Most common 2001 Lexus LS430 problems
Share of the 52 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus LS430 complaints by model year
Best LS430 years: 2004, 2005. Years to avoid: 2001, 2002. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Lexus LS430:
Lexus link communication system
There is no summary currently available
What 2001 Lexus LS430 owners say
Body & structure
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.
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". …
Locks & latches
I have a 2001 Lexus LS430 with approx. 72,000 miles in excellent condition. The trunk lid does not stay up securely and in windy conditions it drops down. On a couple of occasions it hit my head when I was removing some items and whilst I was lucky that since my head was inside, I was not hit by the sharp edge of the trunk and not injured badly but it could have been really worse. The problem is caused by defective struts in the trunk opening mechanism. I checked on the internet and I see hundreds of complaints about this issue and all sorts of places (e.g. Ebay) advertising replacement struts. I feel that this is a major safety issue in a luxury car of this caliber and Lexus should recall and fix this problem.
I had opened the trunk on my Lexus sl-430 to place some personal items for transport. I was leaning down when suddenly the trunk lid came crashing down with the corner of the trunk striking me in the area around the eye and the upper cheek bone. The injury resulted in bruising and swelling around the eye and has resulted in continuing pain, swelling and discomfort in the eye, ear and cheek bone. After the incident the trunk was inspected by me and other company personnel and it was discovered that the hydraulic trunk struts necessary for the safe operation of the trunk had both failed. I have since had the trunk struts replaced.
Speed control & acceleration
This is the second time that I have applied the brakes and the car accelerates rather than stopping. The first time was in July 2006 right after I had purchased the car. That time I accelerated into the back of a police car and did a lot of damage to the front of the car. I have driven over 120,000 miles and 9 years without this happening again. This time I was at a stop light and began to move when a construction worker jumped in front of my car to have me stop and the car accelerated across 4 lanes and stopped before I went up on the curb and hit a building. Unfortunately, the construction worker's ankle was broken and now I am being sued. I had my mechanic check the problem last time and he could not find anything wrong. I checked to see if this car had been recalled last time and this time for this problem and it has not been.
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.
2001 Lexus LS430 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Lexus LS430 a good car?
Based on 52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 LS430 rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the LS430 at the same age. It is one of the LS430 years we suggest avoiding. 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 2001 Lexus LS430?
The body & structure — 14 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body › trunk lid. Next are the locks & latches (9) and speed control & acceleration (7).
How many recalls does the 2001 Lexus LS430 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2001 Lexus LS430. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus LS430?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004 and 2005. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001 and 2002. See the full Lexus LS430 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Lexus LS430 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 61,000 miles; 36% 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.