2005 Lexus RX: complaints, problems and recalls

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (HUNTING FOR GEARS, JERKING AND HESITATION) ON A 2005 LEXUS RX330 - AWD. HAVE EXPERIENCED NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO VEHICLE HESITATION WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, CROSSING INTERSECTIONS, OR MAKING TURNS. WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLES HESITATES FOR 3-5 SECONDS. HAVE HAD "FLASH" SERVICE DONE TO ECU. SAME ISSUES STILL EXIST. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160788 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE GEARS AUTOMATICALLY. THE PROBLEM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND REFUSED FURTHER SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165114 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX 330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS LIFTGATE HAS AN AUTOMATIC PNEUMATIC DOOR LIFT DEVICE. HE COULD NOT SEE THAT THE LIFTGATE WAS OPENED AND WAS CERTAIN THAT IT WAS FULLY CLOSED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR THE LIFTGATE. THE LIFTGATE HAD AUTOMATICALLY OPENED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211170 at NHTSA ↗

IN 2005 I BOUGHT THE LEXUS 400 HYBRID. I IMMEDIATELY DETECTED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES - THERE WAS A HESITATION WHEN DEPRESSED AND THEN A SECOND OR TWO IT WOULD ENGAGE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO "GET USED TO HYBRID DRIVING." WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE IN MARCH OF 2006 I AGAIN TOLD THE DEALER THAT THE BREAKS WERE NOT RIGHT. THEY DID THEIR ASSESSMENT AND TOLD ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT IS. NOW HEARING ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA AND LEXUS I THINK YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS. I RECENTLY WROTE TO LEXUS AND THEY IMMEDIATELY B…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10311187 at NHTSA ↗

UPON SLOWING FROM 40MPH TO A STOP OR ALMOST A STOP, TO MAKE A TURN, THE CAR HESITATES BEFORE ACCELERATING. THIS HESITATION HAS CAUSED BOTH ME AND MY WIFE TO ABRUPTLY ABORT LEFT TURNS. THIS BEHAVIOR IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR DRIVERS IN THE CONGESTED NY METROPOLITAN AREA. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FRIGHTENING CLOSE CALLS WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING AN EMERGENCY ABORT OF A TURN. THIS HESITATION ALSO MANIFESTS ITSELF WHEN YOU LIFT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN GET BACK ON THE GAS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER N…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319919 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING PLACE IN OUR UNDERGROUND GARAGE I PUT ON THE BRAKE TO GO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE THE ENGINE RACED UP AND THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. I WAS ONLY 15 FEET FROM A BRICK WALL OF WHICH I HIT AT AN ANGLE. I BOUNCED OFF THIS WALL AND WENT 10 FEET FURTHER HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER WALL. I DID NOT TOUCH THE GAS PETAL, THE MATS ARE RUBBER AND WERE NOT A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE JUST SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AS SOON AS I COULD BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425322 at NHTSA ↗

THE CHROME IN THE INTERIOR OF THE WHEELS BUBBLE AND DELAMINATE. THIS CAUSED THE TIRE TO LOSE PRESSURE SLOWLY, UNTIL TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE TIRE FAILURES RENDERED THE TIRES IRREPARABLE, EVEN IF THE TIRE WAS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD. SO FAR THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THREE OF THE FOUR WHEELS SUPPLIED BY LEXUS AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. ALL FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THE LEXUS HAS A LOW PRESSURE WARNING INDICATOR, BUT IT HAS NOT ACTIVATED DURING THESE TIMES. THE TIRE PRESSURES ARE REGULARLY CHECKED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10443390 at NHTSA ↗

LEXUS RX 330 HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVE. EVERYTIME I WASH MY RX330 OR IF IT RAINS, WATER LEAK IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY CREATES MOISTURE INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS CAUSES LESS VISIBILITY AT NIGHTS AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON THE WEB; HOWEVER, LEXUS/TOYOTA WILL NOT RECALL THEIR DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. THEY ARE EVEN RELUCTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE. WILL APPRECIATE IF NHTSA INVESTIGATES THIS ISSUE AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTION AGAINST LEXUS ASAP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469162 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-10-21 (October 21, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Consequence: A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 AND LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.