2002 Lexus SC430 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SC430 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Lexus SC430. That is the most of any SC430 model year in the database (9 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (18 complaints, 43%), typically at around 69,000 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 42owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 4complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 Lexus SC430 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 18 | 43% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 12% | 22,250 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 10% | 136,032 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 7% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 5% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 5% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 2% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | 62,123 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 7,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 2% | 66,948 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Lexus SC430 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module; air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Getting totally jerked around they call and never follow up. This has been going on for years. Not able to drive the car for years now.
There is condensation in the head lamps which affects how well they work at night. The car has not been modified or had any type of injury that would result in condensation being inside the headlight covers. This is a safety issue that needs to be addressed. It impairs how well the headlamps work.
2002 lexus sc430. Consumer writes in regards to front passenger airbag inflator module safety recall. *ld the consumer stated the vehicole was taken to have the recall completed, but was told the zone was not currently authorized to complee the repair. Updated 11/08/2017*js
Takata recall bought this vehicle about a year ago and have not received any notice on what to do to get this fixed.
Had airbag recall done about 1500 miles ago, air bag warning light is now on , steady ,all the time
Other Lexus SC430 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 SC430 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 SC430 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 SC430 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007 SC430 | 17 | 1 |
| 2006 SC430 | 6 | 1 |
| 2005 SC430 | 9 | 1 |
| 2004 SC430 | 12 | 1 |
| 2003 SC430 | 20 | 1 |
| 2002 | 42 | 1 |
See all Lexus SC430 problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Lexus SC430?
Owners most often report air bags, tires, suspension problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Lexus SC430?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 Lexus SC430 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SC430 model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.