Most common 1995 Lexus LS400 problems
Share of the 39 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus LS400 complaints by model year
Best LS400 years: 2000, 1997. Years to avoid: 1998. Compare all years →
1995 Lexus LS400 recalls (1)
Electrical system › Starter assembly
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.
Remedy: Dealers will repair the magnetic switch.
What 1995 Lexus LS400 owners say
Electrical system
The evening of 3/7/15 my wife and I drove from cedar rapids, ia. To our home in muscatine, ia. As we exited I-80 after almost one hour of constant interstate driving, the car stalled at approximately 5 MPH as we came to the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. We lost power steering and power brakes as well, causing panic. This is not the first time this has happened in the two years we have owned this car. It seems to occur after prolonged interstate driving only. It did not occur that morning because we broke up the trip to cr with a stop in iowa city. This is a horribly dangerous condition and after researching on the internet last night, a very inherent problem with this model and year. Toyota's TSB eg003-96 speaks of it and its remedy, published 10/7/96. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Lexus LS400. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact replaced the alternator and battery, but the failure persisted. The contact also changed the wires to the battery cables. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 214,000. The VIN was not available.
Seat belts
The seat belt tensioners on both driver and passenger side will not retract leaving a large amount of slack when fastened creating a safety issue in the result of a crash. Seat belts will not return to their original position when unfastened. Upon doing a search online it seems the problem is very common in this model vehicle. Owners have had varying degrees of financial assistance from Lexus regarding repairs and replacements. Safety issues such as this should be covered regardless of age of vehicle much like Takata airbags are covered. This was a design flaw by the manufacturer and could be argued that such flaws renders the vehicle unsafe for use/sale.
Front seat belts become loose and do not hug close to your chest once the car is started. I have checked Lexus forums and have found other Lexus owners have the same problem. It appears to be a design flaw in that the retractor system is a dual recoil system that is actuated by a secondary relay once the car is started. The secondary retractor is supposed to give you more freedom when the car is running but seems to become excessively loose to the point of hanging down away from your body. I fear in the event of an accident the seat belts will be of no use and thus this is a very dangerous safety issue.
Engine & cooling
The evening of 3/7/15 my wife and I drove from cedar rapids, ia. To our home in muscatine, ia. As we exited I-80 after almost one hour of constant interstate driving, the car stalled at approximately 5 MPH as we came to the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp. We lost power steering and power brakes as well, causing panic. This is not the first time this has happened in the two years we have owned this car. It seems to occur after prolonged interstate driving only. It did not occur that morning because we broke up the trip to cr with a stop in iowa city. This is a horribly dangerous condition and after researching on the internet last night, a very inherent problem with this model and year. Toyota's TSB eg003-96 speaks of it and its remedy, published 10/7/96. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Lexus LS400. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact replaced the alternator and battery, but the failure persisted. The contact also changed the wires to the battery cables. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 214,000. The VIN was not available.
1995 Lexus LS400 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1995 Lexus LS400 a good car?
Based on 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1995 LS400 rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the LS400 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1995 Lexus LS400?
The electrical system — 12 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about starter assembly. Next are the seat belts (10) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 1995 Lexus LS400 have?
There is 1 recall for the 1995 Lexus LS400, the most recent from January 27, 1998 (starter assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus LS400?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1998. See the full Lexus LS400 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1995 Lexus LS400 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 120,000 miles; 5% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.