2004 Lexus ES 330 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
153 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
18,050 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 112 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 153 complaints (31.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 58 | 37.9% |
| Braking behavior | 32 | 20.9% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 3.3% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 2.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 48 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 34 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal | 13 |
| Air Bags | 12 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 |
| Power Train | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) | 6 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 48; Vehicle Speed Control: 34; Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal: 13; Air Bags: 12; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 8; Power Train: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm): 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 59 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 18 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 59; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 7
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (59). 41 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 49 |
| 2005 | 25 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 30 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2003: 1; 2004: 49; 2005: 25; 2006: 7; 2007: 3; 2008: 5; 2009: 5; 2010: 30; 2011: 9; 2014: 5; 2015: 5; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 58 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10055129 · 2004-01-29 (January 29, 2004)
FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED MY LEXUS RX330,I HAVE EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING IMPROPERLY. THOUGH I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO LEXUS MANY TIMES THEY HAVE NOT FIX THESE PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10055129 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10060647 · 2004-03-07 (March 7, 2004)
I HAVE A 2004 ES330 WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFTING PROBLEM IN LOW GEARS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE ALREADY AND AM READY FOR THE THIRD VISIT. THE DEALER "RESET" THE MEMORY FOR THE SHIFTING PATTERN AT 200 MILES BECAUSE OF UNPREDICTABLE DRIVING PATTERNS. THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS SHIFT POORLY, ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME THERE IS A PROBLEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE A HESITATION DURING THE SHIFTING WHICH CAUSES A LACK OF POWER. I HAVE NOTICED THIS WHILE MERGING ONTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10060647 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041601 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE GARAGE AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, I CONTINUED TO BOUNCE OFF THE WALL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD STOP. I FELT THAT THE BRAKES FAILED OR THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER, THEY CALLED ME BACK 30 MINUTES LATER AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR AND I COULD PICK IT UP. I FELT AS IF I HAVE BEEN "BLOWN OFF' AND I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICES AND PLACED A COMPLAINT, HOWEVER, T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064232 · 2004-03-31 (March 31, 2004)
MY LEXUS ES330 WAS LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OLD AND THE MILEAGE READ ABOUT 950 THE TIME WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.T OCCURRED ON THE WAY TO WORK AT 8:40 AM MARCH 8TH, 2004. IT WAS A SUNNY WARM DAY. AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FAR RIGHT LANE OF SOUTH 5 FREEWAY WITH SPEED AROUND 65 TO 70 MPH, A CAR NEXT TO MY LANE WAS TRYING TO CUT IN FRONT OF ME. IN ORDER TO KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE, I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE MOMENT I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I COULDN'T CONTROL WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS HEADING AND THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10064232 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10055388 · 2004-04-01 (April 1, 2004)
CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING BECAUSE THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. CONSUMER GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE PERFORMED BETTER AFTER THE ALIGNMENT. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 3 miles reported. Look up ODI 10055388 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089427 · 2004-08-23 (August 23, 2004)
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED AT LOW SPEED. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. MANUFACTURER INSISTED THERE IWASNOTHING DEFECTIVE ON THE VEHICLE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 20,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089427 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164477 · 2006-08-04 (August 4, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE EXITING THE DRIVE WAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS A CRASH WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE BEFORE IT STALLED IN THE YARD ACROSS THE STREET. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPAIRED THE DAMAGES TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164477 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10341189 · 2010-07-02 (July 2, 2010)
S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER FROM REGARDING SAFETY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 2004 LEXUS ES 330 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT UPPER STRUT MOUNT BOLT WAS LOOSE, THE WIRING SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE IN WHICH THE HOOD CARPET, OXYGEN SENSOR WIRES AND RADIATOR HOSE CAUGHT ON FIRE, BUT MANAGED TO GO OUT BY ITSELF. THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT NO CONCLUSIVE CAUSE TO THE UNDER HOOD FIRE WAS FOUND. ALSO THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING WHEN A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM SLOWED DOWN TO STOP. THE BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10341189 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10854475 · 2016-04-08 (April 8, 2016)
WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS, OUR DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAGS CAME ON. THE DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE PART IS IN AN ELECTRICAL HOUSING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT TO BE REPLACED AS A WHOLE PART AT A COST OF $4000. A SEPARATE MECHANIC WE HAVE USED LONG TERM SAYS IT IS THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SEAT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THIS ONE IS AT A COST OF $6000. THEY BOTH STATE IT'S NOT PART OF THE RECENT AIRBAG RECALLS. THEY KNOW THE AIRBAGS HAVE NOT INFLATED, YET CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL INFLATE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE V…
Owner-reported narrative. 162,888 miles reported. Look up ODI 10854475 at NHTSA ↗