HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION OF 1-3 SECONDS. AT CRUCIAL DRIVING POINTS (E.G., THROUGH INTERSECTIONS), THE HESITATION IS DANGEROUS FOR THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. THE PROBLEM NOW OCCURS REGULARLY. *JB
2005 Lexus Es
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
Compare all Es years →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
35 reports with mileage · 23 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 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
24 reportsI PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 IN AUGUST OF 2004 AND HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION ACCELERATION / DECELERATION PROBLEMS CITED HERE IN SINCE THE PURCHASE DATE. I HAVE HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR REPAIR, PLUS A FIFTH VISIT WITH THE LEXUS MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE. THEY HAVE UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE AND RESET THE ECM MEMORY…
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I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 IN AUGUST OF 2004 AND HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION ACCELERATION / DECELERATION PROBLEMS CITED HERE IN SINCE THE PURCHASE DATE. I HAVE HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR REPAIR, PLUS A FIFTH VISIT WITH THE LEXUS MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE. THEY HAVE UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE AND RESET THE ECM MEMORY EACH TIME, AND STATE THAT THERE IS NOTHING MECHANICAL WRONG WITH THE CAR. I CONCUR THAT THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, DUE TO THE DELAY AND LUNGING THAT CAN CAUSE YOU TO BE REAR ENDED OR TO REAR-END SOMEONE ELSE. LUCKILY, I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT - HOWEVER GIVEN THAT THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON THE LEXUS ES SINCE THE 2002 MODEL, I WOULD EXPECT LEXUS OR THE NHTSA TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING BY NOW. NOTE THAT I HAVE ALSO DRIVEN THE 2006 ES AS A LOANER WHILE MY CAR WAS BEING REPAIRED, AND IT TOO HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF FAILURES AT 300, AS THAT IS THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF DAYS I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. *NM *NM
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ACCELERATION AFTER SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A TRANSMISSION CHIP THAT WAS RECOGNIZED IN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE PROBLEM DIMINISHED FOR A WHILE, BUT THE CORRECTION DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONTA…
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DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ACCELERATION AFTER SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A TRANSMISSION CHIP THAT WAS RECOGNIZED IN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE PROBLEM DIMINISHED FOR A WHILE, BUT THE CORRECTION DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, BUT ENOUGH TIMES TO CAUSE THE CONTACT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE DECLINING TO OFFER ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS FOR A VEHICLE WITH ECTI. *AK
2005 LEXUS ES330 WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2004. SOMETIME BEFORE TAKING IT IN FOR THE 5000 MILE SERVICE I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WOULD LURCH WHEN ACCELERATED FROM A SPEED AROUND 10 MILES PER HOUR. THIS IS VERY DISCONCERTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I EXPLAINED …
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2005 LEXUS ES330 WAS PURCHASED IN DECEMBER 2004. SOMETIME BEFORE TAKING IT IN FOR THE 5000 MILE SERVICE I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WOULD LURCH WHEN ACCELERATED FROM A SPEED AROUND 10 MILES PER HOUR. THIS IS VERY DISCONCERTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I EXPLAINED THIS AT THE 5000 MILE SERVICE, BUT WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE IT. AT THE 10,000 MILE SERVICE I EXPLAINED THAT THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTED. AGAIN, WHEN I TALKED TO THE SERVICE CONSULTANT BEFORE PICKING UP THE CAR, HE SAID THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT REPLICATE IT ON THE 2 MILE TEST DRIVE. BUT HE SAID THAT THIS WAS THE DRIVER'S FAULT. THEN HE DID LET ME KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE WAY THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THE ES330 WERE DESIGNED AND THAT OTHERS HAD COMPLAINED OF THE SAME THING. THERE WERE NO ADJUSTMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE, THIS WAS THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REACT. *JB
