Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Lexus GS300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was going to go to work, an when I started to push on the thotthle/ gas pedal . Nothing engaged an then all of sudden it worked like it was back to running normal for like 10 seconds then lost almost all the power an you can push the padel to the floor almost befor it will even engage. It's my everyday driving car it not safe to be driving, when it's malfunctioning in the ECU, vsc , cruise control quit because of what happened. There a recall on the vsc for the Lexus gs 300 for having malfunction problems. But it only let's the you use only the last 25 percent of the gas padel, it don't do anything in till almost to the floor. This happened in brookville pennsylvania, when I was turing left on to route 36 south. I also had to replace my thottle body because when this all happened, my thottle it was stuck in wide open thottle. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Lexus GS300. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated when the accelerator pedal was released. The vehicle finally stopped after several minutes of depressing the brake pedal. The issue recurred several times in one day. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 112,000.
This letter is to report a very unsafe condition that exists with my 1998 Lexus gs 300. On 2/02/03 I was waiting at a car wash in a line of traffic with my foot on the brake, when all of the sudden my engine advanced to what seem like full throttle. The rear tires began to spin on the wet pavement but my full pressure on the brake kept the car from lunging forward. My wife leaned over to see what was going on and saw my foot on the brake and not on the gas! At that time I started to shift the car into neutral but decided it would be best to turn of the ignition. Before I got my hand on the key the engine went back to idle! This whole event lasted 5 to 10 seconds. My foot was definitely not on the gas! At that time my wife told me what happened to her the week before this scary event. …
Referring to a 1998 Lexus GS300, rear wheel drive car with 84,000 miles. On Saturday, June 19, 2010, I was coming to a stop at an intersection with a 2 way stop sign, with my foot on the brake. My car after slowing down a bit, suddenly accelerated, almost resulting in an accident as I 'cruised' across the intersection instead of stopping. I called Lexus and they advised that I bring the car in. I drove there about 15 miles, and on the way there I stopped about 100 feet behind another car which was stopped at a red light. I was at a total stop, my foot on the brake, and the car suddenly lunged forward. There was no accident because I was so far behind the car in front of me. I drove to Lexus. They examined the car and told me they found nothing wrong, including with the computer. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Lexus GS300. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact noticed the check engine and the vsc warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle would not accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics. The mechanic stated the throttle position sensor would have to be replaced. After the repair the failure continued. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic. The mechanic replaced the front and rear throttle position sensor. The failure continued after the repair. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number: 98V080000 (suspension:automatic stability control (asc)). The contact was unaware if the vehicle was repaired under the recall by the previous owner. …
After stopping at an intersection, the car would travel forward very slowly while depressing the accelerator pedal normally. It would suddenly "catch" and lurch forward if the accelerator pedal was depressed. Car would then handle normally for a few moments but upon stopping would repeat the problem. Vehicle was shut off and restarted several times in an effort to "reboot" the car's electronic acceleration system but the problem persisted. Car was towed to the local Lexus dealer. After sitting on the lot for 1 day, vehicle started and operated normally in the dealer's service lot. Dealer has reported that the problem calls for the replacement of the vehicle's throttle body and gasket.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 GS300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the rpms rapidly increased and the vehicle erroneously accelerated. The vehicle was moved to the shoulder to be shut down then restarted but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the failure was caused by a faulty throttle body. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 240,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Lexus GS300. The contact stated that when driving between 30-40 MPH, the vehicle would begin to loose power and stall sporadically with the illumination of the check engine warning light. The manufacturer was not contacted. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 190,000 and the current mileage is 192,380. Updated 02/09/12 the dealer found the throttle position sensor was out of specification and there was an open circuit. Updated 02/27/12
When at a stop sign or red light, with my foot on the brake pedal, the car accelerates. I press on the brake pedal and, usually, the acceleration slows down. This happened 3 times in 2 days and the third time the acceleration did not stop, the car really accelerated, I pressed on the brake pedal as hard as I could and the rear tires were smoking so I turned off the key. The dealer had the car for a week and could find no problem. Before I got the car back into my garage, it happened again but not too badly.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Lexus GS300. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and trying to accelerate the speed failed to increase. The failure made it difficult for the contact to exit the highway. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor had it been repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure and current mileage was approximately 160,000.
Acceleration complaints in other GS300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1998 Lexus GS300?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1998 Lexus GS300, 42% of the model year's 60 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Lexus GS300 acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 1998 Lexus GS300, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Lexus GS300 acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 112,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.