The Lemon Index
Lexus's 4.8 L naturally aspirated 72° V10 in the LFA, model years 2012.
A safer bet: YouTube owner tone 58/100, #11 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. We found no government complaints we can tie to this engine's cars. Performance versions are mostly filed under their base model (a Shelby GT500 is filed as a Mustang), so we only count complaints whose model name or the owner's own words tie them to this engine, and lead with YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes.
Why the car page shows more: the LFA page counts 0 complaints and 1 recall campaigns for 2012–2012, everything NHTSA files as "Lfa", other engines included. This page counts only the 0 complaints and 1 recall we can tie to the Lexus 1LR-GUE 4.8 V10 by model name or the owner's own words.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | LFA | 0 | 58 (161 videos) | 1 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 1
None of them is about the engine itself.
17V006000 Air Bags · Lexus LFA 2012
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Lexus told dealers about
Lexus sent dealers 11 repair notes about the engine on these cars.
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Clutch wear from hard launches (Owner-reported). The ASG is an automated manual with a single-plate clutch. PistonHeads warns that launches without launch control can burn it.
Sources: PistonHeads: Lexus LF-A used buying guide (Jul 2021). The same list as on the LFA page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Lexus LFA LFA | 2012 |
Engine code: 1LR-GUE. Power: 553 hp, factory figures (560 PS). Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Toyota LR engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Lexus 1LR-GUE 4.8 V10 engine?
In the US: the Lexus LFA, model years 2012–2012. See the version table for each one.
Is the Lexus 1LR-GUE 4.8 V10 reliable?
Mostly yes. YouTube owner tone 58/100, #11 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the top third); no engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: the government files most performance versions under their base model. Its cars had 1 recalls (0 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Lexus 1LR-GUE 4.8 V10 make?
553 hp in factory figures, depending on the car (560 PS).