Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 13 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
13 reports
89,000 miles · Jul 27, 2014
Engine
2009 LEXUS LS 460 AWD THE CAR LOST POWER UPON ACCELERATION AFTER THE 90,000 MILE SERVICE. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER (LEXUS OF NAPERVILLE) THEY SAID THAT THEY REFLASHED THE CONTROLLER. THE CAR LOST PERFORMANCE BUT DID NOT LOOSE POWER UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. AT 94000 MILES A FEW DAYS AFTER SERVICE THE CAR LOST POWER O…
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2009 LEXUS LS 460 AWD THE CAR LOST POWER UPON ACCELERATION AFTER THE 90,000 MILE SERVICE. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER (LEXUS OF NAPERVILLE) THEY SAID THAT THEY REFLASHED THE CONTROLLER. THE CAR LOST PERFORMANCE BUT DID NOT LOOSE POWER UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. AT 94000 MILES A FEW DAYS AFTER SERVICE THE CAR LOST POWER ON ACCELERATION AGAIN, I BROUGHT IT BACK TO DEALER AT WHICH TIME THEY REBUILT THE TOP OF THE ENGINE FOR A COST OF $11,500.00 UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR RAN FINE UNTIL THE NEXT SERVICE ON 7/03/14. WHEN I LEFT THE DEALER ON THE WAY HOME I MADE A LEGAL RIGHT TURN ON RED AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE THEN LOSS ALL POWER LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND AWAY FROM THE SEMI THAT WAS ABOUT TO RUN ME OVER. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, THEY BROUGHT A LOANER AND TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE. AFTER THREE WEEKS THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CONFIRMED AND THAT LEXUS IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE KNOCK SENSOR ON THAT PARTICULAR ENGINE AND IT WILL RANDOMLY RETARD THE TIMING RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX AT THIS TIME AND THAT THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR AND THEY WILL TELL ME WHEN I SHOULD BRING IT BACK. I LEFT THE CAR AT THE DEALER AND WALKED HOME BECAUSE I BELIEVED THAT IF I WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE CAR AND DRIVEN IT KNOWING THAT IT HAD THAT DEFECT AND BECAME INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT I WOULD BE AS MUCH TO BLAME AS LEXUS. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM IN MY 2007 LS460 BUT WAS TOLD THEY HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED IN THE 2009 THAT I PURCHASED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THEY HAD A FEW OTHERS AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH SAME PROBLEM. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10616667
32,000 miles · Oct 13, 2013
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, USING FULLY SYNTHETIC OIL PER STERLING MCCALL LEXUS OF HOUSTON, THE LEXUS LS460 SHOWS HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. AT LOCAL ROAD AND AT SPEED OF 15 MPH, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND PUSHED GAS PEDAL TO FLOOR, THE ENGINE RPM REACHED MORE THAN 5000 BUT THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED. WHILE IN THEORY THE EN…
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AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, USING FULLY SYNTHETIC OIL PER STERLING MCCALL LEXUS OF HOUSTON, THE LEXUS LS460 SHOWS HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. AT LOCAL ROAD AND AT SPEED OF 15 MPH, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND PUSHED GAS PEDAL TO FLOOR, THE ENGINE RPM REACHED MORE THAN 5000 BUT THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE AS EXPECTED. WHILE IN THEORY THE ENGINE POWER REACHES PEAK OF 386 HORSE POWER AT 4200 RPM. IN ONE WORD, THE ACCELERATION IS NOT LINEAR TO THE PUSH ON GAS PEDAL AT ALL. FEELS LIKE THE ENGINE POWER DOES NOT CORRESPONDS TO THE GAS PEDAL TRAVEL DISTANCE, AS IT SHOULD. AND IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS, THIS FAILURE TO ACCELERATE AS IT SHOULD COULD CAUSE PROBLEM OR ACCIDENTS. A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE. MAYBE LEXUS SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS AND HELP FIX THE PROBLEM. THANKS, *TR
NHTSA ODI #10547734
200 miles · Sep 8, 2011
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS LS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE ON THE SIDE WALL THAT ALLOWED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 LEXUS LS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE ON THE SIDE WALL THAT ALLOWED TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.
NHTSA ODI #10424347
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2009 Lexus Ls Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year