2005 LEXUS ES330 Complaints

View complaints related to 2005 LEXUS ES330. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 140 complaints submitted for the 2005 LEXUS ES330. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - LOS ALTOS, CA

    WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT MY 2005 LEXUS 330 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND DID $1784 IN DAMAGE TO THE CAR. I DO NOT BELIEVE I PUSHED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SINCE THEN I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM AND HAVE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - HAWTHORNE, NJ

    2005 LEXUS ES330. HESITATION & STUMBLING ON ACCELERATION. ALSO TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 MODEL YEAR ES330. THERE WAS ONE REVISION OF TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE PROVIDED BUT IT DID NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS THE LEXUS DEALER STATED "THERE'S NOTHING MORE WE CAN DO." SEVERAL INTERNET POSTINGS SUGGEST THAT THIS "DELAY" OR HESITATION IS DESIGNED IN. ALSO, IF WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, RELEASED AND DEPRESSED AGAIN THERE IS A MUCH LONGER 2-3 SECOND DELAY UNTIL POWER IS DELIVERED AND TO GET PROPER UPSHIFTS AND DOWNSHIFTS I HAVE TO SHIFT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MANUALLY. THE LEXUS DEALER WAS/IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NO FIX BEYOND WHAT WAS PROVIDED FOR BACK IN 2005 BY LEXUS. THIS SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED ALONG WITH THE CURRENT CROP OF TOYOTA/LEXUS THROTTLE PROBLEMS. THANKS! *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - SAN JOSE, CA

    HELLO: I DRIVE A 2005 LEXUS ES330. WHILE I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM, THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE IS A DIFFERENT STORY. IF YOU ARE ENTERING AN ON RAMP TO A FREEWAY THEN RELEASE THE THROTTLE, THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY REAPPLY THE THROTTLE THE CAR WILL NOT RESPOND. IT TAKES 2 SECONDS OR SO BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS TO REV UP AND THE CAR IS DEFINITELY UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS. THIS PROCESS OF ACCELERATION, THE COASTING, THEN ACCELERATING AGAIN YIELDS THIS SAME RESULT WITH ALMOST 100% REPEATABILITY. THE INTERNET FORUMS ARE LOADED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. DEFINITELY SOMETHING IN THE ELECTRONICS IS NOT RIGHT! *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - GEORGETOWN, TX

    WE PURCHASED A 2005 330 LEXUS, SEPT, 2004. WE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE AUTO DE-ACCELERATING DURING LEFT TURNS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM AND COULDN'T BE FIXED. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT IT WASN'T SAFE SO LESS THAN 8 MONTHS LATER WE TRADED IT IN FOR A 2005 430 LEXUS WHICH HAS GIVEN US NO PROBLEM. THERE WAS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM. IT ALMOST STOPPED MAKING TURNS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - BURR RIDGE, IL

    I HAVE THE INFAMOUS ES330 HESITATION PROBLEM WHICH IS PART OF THE SUB-STANDARD OPERATING PARAMETERS OF THE CAR. WHEN PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER NEW IN 2005, I WAS ADVISED AFTER TAKING THE CAR BACK SEVERAL TIMES, THAT UPDATING ECC MODULE PROBABLY WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT DIDN'T. THE DEALERSHIP WAS VERY AWARE AND BLAMED THE LAG ON TOYOTA'S "DRIVE BY WIRE? DESIGN USED ON THIS CAR. FURTHER, THEY SAID LEXUS NEW ABOUT AND PROBABLY WOULDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE NEXT MODEL YEAR. THE HESITATION IS ESPECIALLY APPARENT WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A FULL STOP OR WHEN POWER IS REQUIRED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. TO COMPENSATE, THE DRIVER HAS TO KEEP PUSHING DOWN ON THE GAS UNTIL THE CAR DECIDES TO ACCELERATE -- THEN THE DRIVER HAS TO QUICKLY EASE UP ON THE GAS TO KEEP THE CAR FROM OVER ACCELERATING. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - CANTON, OH

    2005 LEXUS ES330 WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CONSUMER STATED ON TWO INCIDENTS HER VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED. IN ONE INCIDENT THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED IF FELT AS THOUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD AND TOOK OFF FROM A PARKING LOT, DOWN A SLOPE, INTO TRAFFIC AND INTO AN ONCOMING CAR. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THAT THE FLOOR MATS HAD POSSIBLY BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCELERATION. *JB

    Source: CONSUMER LETTER
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - ALLEN, TX

    ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECOMES HARD OFTEN. THIS CAUSES ABNORMAL RESPONSE WHILE ACCELERATING. COMPLAINED A FEW TIMES TO THE DEALER WHEN BOUGHT THIS CAR. THEY UPGRADED ECM SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. DEALER SAYS THIS IS HOW ACCELERATION BY WIRE WORKS. I NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEHAVIOR WITH ANY OF MY CARS INCLUDING TOYOTA BEFORE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE LEXUS SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM AS IT MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT IF I'M NOT VERY AWARE DURING DRIVING WITH THIS ISSUE - LUCKILY, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT SO FAR. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - WEST SPRING PINES, NC

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH, WITHOUT A WARNING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN AND WHEN HE PUT PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE OFF NORMALLY. THERE WERE ONLY DAMAGES TO THE RIMS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST HIM WITH THE ISSUE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD.THIS ACCELERATION PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED THREE TIMES AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE TO- DATE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25003.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - LA MESA, CA

    I DRIVE A 2005 ESS330 LEXUS. ON SATURDAY, FEB 13 I DROVE UP A RAMP IN A PARKING STRUCTURE AND UPON REACHING THE 2ND LEVEL IT FELT AS THOUGH I WAS DRIVING WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. UPON PARKING, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BECAME LOCKED PREVENTING ME FROM MOVING FORWARD OR BACKWARD WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT. AFTER CHECKING ALL FOUR WHEELS, I CONCLUDED THAT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS QUITE OVERHEATED TO THE POINT THAT IT MADE CLICKING SOUNDS COMMON WHEN CARS ARE HOT. IN THE TIME IT TOOK A TOW TRUCK DRIVER TO ARRIVE, THE WHEEL HAD COOLED AND I COULD DRIVE IT OUT OF THE STRUCTURE. THE TOW TRUCK COULD NOT FIT IN THE SECOND LEVEL. MY CAR DROVE PERFECTLY! I HAD IT TOWED TO MY AUTO MECHANIC AND THEY AREN'T HAVING LUCK GETTING THE CAR TO REPEAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY ARE HESISTANT TO RELEASE IT BACK TO ME DUE TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE BRAKE LOCKING UP AGAIN ON THE ROAD INSTEAD OF JUST IN A PARKING STRUCTURE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2005 LEXUS ES330
    - JERSEY CITY, NJ

    I WAS DRIVING OUR LEXUS ES330 WITH MY WIFE FROM NJ TO CT ON A HIGHWAY. AT ONE POINT DURING THE DRIVE, REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, BUT INSTEAD OF SLOWING DOWN, THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING. IN PANIC I STARTED APPLYING THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO OTHER CAR RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MESSY CRASH. IT WAS VERY SCARY. EVENTUALLY ACCELERATOR STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE CAR STOPPED IN LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. I CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS NOT INCLUDED THIS MODEL IN THEIR RECALL LIST. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. AND, I CHECKED IT THEN, THE MAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS NOT STUCK IN THE GAS PEDAL. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE