2003 Lexus SC430 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SC430 years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Lexus SC430. That ranks 2nd out of 9 SC430 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (10 complaints, 50%), typically at around 24,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 20owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 | 10 | 50% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 20% | 650 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 15% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 10% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 10% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 5% | 167,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 5% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% | 167,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 5% | 167,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 5% | 1,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 5% | 39,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 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.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V741000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL…
Takata recall - when i checked under lexus to see if my vehicle was listed it was but when i put in the vin number it said o - so i'm confused why would it say yes under lexus but not under the vin number ? Is it safe ?
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 lexus sc430. While driving 40 mph, all the instrument panel indicators illuminated and then shut off, and the transmission downshifted. The transmission failure caused the vehicle to jerk when the gears were shifted. In addition, the contact stated that the convertible…
Received recall notice and scheduled appointment for air bag recall to be repaired. The lexus dealer held the car for four days before realizing they did not have the parts to make the repair. We were told to pick up the car and they could not tell us when the parts would be available to remedy the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 lexus sc430. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v312000 (air bags); however, the part needed to repair the vehicle was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
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 | 20 | 1 |
| 2002 SC430 | 42 | 1 |
See all Lexus SC430 problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
Embed this 2003 Lexus SC430 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Lexus SC430?
Owners most often report air bags, service brakes, hydraulic, tires problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Lexus SC430?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.