Your vehicle report
2003 Lexus GX470
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 46
- Received Jun 2003 to Mar 2019
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed6 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration6 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking5 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #03V088000On certain vehicles equipped with the lexus link system, it may be difficult to lock one of the two latches on the bottom of the middle row left rear seat (larger side of the bench seat directly behind the driver). Due to the thickness of the lexus link system storage case, the stopper on the bottom of the seat is slightly elevated. This elevated position misaligns the latch to the striker.
- Recall #03V031000Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of part 567, "certification." the incorrect gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) data was printed on the certification regulation label. The gvwr is incorrectly reflected on the label as 6,100 lbs. The correct gvwr should be 6,000 lbs.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 5 crashes, 1 fire, 2 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 6 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 11 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 46 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 13% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 6 | 13% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 11% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 5 | 11% | – | |
| Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag | 3 | 6.5% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 3 | 6.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #03V088000March 10, 20033,666 vehicles affected
seats: mid/rear assembly
On certain vehicles equipped with the Lexus link system, it may be difficult to lock one of the two latches on the bottom of the middle row left rear seat (larger side of the bench seat directly behind the driver). Due to the thickness of the Lexus link system storage case, the stopper on the bottom of the seat is slightly elevated. This elevated position misaligns the latch to the striker.
If the vehicle is operated with only one latch locked, the occupant of the seat may be improperly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will remove the lls case panels around the seat stopper. Owner notification began april 8, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Lexus at 1-888-333-9376.
NHTSA recall #03V031000February 11, 20035,878 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of part 567, "certification." the incorrect gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr) data was printed on the certification regulation label. The gvwr is incorrectly reflected on the label as 6,100 lbs. The correct gvwr should be 6,000 lbs.
The certification label does not meet the information requirements as described in the regulations.
Remedy
As each label is vehicle identification number specific, owners will be requested to contact their local Lexus dealer first to place an order for the corrected label. Once the label has arrived at the dealership, the owner will be contacted for label replacement. Owner began april 10, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2003 Lexus GX470.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN