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2005 Lexus Es

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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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.

13 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

58 reports
8,875 miles · Oct 15, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control

DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE FOR ONE-HALF TO ONE FULL SECOND AND THEN LURCH FORWARD, SUDDENLY. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK WHEN CHANGING LANES OR ACCELERATING TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC INDICATED (TWICE) THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL'S "ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR," AND THAT…

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DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE FOR ONE-HALF TO ONE FULL SECOND AND THEN LURCH FORWARD, SUDDENLY. THIS IS A SAFETY RISK WHEN CHANGING LANES OR ACCELERATING TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC INDICATED (TWICE) THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL'S "ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR," AND THAT AN INTERNAL COMPUTER IS SUPPOSED TO "LEARN FROM THE DRIVERS' HABITS AND ADJUST THE ACCELERATION ACCORDINGLY." AN ACCIDENT CAN EASILY OCCUR WHEN EXPECTED POWER IS DENIED UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10139780

2,000 miles · Oct 6, 2005
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

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

NHTSA ODI #10138785

1,000 miles · Sep 20, 2005
Power Train

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

NHTSA ODI #10137086

5,000 miles · Sep 15, 2005
Unknown Or Other

THE CAR HAD JUST COMPLETED IT 5000 MILES SERVICE. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I FELT A JOLT AND GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WALKED AROUND THE REAR AND SAW A TIRE LAYING IN THE ROADWAY BETWEEN MY CAR AND THE CAR BEHIND ME. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SAID THAT THE TIRE APPEARED OU…

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THE CAR HAD JUST COMPLETED IT 5000 MILES SERVICE. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP I DROVE ABOUT 5 MILES AND WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I FELT A JOLT AND GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND WALKED AROUND THE REAR AND SAW A TIRE LAYING IN THE ROADWAY BETWEEN MY CAR AND THE CAR BEHIND ME. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SAID THAT THE TIRE APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE AND BOUNCED UP AND UNDER HIS CAR AND THEN BOUNCED BACK AND HIT MY BUMPER. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE SPARE TIRE IS STORED UNDER THE VEHICLE IN THE 2005 LEXUS RX 330. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND SHOWED THE SERVICE MANAGER THE TIRE AND THE COVER FOR THE TIRE WHICH HAD ALSO FALLEN OFF. HE OPENED THE COVER AND FOUND THAT THE METAL CABLE THAT HELD THE TIRE IN PLACE HAD SEVERED. HE SAID HE WANTED TO KEEP THE CAR TO SHOW TO A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE. IT IS NOW 4 WEEKS LATER AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR CAR BACK OR HEARD FORM LEXUS AS TO THE RESOLUTION. SHORTLY BEFORE THE INCIDENT, I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE MOVING. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10136608

Mileage unknown · Sep 1, 2005
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

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

NHTSA ODI #10135075

30 miles · Aug 31, 2005
Power Train

THE CAR HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING IN TRAFFIC AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT LUNGES FORWARD. VERY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10135022

2,500 miles · Aug 26, 2005
Air BagsCrash

WE HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE A SECOND CAR MISSED A STOP SIGN. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR, BUT THE AIR BAGS ON MY CAR LEXUS ES 330 YEAR 2005 DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE. ARE THE AIRBAGS DEFECTIVE ON THIS CAR?*JB

NHTSA ODI #10134276

Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2005
Exterior Lighting

HIGH DENSITY DISCHARGE WITH AUTO LEVELING SYSTEM.LOW BEAMS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING TO DRIVE SAFELY ON UNLIT ROADS.DEALER SAYS THE LIGHTS ARE SET TO SPECKS BUT,I BELEIVE IF THEY ARE THEY WOULD HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS.I BELEIVE THIS TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE ESPECIALY IN COUNTRY WITH WILD LIFE AS IN WI,…

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HIGH DENSITY DISCHARGE WITH AUTO LEVELING SYSTEM.LOW BEAMS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING TO DRIVE SAFELY ON UNLIT ROADS.DEALER SAYS THE LIGHTS ARE SET TO SPECKS BUT,I BELEIVE IF THEY ARE THEY WOULD HAVE HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS.I BELEIVE THIS TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE ESPECIALY IN COUNTRY WITH WILD LIFE AS IN WI,MN.MI ECT

NHTSA ODI #10133681

1 miles · Aug 6, 2005
Power Train

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

NHTSA ODI #10131779

Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2005
Child Seat

I BOUGHT A LEXUS 330 OF 2005 MODEL BACK IN FEB 2005. RECENTLY MY 5 YEAR OLD SON GRADUATE FROM CHILD SEAT AND NEED TO USE THE BOOSTER SEAT. I SURPRISINGLY FOUND OUT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY KID TO BE PUT IN A BOOSTER SEAT AND SEATBELT BE FASTENED. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BU…

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I BOUGHT A LEXUS 330 OF 2005 MODEL BACK IN FEB 2005. RECENTLY MY 5 YEAR OLD SON GRADUATE FROM CHILD SEAT AND NEED TO USE THE BOOSTER SEAT. I SURPRISINGLY FOUND OUT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY KID TO BE PUT IN A BOOSTER SEAT AND SEATBELT BE FASTENED. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T HELP ME BECAUSE KIDS DOES NOT NEED BOOSTER SEAT FOR SAFETY REASON. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX] OR [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10129207

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

DP05002 · 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