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2004 Lexus GX470: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2004 Lexus GX470, most recently filed February 2016. Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (1)

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2004 Lexus GX470. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2004 Lexus GX470. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 16V065000 Filed Feb 5, 2016

Inadvertent Side Curtain Air Bag Deployment

Air bags · side/window
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.
Consequence
If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.
37.6% repairedof 320,409 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V065000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (65)

65 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.

10involved a crash
0involved a fire
9injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Lexus GX470, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 65.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2004 compares with other GX470 years

Best and worst GX470 years →
2003200420052006200720082009
This year (2004)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 15 mpg combined

15
mpg combined
14
city
17
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$4,450
CO₂ tailpipe
593 g/mi
EPA class
Sport Utility Vehicle -

What it costs you to run

$4,354per year
$363per month
1,000gallons a year

Miles ÷ 15 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2004 Lexus GX470 configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
4.7 L 8-cyl · 5-speed automatic4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive14 / 17 / 15$4,450593

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2004 GX470 for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All GX470 years

Where to next

2004 Lexus GX470 FAQ

How many recalls does the 2004 Lexus GX470 have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 16V065000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2004 Lexus GX470 problems?

Owners filed 65 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (17), Structure (15), Power train (10) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2004 Lexus GX470 get?

EPA rates the 4.7 L 8-cyl · 5-speed automatic version at 14 city, 17 highway and 15 combined mpg.

How does the 2004 GX470 compare with other years?

Among the 2003–2009 Lexus GX470 model years at least five years old, the 2009 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 2004 the most (65). The 2004 drew 65. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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