2005 Lexus RX330 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
165 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 123 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 29 of 165 complaints (17.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 29 | 17.6% |
| Braking behavior | 24 | 14.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 6.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 4.2% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Steering | 29 |
| Exterior Lighting | 22 |
| Structure | 19 |
| Unknown Or Other | 15 |
| Air Bags | 14 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Power Train | 11 |
Steering: 29; Exterior Lighting: 22; Structure: 19; Unknown Or Other: 15; Air Bags: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Engine: 11; Power Train: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 19 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 26 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 28 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 29 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 26; 75,000 to 99,999: 28; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 10
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 42 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 17 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 30 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
2005: 8; 2006: 3; 2008: 2; 2009: 15; 2010: 18; 2011: 17; 2012: 10; 2013: 13; 2014: 30; 2015: 17; 2016: 8; 2017: 9; 2018: 11; 2019: 2; 2020: 1; 2021: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 10 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 10267017 · 2009-04-27 (April 27, 2009)
STEERING KEEPS GETTING LOCKED UP. THIS TIME THAT IT HAPPENED, IT WOULD NOT REVERSE ITSELF AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED INTO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10267017 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10298173 · 2010-01-04 (January 4, 2010)
DURING ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION, DEALER INFORMED ME THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AND MUST BE REPLACED. THE COST TO REPLACE THE RACK IS ESTIMATED AT $1600. FROM READING SIMILAR STORIES FOR LEXUS VEHICLES, I UNDERSTAND THE LEAK COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE STEERING SYSTEM AND POSSIBLE FIRES FROM FLUIDS ON THE ALTERNATOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10298173 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10111690 · 2005-02-17 (February 17, 2005)
WHILE BRAKING FROM 50 TO 60 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO APPLIEDTHE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARTE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER REPLACE THE BRAKE BOOSTER THE FIRST AND THE SECOND TIME THEY WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10111690 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10291963 · 2009-11-12 (November 12, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX30. WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT INTENTION. CONSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED $9,088 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 22,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10291963 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10124089 · 2005-06-03 (June 3, 2005)
2004 LEXUS RX 330: BASICALLY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GEAR DOWN SATISFACTORILY, UNTIL IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. A SLOW TURN AND THEN ACCELERATION WILL 'ALWAYS' RESULT IN 'LAGGING' OF GEAR CHANGES, THEN IT WILL FINALLY GEAR DOWN AND LURCH INTO THE LOWER GEAR. IT'S AGGRAVATING AND CAN BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS IN TIGHT CROWDED FREEWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS WHERE IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN SPEED UP WITHOUT GETTING REAR-ENDED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO HAS A VERY LOUD "WHINING" AS SOON AS YOU LET OFF ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR HAS …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124089 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10292648 · 2009-11-18 (November 18, 2009)
TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINTS ARE OCCASIONALLY NOT SMOOTH AND EXHIBIT INCONSISTENT ENGINE RPM SHIFT POINTS. INITIALLY NOTICED WHEN DRIVING UPHILL AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. NO ERROR CODES HAVE BEEN FOUND BY THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. A FIRMWARE UPDATE ON THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN TRIED TWO TIMES WITH LIMITED SUCCESS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO. THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ELIMINATED. OCCASIONAL HARD UPSHIFTS ARE FELT UNDER LOW LOAD AND THROTTLE. FEELS LIKE THE NEXT GEAR UP OR OVERDRIVE IS CON…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,675 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292648 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139135 · 2005-10-09 (October 9, 2005)
I HAVE A LEXUS RX330 AWD (2005) WITH HIDS IN NJ. THE VEHICLE IS REALLY GOOD AND SO IS THE HEADLIGHTS. NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE RIDE AND LUXURY. BUT ITS DISAPPOINTING TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES AND THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS I AM HAVING FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE HID HEADLIGHTS WERE STOLEN TWICE AND I AM HAVING SCARY NIGHTS AFTER SPENDING 40K ON THIS LUXURY SUV. ONE OF THE BIG REASON WHY I WENT FOR RX 330 FROM THE OTHER BRANDS WAS THE KNOWN QUALITY OF SERVICE AND RELIABILITY OF THE LEXUS BRAND. BUT NOW I AM TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED. LEXUS SHOULD…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10139135 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10349216 · 2010-08-13 (August 13, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS THAT THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS HAVE BURNED OUT BECAUSE THE RUBBER SEAL USED WAS NOT OF GOOD QUALITY. THE DEALER STATED THAT WAS THE TRIM AND IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. EACH HEAD LAMP HAD A COMPUTER AND THE LACK OF SEAL ALLOWED WATER INTO THE HEAD LAMPS AND SHORT CIRCUIT THE COMPUTER. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT WAS REPLACED AND THE DRIVER SIDE HAS CONDENSATION INSIDE OF IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96000.
Owner-reported narrative. 88,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10349216 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10303052 · 2010-01-28 (January 28, 2010)
I OWN A 2005 LEXUS RX330. I PURCHASED IT USED IN SEPTEMBER 2007. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT, I HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS PEDAL THERE WAS A FEELING OF A LOSS OF POWER - A HESITATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR WORK UNDER WORK IN FEBRUARY 2008, AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN IMPROPER SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS RECALIBRATED BY A TECHNICIAN. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE AGAIN HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THERE WAS A HESITATION IN SUPPLY POWER. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SIMILAR COMPLAINT AND IF MY …
Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10504460 · 2013-03-25 (March 25, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WATER COOLANT LEAKED ONTO THE TIMING BELT AND BOTH THE WATER PUMP AND THE TIMING BELT WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504460 at NHTSA ↗