Lexus ES330 problems and owner complaints

I WAS RIDING THE BRAKE INTO A PARKING SPACE AND WAS ALMOST FINISHED PARKING (MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE) WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND TRAVELED THROUGH A SHORT WOODED AREA THEN OVER A 12 FOOT DROP TO A ROAD WITH TRAFFIC BELOW. THE FRONT OF THE CAR CRASHED INTO A STONE WALL, CRASHED BACK INTO THE STONE WALL THAT THE CAR FLEW OVER, AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM WHERE IT FLEW OVER THE DROP. AIRBAG DEPLOYED, SEATBELT WAS ON. I WAS TAKEN TO THE ER VIA AMBULANCE WITH A BROKEN NOSE, CONCUSSION,…

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10632826 at NHTSA ↗

I CONTINUALLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE DISC BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE. THE PADS DON'T WEAR DOWN VERY MUCH, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL GETS LOW AND SPONGY. THIS IS AFTER NORMAL DRIVING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10939684 at NHTSA ↗

(1) CAR WAS NEARLY NEW, ONLY 100 MILES, NO ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR UP TO THAT POINT. (2) WHILE SHIFTING INTO PARK AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF PARKING, AND WITH NO PRESSURE ON ACCELLERATOR, CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD, STRIKING CONCRETE STANCHEON OF PARKING LOT LIGHT POLE. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT BUMPER, FRAME, RIGHT QUARTER-PANEL, RIGHT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING OVER $4,000 IN REPAIR COSTS. (3) ABOVE PROBLEMS WERE REPAIRED BY A DEALER-APPROVED AUTO BODY SHOP. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096389 at NHTSA ↗

LEXUS ES330 2005 ECTI TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED ON THE FIRST DAY OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A DISTINCT HESITATION UPON ACCELERATING, FOLLOWED BY A LURCH. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THE DEALERSHIP, BECAUSE IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM RELATED TO THE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED TRANSMISSION WITH INTELLIGENCE AND THE FACTORY WAS WORKING ON A REMEDY. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10113845 at NHTSA ↗

WAS DRIVING 2004ES 330 LEXUS ON INTERSTATE, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, CLOUDY DAY @1:20PM. HAD BEEN ON INTERSTATE FOR MAYBE 15-18 MINS OF DRIVING BEFORE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ALL OF A SUDDEN STEERING SEEM TO LOCK AND CAR JUST STARTED SPINNING UNCONTROLLABLE. HIT ONE BRICK OVERPASS THEN SPRUNG INTO THE OPPOSITE SIDE, HITTING ANOTHER BRICK WALL,CONTINUED TO SPIN UNTIL IT REST AGAINST THE BRICK WALL AGAIN. AFTER HELP CAME TO PULL ME OUT, CAR WAS SMOKING. WE COULD NOT GET IT INTO PARK TO PREVENT FROM CONTINUE TO ROLL BACKWARDS. WE JUST LEFT DOOR OPEN...REST …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10689504 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INSPECTED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V539000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), BUT THE REPAIR WAS NEVER PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 175,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10936761 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL, FUEL GAUGE, AND HORN FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL HOUSING SYSTEM OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 154,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10861363 at NHTSA ↗

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN IDLE AND WON'T GO OFF. CODE B1787. NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. UNPLUGGED AND RE-PLUGGED ALL CONNECTIONS; DISCONNECTED BATTERY FOR 15 MINUTES BUT DID NOT RESET LIGHT. DEALER CHECKED AND COULD NOT RESET SYSTEM. NO AIR BAG PROTECTION NOW. FIX REQUIRES NEW SEAT WITH SENSORS EST $4500. CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX.

Owner-reported narrative. 158,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11172702 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWN IN SEPTEMBER 2007. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A MONTH OR TWO. I EXPERIENCE A CONSISTENT HESITATION ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD RESET SOMETHING IN THE COMPUTER TO ADJUST TO MY DRIVING STYLE. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HELP. SO I'VE TAKEN IT BACK 2 TIMES SINCE AND THEY SAY IT'S THE NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE DRIVE BY WIRE AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION IN MY LEXUS ES330 APPEARS NOT TO SHIFT DOWN NORMALLY UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO …

Owner-reported narrative. 66,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10296814 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION HESITATES FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 CAUSING A FEELING THAT THE CAR MAY STALL OR LUNGE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. I PURCHASED THE CAR A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH 22,500 MILES. I BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER'S ATTENTION AND READ ABOUT IT ONLINE. APPARENTLY, LEXUS PROVIDES A "FLASH" FIX TO THE SOFTWARE. BUT, MY LOCAL LEXUS SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED NOT USING THE FIX BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THE FIX CAN CAUSE DAMAGE SOMEHOW TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER THAT IS IRREPARABLE. APPARENTLY, THE FIX IS NOT ALWAY…

Owner-reported narrative. 23,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10306244 at NHTSA ↗