I PURCHASED A 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND HAVE HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THE VEHICLE HESITATES DURING ACCELERATION AND SUDDENLY LURCHES FORWARD. ALSO, DURING DECELERATION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWS DOWN UPON RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I''…
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I PURCHASED A 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND HAVE HAD CONSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THE VEHICLE HESITATES DURING ACCELERATION AND SUDDENLY LURCHES FORWARD. ALSO, DURING DECELERATION THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SLOWS DOWN UPON RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I''M CONCERNED IT MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT HAVE RECEIVED A STANDARD RESPONSE THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I''M HOPING THE DOT WILL INITIATE A RECALL AND HAVE THE MANUFACTURER FIX THE PROBLEM. I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED AND SHOCKED AT THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPORTS FILED WITH THE DOT. *NM
THE CAR HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT LUNGES FORWARD. VERY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE. *NM
MY 2005 ES330 HAS A LURCHING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. LEXUS JUST REPLACED THE PROGRAM IN THE COMPUTER BUT NEVER TOLD ME THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IT IS TOO SOON TO TELL IF THE FIX WILL WORK. THEY JUST TOLD ME TO BUY PREMIUM GAS. I HAVE READ FROM MANY OTHER LEXUS CONSUMERS THAT THE "FIX" AND BETTER GAS DO NOT WORK. *…
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MY 2005 ES330 HAS A LURCHING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. LEXUS JUST REPLACED THE PROGRAM IN THE COMPUTER BUT NEVER TOLD ME THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IT IS TOO SOON TO TELL IF THE FIX WILL WORK. THEY JUST TOLD ME TO BUY PREMIUM GAS. I HAVE READ FROM MANY OTHER LEXUS CONSUMERS THAT THE "FIX" AND BETTER GAS DO NOT WORK. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES AND JERKS BACK. *AK
I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 AT LEXUS OF ANNAPOLIS IN MID-MARCH 2005 WITH ONLY 63 MILES ON IT. BY APRIL 9TH, I BEGAN TO NOTICE JERKING UPON ACCELERATION. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND SCHEDULED AND APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT EVALUATED. I TOOK IT IN, A TECHNICIAN RODE IN THE CAR WITH ME AND EXPLAINED THAT I NEEDE…
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I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 AT LEXUS OF ANNAPOLIS IN MID-MARCH 2005 WITH ONLY 63 MILES ON IT. BY APRIL 9TH, I BEGAN TO NOTICE JERKING UPON ACCELERATION. I CALLED THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND SCHEDULED AND APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT EVALUATED. I TOOK IT IN, A TECHNICIAN RODE IN THE CAR WITH ME AND EXPLAINED THAT I NEEDED TO USE PREMIUM GAS. I TOLD HIM THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A BRAND NEW CAR REQUIRING PREMIUM GAS, BUT I AGREED TO GIVE THIS A TRY TO SEE IF IT ALLEVIATES THE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT! HE ALSO STATED THAT IF THIS DIDN'T WORK THEN THEY WOULD NEED TO GO INTO THE CAR'S COMPUTERIZED ELECTRONIC TRANSIMISSION SOFTWARE AND RESET IT. HE SAID HE WOULD RECOMMEND THIS AS A LAST RESORT BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE UNDONE. WELL?! AFTER READING THAT SO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, IT SEEMS THAT LEXUS WILL REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAN BE DANGEROUS. THIS ALSO TAINTS THE NAME (LEXUS) BRAND OF THIS CAR. I HAVE DRIVEN MOSTLY TOYOTAS IN THE PAST, EACH LASTING OVER 180K MILES AND I NEVER THOUGHT ONCE TO GET RID OF THOSE CARS. I KEPT THEM TO THE DYING END. HOWEVER, THIS LEXUS, I AM ALREADY THINKING OF GETTING RID OF IT, IF THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE REPAIRED. I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT LEXUS IS NOT WAITING FOR AN INJURY, DEATH OR OTHER TRAGEDY TO HAPPEN BEFORE TAKING THIS PROBLEM SERIOUSLY.
2005 LEXUS ES 330, SEVER HESITATION IN THE TRANMISSION WHEN ENTERING FREEWAY. FEAR OF REAR END COLLISION OR STALL WHEN TRYING TO ATTAIN HIGHWAY SPEED. LAG OF 2-3 SECONDS AFTER STEPPING ON THE GAS.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
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