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2003 Lexus Lx470 Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Serious

24 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.42 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious16V065000

Air Bags:Side/Window

If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can raises the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy & full details

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

Serious10V346000

Steering:Gear Box:Shaft Pitman

THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SNAP RING WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE AND INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT WHICH WILL PREVENT SEPARATION OF THE STEERING SHAFT. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 23, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2007 LEXUS LX470 VEHICLES. THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE STEERING SHAFT IS SUCH THAT THE SNAP RING ON THE SHAFT MAY DISENGAGE WHEN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES AN UNUSUALLY SEVERE IMPACT TO THE FRONT WHEELS. IF THE SNAP RING BECOMES DISENGAGED AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS THEN REPEATEDLY TURNED TO THE LOCKED POSITION, OVER TIME THE STEERING SHAFT MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED.

Serious04V434000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

THIS CONDITION COULD BLIND THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE DRIVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RESISTOR, WHICH WILL DECREASE THE LUMINOUS INTENSITY OF THE DRL. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE JUNE 10, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DO NOT MEET LUMINOUS INTENSITY STANDARD.

Complaint volume

24 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

1Crashes
0Fires
2Injuries
0Deaths

Across 24 complaints. Severity Index 0.42.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Steering4 · 17%Electrical System3 · 13%Service Brakes, Hydraulic2 · 8%Service Brakes2 · 8%Engine2 · 8%Child Seat1 · 4%Air Bags · Frontal1 · 4%Visibility1 · 4%
  1. Steering — 4 reports
  2. Electrical System — 3 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 2 reports
  4. Service Brakes — 2 reports
  5. Engine — 2 reports
  6. Child Seat — 1 reports
  7. Air Bags:Frontal — 1 reports
  8. Visibility — 1 reports
  9. Equipment — 1 reports
  10. Steering:Gear Box:Shaft Pitman — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1998 (1) · 1999 (1) · 2000 (1) · 2001 (1) · 2002 (1) · 2003 · 2004 (3) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (3) · 2007 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.