2004 LEXUS RX330 Complaints

WE OWN A 2004 LEXUS 330. ON A TRIP JULY 1, 2010, OUR 6-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FELL ASLEEP IN HER BOOSTER SEAT AND THE SEATBELT SHOULDER HARNESS WENT BEHIND HER WHEN SHE FELL TO THE SIDE. WE PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO HELP HER GET READJUSTED. WE UNLATCHED THE BUCKLE; THE SEAT BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND HER TORSO AND THE SEATBELT LOCKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORKED TO TRY TO RELEASE HER. WE TRIED TO EXTRACT HER THROUGH THE SEATBELT, BUT IT WAS WOUND TOO TIGHTLY AROUND HER TORSO. WE TRIED TO RETRACT THE SEATBELT A BIT SO THE LOCKING SYSTEM WOULD RELEASE; HOWEVER, THE SEATBELT KEPT TIGHTENING AND LOCKING WITH EACH MOVEMENT UNTIL SHE COULD BARELY BREATHE AND THE SEATBELT WAS DIGGING INTO HER MIDSECTION NEARLY 3 INCHES ALL AROUND. SHE WAS LITERALLY BEING CRUSHED TO DEATH. PANICKED, WE SEARCHED THE CAR FOR MY HUSBAND'S SWISS ARMY KNIFE, WHICH LUCKILY HE HAD IN HIS LUGGAGE. WE WERE PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD NOT NEAR ANY FACILITY OR TOWN - HAD WE NOT HAD A KNIFE IN THE CAR, THE MALFUNCTION OF THE SEATBELT LOCKING SYSTEM WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A TRAGEDY. WE CAN BARELY BRING OURSELVES TO IMAGINE HOW A SEEMINGLY NORMAL INCIDENT OF A CHILD GETTING ENTANGLED IN THEIR SEATBELT COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A FATALITY. YET, THIS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CUT THE SEATBELT. THERE IS NO OTHER MANUAL RELEASE AVAILABLE. OUR DAUGHTER SUSTAINED CONSIDERABLE BRUISING AROUND HER SIDES AND BACK AND PAIN IN HER ABDOMEN. 6-8 INCH LONG BRUISES. WE HAVE PHOTOS OF THIS. THIS INCIDENT WAS ALSO SEVERELY EMOTIONALLY DISTRESSFUL FOR HER AND US. WE FOUND A RECALL FOR 2006 LEXUS VEHICLES FOR THIS FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT LOCKING SYSTEM TO DISENGAGE. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER MODELS. WE HAVE CONTACTED OUR LEXUS DEALER AND WERE TOLD THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THIS MODEL. WE ARE AWAITING RESPONSE FROM LEXUS HEADQUARTERS ON HOW TO OBTAIN THE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT. *TR

I WAS PULLING INTO A CURBSIDE PARKING PLACE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET WITH A SLIGHT UPHILL INCLINE. THE CAR SLOWED ALMOST TO A STOP BECAUSE OF THE INCLINE. I PUT MY FOOT VERY LIGHTLY ON THE GAS PEDAL SO AS TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE ROOM FOR ANOTHER CAR TO PARK BEHIND ME. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR OF ITS OWN ACCORD AND THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR, REVERSE AND PARK. POLICE WERE CALLED BUT DECLINED TO FILE A REPORT AS NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THE DAMAGE WAS NOT SEVERE. BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND HAS BEEN SERVICED. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING INSPECTED. THIS IS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME OF SUCH AN OCCURRENCE. *TR

AT FREEWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH A LOUD POP WAS HEARD FROM THE RIGHT REAR "C" PILLAR AREA. UPON EXAMINATION IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE PLASTIC MOLDING AROUND THE "C" PILLAR GLASS AND FRAMING HAD POPPED OUT AND WAS DANGLING ON ONE EDGE. PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AT A SAFE SPOT AND OBSERVED THE MOLDING HAD POPPED CLEAN FROM IT'S FRAME AS IF SOMEONE HAD NEATLY PUSHED IT OUT FROM THE INSIDE. IF THIS PIECE HAD COMPLETELY LEFT IT'S PLACE, IT MAY HAVE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT WAS BEHIND OR ADJACENT TO ME. *TR

