2003 Lexus Sc Problems

Typical for Model

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Lexus Sc.

20022004
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Fatalities
Recalls
3

Worst 2003 Lexus Sc Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#13 complaints

Airbags

#21 complaints

Brakes

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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Lexus Sc.

Airbags
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

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Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Lexus Sc. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Lexus Sc

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,211,516 vehicles.

18V883000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
~168,993 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2002-2005 Lexus SC and Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2005 Toyota Corolla and Tundra, and 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

15V285000Airbags
~1,973,468 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. On June 16, 2015, Toyota expanded the recall to include an additional 1,270,468 vehicles, including model year 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 Sequoia, 2005-2006 Tundra, 2003-2007 Corolla, 2003-2007 Corolla Matrix, 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2002-2007 Lexus SC vehicles. This is to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

15V286000Airbags
~1,069,055 affected

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. On June 16, 2015 Toyota expanded the recall to cover an additional 769,055 vehicles, including certain model year 2002-2004 Lexus SC, Toyota Sequoia, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix, Toyota Corolla, Pontiac Vibe, and Toyota Tundra vehicles, as well the vehicles covered by the May 13, 2015 notification in the portions of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that were not previously included. The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

Other Lexus Sc Years

2003 Lexus Sc — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2003 Lexus Sc reliable?
Verdict: Typical for Model. The 2003 Lexus Sc has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Airbags with 3 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2003 Lexus Sc?
Top reported problems: Airbags (3 complaints); Brakes (1 complaints). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
Does the 2003 Lexus Sc have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,211,516 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2003 Lexus Sc?
Complaint levels are in line with what's expected. Normal used-car due diligence applies — check the specific VIN for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Lexus Sc reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

Check Your Specific 2003 Lexus Sc

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