Used car guide

1996 Lexus LS: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Lexus LS first registered in 1996: we looked at the 320 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: there were only 320 MOTs of these cars during 2023–2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

320MOTs of 1996 cars, done in 2023–2025
74%pass first time (all 1996 cars: 66%)
5,200typical miles a year
4.3×the usual rate for sub-frame

What goes wrong more than usual on a 1996 Lexus LS?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 1996 Lexus LS than on all cars registered in 1996.

  • Sub-frame4.3× usual
    Lexus LS
    10% All 1996 cars
    2.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.1% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 8.1% here, against 17.8% of all 1996 cars.

Common 1996 Lexus LS MOT failures and advisories

The share of 1996 Lexus LS MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    40% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    22% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    22% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Exhaust and emissions
    17% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Rust and bodywork
    13% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 1996 Lexus LS

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 4.3× as often on the 1996 Lexus LS as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Lexus LS?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Lexus LS compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2022–Too few tests
2021–Too few tests
2019–Too few tests
2018208Tyres 22%
2017–Too few tests
2016–Too few tests
2015–Too few tests
2014–Too few tests
2013184Tyres 21%
2012–Too few tests
2011118Tyres 25%
2010129Tyres 18%
2009247Tyres 26%
2008463Tyres 23%
2007278Brakes 21%
2006216Suspension 22%
2005741Suspension 24%
2004737Suspension 34%
2003473Suspension 34%
2002438Suspension 35%
2001502Suspension 36%
2000104Suspension 31%
1999332Suspension 41%
1998737Suspension 41%
1997413Suspension 40%
1995305Suspension 40%
1994102Suspension 39%
1993–Too few tests
1992–Too few tests
1991–Too few tests
1990–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Lexus LS cars first registered in 1996. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score