IllustrationTHE JENCI'S CONTEND THAT MRS. JENCI PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, IT THEN SURGED, MADE A LOUD SOUND AND LUNGED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. *NM
2004 Lexus Es 330
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Other model years Selected year
Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
590–25K
1825–50K
1750–75K
775–100K
4100–150K
7150K+
112 reports with mileage · 41 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
28 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
8 reportsWHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE HESITATED THEN SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS CONDITION WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK *NM
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED AT LOW SPEED. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. MANUFACTURER INSISTED THERE IWASNOTHING DEFECTIVE ON THE VEHICLE.*AK
STANDARD COMPLAINT FOR THIS CAR. ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DELAY WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED THEN SUDDENLY DEPRESSED. THIS OCCURS WHEN MERGING ONTO FREEWAYS, 4 WAY STOPS, A TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGES, AND WHEN PULLING OUT TO PASS OR IN CERTAIN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS. THE DELAY IS APPROXIMATELY 1 OR 1.5 SECONDS AND DISRUPTS TIMING WHEN …
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STANDARD COMPLAINT FOR THIS CAR. ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DELAY WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED THEN SUDDENLY DEPRESSED. THIS OCCURS WHEN MERGING ONTO FREEWAYS, 4 WAY STOPS, A TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGES, AND WHEN PULLING OUT TO PASS OR IN CERTAIN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS. THE DELAY IS APPROXIMATELY 1 OR 1.5 SECONDS AND DISRUPTS TIMING WHEN YOU DEPEND ON THROTTLE RESPONSE THE MOST! THIS HAS LED TO SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS. DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT WHEN CAR WAS 1 WEEK OLD AND I WAS TOLD THE ADAPTIVE SYSTEM NEEDS 1,000 MILES TO LEARN MY DRIVING HABITS. THE DEALER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS ALL THE 2004 ES330S SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. LEXUS CUSTOMER CARE CLAIMS THAT THE "CAR IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED". THERE IS AND WILL BE NO ATTEMPT BY LEXUS CO. TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THE DEALER'S HANDS ARE TIED AT THIS POINT SINCE THE COMPANY NEEDS TO ENGINEER A FIX. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE HESITATED UPON ACCELERATION FOR A FEW SECONDS. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY MANUFACTURER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES IT HESITATED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. AFTER ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO ANY PARTICULAR GEAR. ALSO, ENGINE WOULD WHINE DURING THIS PROCESS. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO ADAPT TO THE DRIVERS HABITS.*AK
EVER SINCE I PURCHASED BY 2004 LS430, I HAVE NOTICED AN UNACCEPTABLE ENGINE VIBRATION. THIS IS NOTICEABLE DURING IDLE/FIRST START-UP. THE ENGINE VIBRATES AND CAN BE FELT IN TO THE CABIN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE ENGINE REVS ARE BETWEEN 1200 -1400 RPMS. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR A $62K LEXUS! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTE…
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EVER SINCE I PURCHASED BY 2004 LS430, I HAVE NOTICED AN UNACCEPTABLE ENGINE VIBRATION. THIS IS NOTICEABLE DURING IDLE/FIRST START-UP. THE ENGINE VIBRATES AND CAN BE FELT IN TO THE CABIN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE ENGINE REVS ARE BETWEEN 1200 -1400 RPMS. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR A $62K LEXUS! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF A LEXUS DEALER AND HAVE GOTTEN THE "IT MUST BE BAD GAS" BS. I TOLD THEM I ONLY USE CHEVRON SUPREME (92), WHICH I ALSO USE IN MY BMW WITH NO PROBLEM. A SECOND TIME, THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND NOT A PROBLEM. THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULDNT IN A VEHICLE. *AK
FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED MY LEXUS RX330,I HAVE EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING IMPROPERLY. THOUGH I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO LEXUS MANY TIMES THEY HAVE NOT FIX THESE PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.*AK
Official recalls
104V595000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Dec 15, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT PASSENGER POWER SEAT, WHEN INSTALLING CERTAIN REAR-FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT BASES ONTO THE SEAT WITH AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH SEATBELT TENSION, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO UNSEAT A COMPONENT CALLED THE BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH FROM THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SWITCH BECOMES UNSEATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAY MISTAKE THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT FOR AN UNBELTED ADULT OCCUPANT, AND MAY NOT SUPPRESS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (SSC 40M) BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987..