I HAVE 2004 LEXUS RX330. YESTERDAY, APRIL 26TH, 2010 WHILE DRIVING TO LOCAL BANK, I NEEDED TO APPLY THE BRAKES. I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT MADE SOME WEIRD SOUND AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE HAD HARD TIME STOPPING. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO COME BACK HOME SAFELY. THE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE BARELY STOPS. I DO NOT SEE ANY LEAKS IN MY GARAGE WHERE VEHICLE IS ALWAYS PARKED. I TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER AND HE SAYS MASTER CYLINDER HAS INTERNAL LEAK AND NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH BRAKE PADS BOTH FRONT AND BACK. *TR

2004 LEXUS RX 330. CONSUMER STATES UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BACKWARDS CAUSING A CRASH. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PARKING WHEN SHE PUT THE GEAR INTO REVERSE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AT A HIGH SPEED, WENT OVER A LANDSCAPE AND ROLLED OVER TWO PARKED VEHICLES. *JB

I HAVE A 2004 LEXUS RX 330 WITH A MAJOR PROBLEM OF RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. UNLESS THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY STEERED BACK ON THE ROAD IT WILL RUN YOU INTO THE DITCH IN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAD IT IN FOR THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES. (POHANKA LEXUS, CHANTILLY VA.) THEY COULD NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND EVENTUALLY JUST USE AN EXCUSES LIKE THE CROWN IN THE ROAD. I HAVE VERY FEW MILES ON THIS CAR BECAUSE IT IS MY WIFE'S AND SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. PLEASE SEE HOW MANY RX 330 2004 LEXUS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS OF CROSSING INTO TRAFFIC OR RUNNING OFF THE ROAD. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I BOUGHT MY LEXUS IN 2007. IT IS A 2004 RX LEXUS 330 IT HAD 31,000 MILES WHEN BOUGHT. SINCE I HAD THE CAR MY RADIATOR WAS BROKEN AND THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY. BEFORE THIS I REMEMBER STOPPING TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE FELT THE CAR WAS STALLING AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WRONG ITS JUST I HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT THE WAY I DRIVE WITH SPEED. NOW IN 2010 I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING OR LAGGING WITH THE RPM AND A LITTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I REALLY THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I READ ALOT OF REVIEWS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND THE CAR DOESNT EVEN HAVE THAT MANY MILES. I SPENT ALOT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR AND THEY SHOULD TAKE THIS PROBLEMS IN CONSIDERATION REALLY. *TR

VEHICLE PERIODICALLY (APPROX. WEEKLY) SURGES BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE PURCHASE IN OCT. 2003, AS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE, UP THROUGH THE PRESENT DATE. FOR YEARS I COMPLAINED VERBALLY, AND WROTE LETTERS AND E-MAILS TO LEXUS. THEY FIRST DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN CHANGED TACTICS AND BLAMED IT ON ME, THEN SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS OR IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN LEXUS FINALLY ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM--"OFF THE RECORD," BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THEY WOULD INSTALL COMPUTER UPDATES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM--WHICH IT DID NOT. YEARS AGO, I RESEARCHED THROUGH GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME KIND WITH 2004 LEXUS RX 330S. IN LIGHT OF RECENT RECALLS OF TOYOTA VEHICLES, I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY SOMEDAY TURN INTO THE SAME UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING WITH OTHER TOYOTAS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH EXTREME FORCE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INTENSE PAIN TO THE ANKLE WITH OTHER MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED FOR DAMAGES. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. UPDATED 05/11/10. *JB

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THREE TIMES DURING THE TWO YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT.. THIS HAPPENED ON OCCASIONS WHEN I HAD SLOWED DOWN AND THEN SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO RESUME SPEED. WITH THE GAS PEDAL SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED, I FELT THE PEDAL GO FURTHER DOWN BY ITSELF, LEAVING MY FOOT AND THE CAR GOING FASTER. I SAID, "WHOA! WHAT WAS THAT?, AND THEN ASSUMED THAT THE CAR HAD SOME SORT OF OVERDRIVE THAT CAUSED IT TO DO THAT. ON TWO OF THE OCCASIONS THIS OCCURRED WHEN I HAD SLOWED TO EXIT A FREEWAY, AND THEN SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO RESUME SPEED AND GET ONTO AN ACCESS ROAD. I HAVE CALLED THE LEXUS DEALER AND AM TAKING IT IN TO BE CHECKED.*TR