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2002 Lexus SCProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2002 Lexus SC, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 18V-883 the manufacturer reports only 63% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 63%Owner complaints52 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage37kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 29, 2025. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Lexus SC has problems

5 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags31
Electrical system10
Steering10
Suspension10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2002 Lexus SC recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

63%repaired · 2021 Q3

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-883 · Dec 12, 2018 · 168,993 vehicles · 107,096 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

70%repaired · 2021 Q3

Air bags

Recall 15V-285 · May 13, 2015 · 1,973,468 vehicles · 1,376,847 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

65%repaired · 2021 Q3

Air bags

Recall 15V-286 · May 13, 2015 · 1,069,055 vehicles · 698,627 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lexus.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other SC year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the SC median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Lexus SC, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · still open
    Led to recall 22V-945
  2. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
  3. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 14V-428
In owners' words

What SC owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE…
Complaint 10763531 · Sep 14, 2015
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 LEXUS SC430. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT IS AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND…
Complaint 10206793 · Oct 24, 2007 · 37,400 miles

Own a 2002 SC?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.