL NOTICE FOR ALL 2001 LS 430 OWNERS.
NHTSA complaint #10181946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.