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP05002 · Vehicle Speed Control
Opened Aug 5, 2005 · Closed Jan 5, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
IN A LETTER DATED JULY 8, 2005, AND AFTER EXPERIENCING TWO INCIDENTS (AND ONE CRASH) WHERE HE ALLEGES HIS MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 CAMRY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, MR. JORDAN ZIPRIN PETITIONED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION?S (NHTSA) OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) TO COMMENCE A PROCEEDING TO DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE ETC SYSTEM IN MY 2002 TO 2005 TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES, OR TO REOPEN A PRIOR INVESTIGATION PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE) 04-021.IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 18, 2005, MR. ZIPRIN AMENDED HIS PETITION TO INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF INTERRELATED BRAKE AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS THAT ALLEGEDLY RESULT IN INAPPROPRIATE AND UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE ACCELERATIONS.THE 1172 VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE REPORTS CITED BY THE PETITIONER INVOLVE 4 LEXUS AND 15 TOYOTA MODELS DEFINING A POPULATION OF 7 MILLION VEHICLES.THE REPORTS TYPICALLY ALLEGED A DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH SYSTEMS.IN ITS REVIEW OF THE REPORTS, ODI A) FAILED TO FIND EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF A BRAKE RELATED DEFECT IN THE CITED MODELS, AND B) DETERMINED THAT MANY CITED PRODUCTS WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ETC.ACCORDINGLY, ODI RESTRICTED ITS ANALYSIS TO THE 432 PETITIONER REPORTS INVOLVING MY 2002 TO 2005 CAMRY, SOLARA, AND ES MODELS (ALL EQUIPPED WITH ETC) THAT ALLEGED AN ABNORMAL THROTTLE CONTROL EVENT (SEE THE JANUARY 3, 2006 FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE FOR FURTHER DETAILS).ABOUT 40% OF THE 432 REPORTS INVOLVE A DRIVEABILITY CONCERN WHERE THE OPERATOR INTENTIONALLY APPLIES THE THROTTLE PEDAL, IN EXPECTATION THAT THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE, AND THEN EXPERIENCES A DELAY OR HESITATION IN VEHICLE RESPONSE.THESE REPORTS INVOLVE VEHICLE RESPONSE TO INTENTIONAL DRIVER COMMANDS WHICH ODI CONSIDERS UNRELATED TO THE ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY THE PETITIONER.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED.ABOUT 20% OF THE REPORTS INVOLVE INCIDENTS WHERE OPERATORS ALLEGE VEHICLE ACCELERATION WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND AN INABILITY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED.NEITHER THE REPORTS, NOR THE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY ODI, IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE INCIDENTS OR DISCLOSED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE OR THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM HAD OCCURRED.BECAUSE THESE REPORTS DO NOT INDICATE A DISTINCT SAFETY DEFECT FOR INVESTIGATION, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED BY THE PETITIONERTHE REMAINING REPORTS (~ 40%, SIMILAR TO THE PETITIONER?S AND THOSE OF PE04-021) TYPICALLY DESCRIBE INCIDENTS WHERE A VEHICLE IS BEING MANEUVERED AT SLOW SPEED IN A CLOSE QUARTER SITUATION AT WHICH POINT THE OPERATOR ALLEGES THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND CRASHES.IN THE AFTERMATH, OPERATORS ARE UNSURE OF WHETHER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED OR NOT, SOMETIMES STATING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO USE THE BRAKE; A CRASH OCCURRED AND THE OPERATOR BELIEVES AN UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION CAUSED IT.IN SPITE OF THE EFFORT EXPENDED DURING PE04-021 AND DURING THIS ANALYSIS, ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTS, OR UNCOVERED ANY EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT A THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURRED.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS HAVE AMBIGUOUS SIGNIFICANCE AND DO NOT CONSTITUTE A BASIS ON WHICH ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION IS WARRANTED.BASED ON THE ANALYSIS CONDUCTED, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES T