2004 Lexus RX330: complaints, problems and recalls

THE HEAD LIGHTS ON MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 ARE SO CONCENTRATED WITH LITTLE OR NO DIFFUSION OF LIGHT THAT WHEN THE ROAD IS NOT FLAT AND THERE IS A DIP I CAN'T SEE BEYOND 20 YARDS. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE ON THERE ARE SHADOWS THROUGH THE ENTIRE FIELD OF VIEW. THERE ARE DISTANT LINES OF DEMARCATION BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK. I FEEL THAT IT IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023215 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE SUN HIT THE DASHBOARD THE REFLECTION CAUSED A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH RESULTED IN POOR VISIBILITY. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025118 at NHTSA ↗

MANY OWNERS OF 2004 RX330 HAVE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL "LAG" IN SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS AROUND 20 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL REPORTS OF THE CAR REVVING TO "REDLINE" WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGING. THIS RESULTS IN THE VEHIBLE BECOMING IMMOBILE IN INTERSECTIONS OR WHEN EXITING TOOLBOOTHS. THERE IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM AT AROUND 40 MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE AT LEAST 6 TIMES, TWO OF WHICH NEARLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT FROM BEING "REAR-ENDED." LEXUS HAS RELEASED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE BUT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039614 at NHTSA ↗

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION HAS ACTED STRANGE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY WHEN CHANGING FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. WAS TOLD THE FIRST TIME THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE SHIFTS. AFTER THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE, WE TOOK IT BACK AGAIN. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE NOT THE ONLY OWNER THAT HAS COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AND THEY WOULD RE CALIBRATE THE CHIP THAT CONTROLS THE SHIFTING. GOT THE VEHICLE BACK AFTER THEY WORKED ON IT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10047346 at NHTSA ↗

THIS CAR HAS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE ENGINE REVS UP IN BETWEEN GEARS AND FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY SLUGGISH BETWEEN ALL GEARS. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THAT THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT IS GOING TO BE. WHEN THE CAR IS BETWEEN 2 & 3 I SOMETIMES FEEL THAT IT WILL LET GO ENTIRELY AND MIGHT CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10047589 at NHTSA ↗

HIGH-INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS ON 2004 LEXUS RX 330 DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE NIGHT VISION YET ARE SET ACCORDING TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER. ILLUMINATED DISTANCE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AT "NORMAL" BEAM DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE OBSTACLE RECOGNITION AND BRAKING TIME EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS OF 25-30 MPH ON DARK ROADS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10049191 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I SLOW MY LEXUS LS-430 DOWN TO ABOUT 10 - 15 MPH THEN ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE LIGHTLY, THE CAR WILL OFTEN NOT RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE. I'LL DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR FURTHER AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR WILL RESPOND BY DOWN SHIFTING INTO A LOWER GEAR AND ACCELERATING VERY RAPIDLY. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF THE "FLY-BY-WIRE" DESIGN OF THE THROTTLE AND THAT I'LL EVENTUALLY LEARN TO COMPENSATE. THEY STATED THAT THEY CANNOT REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER TO ELIMINATE THIS CONDITION SINCE THIS WOULD REQUIRE RECERTI…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052445 at NHTSA ↗

MY RX330 HAS JUST COME OUT OF THE DEALER SERVICE FOR THE SECOND TIME DUE TO A COMPLETE FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN NECESSARY. ESPECIALLY AS I SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH, AND THE TRY TO RE-ACCELERATE, THE RPM'S GO TO 5500 BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AND THE CLUTCH NEVER ENGAGES. YOU HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND LET THE RPM'S COME BACK DOWN AND TRY IT AGAIN. THIS HAS ALMOST GOT ME HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT LEAST 3 TIMES. ON THE FIRST SERVICE CALL THEY TRIED TO DO A TRANSMISSION "RESET" I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE 2500 MILES SINCE THEN AND IT MI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10054711 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-11-22 (November 22, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH AN IMPROPERLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. A SILICON OXIDE BUILD-UP OCCURS ON THE CONTACTS INSIDE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, WHICH CAN MAKE IT INOPERABLE.

Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS INOPERABLE, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2006-01-27 (January 27, 2006)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." THE ANCHOR BOLT FOR THE REAR, LEFT-HAND SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT STRENGTH.

Consequence: THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE THE REAR, LEFT-HAND SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR BOLT WITH AN IMPROVED ONE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 800-255-3987.

Reported: 2006-07-13 (July 13, 2006)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND HYBRID VEHICLES, THE TWO RETAINING CLIPS FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE FORWARD CENTER CONSOLE CAN BECOME LOOSE. IF BOTH CLIPS SEPARATE FROM THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ROD.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO FLOOR CARPET COVER RETAINING CLIPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 24, 2006, AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SEPTEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2011-02-24 (February 24, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES. IF THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, WHICH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE, IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. A STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED AND SUSTAINED VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE FREE OR CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Reported: 2011-11-09 (November 9, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.