<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-04-14</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001023128</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LITHIA MOTORS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LAD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001170769</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DEBOER SIDNEY B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>150 N. BARTLETT STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MEDFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97501</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-04-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>33068</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>88.98</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>231610</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By The Sidney B. DeBoer Trust and DeBoer Family LLC</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Distribution from DeBoer Family LLC to certain members of DeBoer Family LLC, not including the Sidney B. DeBoer Trust</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">DeBoer Family LLC redeemed membership interests in DeBoer Family LLC from certain of the members of DeBoer Family LLC, not including the Sidney B. DeBoer Trust. The price shown is the value of one share of the issuer's Class A Common Stock at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on April 14, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">As permitted by instruction 4(b)(iv) to Form 4, the reporting person is reporting beneficial ownership of all of shares of Lithia Motors, Inc. Class A Common Stock owned by DeBoer Family LLC. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership of all of the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reporting person is the settlor of the Sidney B. DeBoer Trust, and the Sidney B. DeBoer Trust is revocable by the reporting person at any time at the reporting person's option. DeBoer Family LLC is the direct owner of the securities shown in column 5 of Table I, and the Sidney B. DeBoer Trust is a member and the sole manager of DeBoer Family LLC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Larissa McAlister, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-04-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
