2005 LEXUS ES Complaints

I BOUGHT A NEW 2005 LEXUS ES330 IN DECEMBER 2004. I CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 3,900 MILES ON IT. BEGINNING AT AROUND 1,000 MILES AND CONTINUING TO TODAY, I REGULARLY EXPERIENCE A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN I AM IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC AND PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN SMOOTHLY TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR DOES NOTHING FOR ABOUT 1-2 SECONDS. THEN THE CAR SURGES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE NEARLY REAR-ENDED OTHER CARS BECAUSE I CANNOT PREDICT OR CONTROL THIS TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SURGE PROBLEM. I EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I AM MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY AND NEED TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. IF I PRESS DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR 1-2 SECONDS, THEN THE CAR LEAPS FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE COME CLOSE TO CRASHING INTO OTHER CARS BECAUSE MY CAR JERKS FORWARD SO UNPREDICTABLY. TWO MONTHS AGO, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT (LEXUS KEARNY MESA IN SAN DIEGO) AND WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE STAFF THAT "THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED" AND "YOU'LL GET USED TO IT SOON". THIS PROBLEM IS NEITHER NORMAL NOR SAFE. EVERY SECOND COUNTS WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. TWO WEEKS AGO, I CALLED THE LEXUS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DEPT. AT 1-800-255-3987 AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION HESITATION/SURGE "DAILY". I ALSO WENT BACK TO LEXUS KEARNY MESA AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER. HE ADMITTED THAT SOME ES OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AND THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT CAN BE A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

WHEN SLOWING TO A NEAR STOP (LESS THAN 10 MPH) AND THEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE LAGS AND THEN LURCHES TO OVERCOMPENSATE. IT DOES THIS VIRTUALLY EVERYTIME, MAKING IT UNSAFE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *DSY

THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS TO REPORT, BUT I THINK IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CAR HESITATES AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS FREQUENTLY CAUSES HARROWING MOMENTS WHEN MERGING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, SUCH AS AT A STREET CORNER ON FREEWAY ON-RAMP.*AK

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

MY NEW 2005 LEXUS ES330 HAS VERY SIGNIFICANT HESITATION PROBLEMS. LEXUS SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAVE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE 4 TIMES AND STATE THAT IT IS WITHIN THEIR SPECIFICATIONS. I'M AFRAID THAT I'LL BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE HESITATION. *NM

THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *JB *SC

TRANMISSION PROBLEMS: I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION HESITATIONS WHICH I DO NOT EXPECT IN ANY TOYOTA PRODUCTS; ANOTHER WORD, THERE ARE HANG UPS BETWEEN GEARS, ESPECIALLY 1ST TO 2ND. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN A BUSY AND CRAZY HOUSTON TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT GIVE THE SUFFICIENT ACCELERATION WHEN ONE NEEDS IT. THAT 1 OR 2 SECOND HESITATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. TO CONFIRM THIS EXISTING PROBLEM, I TEST DROVE THE RX 330, HIGHLANDER AND SOLARA. IT IS EVEN WORSE

AFTER DECELERATING TO A RANGE OF 5-15 MPH AND UPON TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE CAR EXHIBITS A SIGNIFICANT LAG BEFORE IT ACCELERATES. DEALER STATES PER A TEST DRIVE THAT THIS BEHAVIOR IS PER DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDED THE USE OF PREMIUM FUEL (PER LEXUS OWNER'S MANUAL, REGULAR UNLEADED FUEL IS RECOMMENDED). THE PROBLEM IS 100% REPRODUCIBLE AT ANY TIME WITHIN THE SPEED RANGES AND SCENARIO DESCRIBED.*AK

I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED TWICE BECAUSE MY 2005 LEXUS ES 330 HAS A PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION AFTER COASTING. THERE IS A FEW SECONDS HESITATION BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE. *JB

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH HESITATION WITH MY 2005 LEXUS ES 330. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS THERE IS A LAG BEFORE THE ENGINE RESPONDS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS AUTOMOBILE. LEXUS SAID THE VEHICLE CHECKS OUT FINE. I DISAGREE AND FROM WHAT I READ ON THE NET THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN PAST YEARS WITH LEXUS AUTOMOBILES.*AK