NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2001

Lexus SC 400 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 20 owner complaints for the Lexus SC 400, covering model years 1995 to 2001. The 1995 model year drew the most complaints (9), and Tires is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Lexus SC 400 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
20 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
7 model years with data (1995–2001)

most complaints: 1995 (9 for that model year)
top component: Tires (5 complaints)
latest recall 98V016000 (reported Jan 27, 1998)

2 complaints reporting a crash (10.0%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting an injury (0.0%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Lexus SC 400 complaints by model year

7 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1995 model year has the most complaints: 9 of 20, or 45.0%. Next come 1996 (4) and 1998 (2). The fewest are for 2001, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Lexus SC 400 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Lexus SC 400 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash
1995	9	1
1996	4	0
1997	1	0
1998	2	1
1999	2	0
2000	1	0
2001	1	0
All model years	20	2

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Lexus SC 400 components

top 11 · NHTSA categories

Tires is the component named most often, in 5 complaints (25.0% of all 20), followed by Vehicle Speed Control (4) and Air Bags (2).

Components named most often in Lexus SC 400 complaints (top 11)

Components named most often in Lexus SC 400 complaints (top 11)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Tires	5	25.0%
Vehicle Speed Control	4	20.0%
Air Bags	2	10.0%
Electrical System	2	10.0%
Engine and Engine Cooling	2	10.0%
Exterior Lighting	2	10.0%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	2	10.0%
Interior Lighting	1	5.0%
Latches/Locks/Linkages	1	5.0%
Seats	1	5.0%
Visibility	1	5.0%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Lexus SC 400 recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name SC 400, newest first. The only campaign, 98V016000, covers model years 1996 and 1997.

1 recall campaign

Lexus SC 400 recall campaigns covering each model year
1996: 1 campaign	1997: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 98V016000
Reported Jan 27, 1998
Electrical System › Starter Assembly
Model years 1996–1997
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.
Consequence:
A starter motor no-start condition or an underhood fire can result.
Remedy:
Dealers will repair the magnetic switch.
Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Lexus SC 400 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Lexus SC 400 have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Lexus SC 400, covering model years 1995 to 2001. The campaign, 98V016000, was reported on January 27, 1998 and is filed under “Electrical system”. The 1996 and 1997 model years are covered by the most campaigns (1 each).

Which Lexus SC 400 model year has the most complaints?

The 1995 model year, with 9 of the 20 complaints in NHTSA’s file (45.0%). The next are 1996 (4) and 1998 (2). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Lexus SC 400 complaint?

Tires is the component named most often: 5 complaints, or 25.0% of all 20. Vehicle Speed Control (4) and Air Bags (2) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Lexus SC 400?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Lexus dealer.

How many Lexus SC 400 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 20 complaints, 2 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Lexus models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lexus VIN decoder with every Lexus model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Lexus ES 350 2007–2023 · 11 recalls · 1,451 complaints
Lexus RX 1999–2026 · 10 recalls · 947 complaints
Lexus RX 350 2004–2023 · 13 recalls · 838 complaints
Lexus RX 300 1998–2003 · 2 recalls · 722 complaints
Lexus IS 250 2006–2016 · 8 recalls · 719 complaints
Lexus ES 1996–2025 · 4 recalls · 666 complaints
Lexus IS 1999–2026 · 8 recalls · 595 complaints
Lexus ES 300 1995–2013 · 4 recalls · 562 complaints

All Lexus models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.