"How reliable is the 2002 Lexus Sc430?"

"Based on 46 NHTSA complaints, the 2002 Lexus Sc430 has a median complaint mileage of 61000 miles. The most common issue is AIR BAGS."

"What are common problems with the 2002 Lexus Sc430?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 2002 Lexus Sc430 is AIR BAGS, accounting for a significant portion of the 46 total complaints filed."

2002 Lexus Sc430: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 46 complaints

Total Complaints

61,000mi

Median Mileage

AIR BAGS

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

26,000 25th Percentile

61,000 Median Mileage

71,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TIRES

SUSPENSION

STRUCTURE:BODY

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BOUGHT A 2002 LEXUS SC 430 HARDTOP CONVERTIBLE. THE TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES BECAUSE THE INSIDE TREAD WAS CUPPING AND MAKING HORRENDOUS GROWLING AND VIBRATION NOISE. I CALLED LEXUS AND THE FACTORY REP CAME OUT AND TALKED TO ME AND SAID THEY ALL DO THE SAME THING AN..."

"MY NEW CAR IS EMITTING A "ROTTEN EGG SMELL" WHEN I ACCELERATE. I AM BEING TOLD BY THE DEALER(STERLING MCCALL LEXUS) THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. ALSO THAT THEY KNEW THEY WERE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE 430 ENGINES. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REVEALED TO ME PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING THE VEHICLE...."

"WHILE IN MOTION AND IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A 360* SPIN, WHILE MOVING AT ONLY 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL TRACTION. THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE ARE INOPERABLE. WHILE ON AN INCLINE AND BRAKING FROM ABOUT 5 MPH THE VEHICLE JUMPED AN ISLAND BEFORE THE BRAKES STOPPED IT. *JG"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28