There are 6 owner-reported tires & wheels complaints for the 2002 Lexus SCin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
2002 LEXUS SC 430 DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE EQUIPPED RUNFLAT TIRES.*MR THE CONSUMER DIDN'T LIKE THE RUN FLAT TIRES BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED UNBEARABLE ROAD NOISE AND MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. WHEN THE TIRES ENCOUNTERED GROOVED PAVEMENT THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT 2 OF THE TIRES WERE BULGING AND ON EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE INSIDE. *NM
BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RUNS FLAT-SIDEWALL FAILURE-RUN FLAT FEATURE FAILED RUINING WHEEL, BUBBLE APPEARED ON SIDEWALL OF 2 TIRES. *LA
I OWN AN "02 LEXUS SC 430..WITH RUN FLAT TIRES. THE TIRES PULL BADLY WHEN RUNNING ON UNEVEN GROUND..SOMETIMES THE PULL IS SO BAD YOU MUST HOLD THE WHEEL FIRMLY OR YOU CAN LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. IT IS NOT SAFE. MY WIFE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT 2 DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT IS NORMAL FOR RUN FLAT TIRES. I WENT TO A TIRE DEALER..HE TOLD ME THE SAME THING. THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE..AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY YOUR AGENCY. *NLM
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 AND THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE FIXED. I COULD NOT SEE THE PROBLEM AND THE TIRES LOOKED PERFECT UNTIL YOU REMOVED THEM AND EXAMINED THEM. MY WORRY, APART FROM THE $2,000.00 TO REPLACE THE TIRES IS THAT THE VIBRATION OF THE TIRE AT HIGH SPEED COULD CAUSE A FAILURE. I FEEL THAT LEXUS KNOWINGLY SOLD A CAR WITH AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THE STEERING WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM IF NOT FIXED. LEXUS GAVE ME A NEW SET OF TIRES BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD GET A PASS ON THIS. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A WHEEL RIM PROBLEM. FIRST, PASSENGER SIDE REAR RIM CRACKED AND DAMAGED TIRE. SECONDLY, DRIVER SIDE REAR RIM CRACKED, AND ALSO DAMAGED THE TIRE. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT NORMAL SPEED ON NORMAL ROAD SURFACE. *AK
VEHICLE WHEELS ARE BECOMING OUT OF ROUND CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *MR VEHICLE VIBRATED AT 65 MPH AND VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. AS A RESULT 2 TIRES AND 2 WHEELS WERE BENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026