2005 Lexus ES 330 Owner Complaints

PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT ON WHEN SEATED

NHTSA ID

11210572

Incident

May 31, 2015

Mileage

101,000 mi

THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE COMPLAIN ANOTHER CAR OWNER HAS FILED. MY CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE LEXUS OF PLEASONTON,CA DEALERSHIP. I HAVE HAD NO MAJOR ACCIDENT OR NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. CAR HAS BEEN LIGHTLY USED WITH 80K MILES ON THE ODOMETER CURRENTLY. THE AIRBAG CONTAINER ON THE PASSENGER DASH HAS PROGRESSIVELY CRACKED AT THE TOPICAL SEAMS OVER TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD AN AIRBAG SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE THIS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AN UNTIMELY DEPLOYMENT AND IF THE CONTAINER WILL GET WORSE. AT NO TIME HAS THE AIRBAG BEEN MANIPULATED, REPAIRED, ETC SINCE MY OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11183306

Incident

Feb 28, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM THE LEXUS OF MEMPHIS DEALERSHIP AS USED IN 2010. I HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS OR AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I AM.NOT AWARE OF ANY A EVIDENT HISTORY FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE AIRBAG CONTAINER ON THE PASSENGER DASH HAS PROGRESSIVELY CRACKED AT THE TOPICAL SEAMS OVER TIME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD AN AIRBAG SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE THIS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AN UNTIMELY DEPLOYMENT AND IF THE CONTAINER WILL GET WORSE. AT NO TIME HAS THE AIRBAG BEEN MANIPULATED, REPAIRED, ETC SINCE MY OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11180923

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

Mileage

45,000 mi

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND WHEN THE DIGANOISED CODE CHECK IS PERFORMED "NO CODES APPEAR," BUT I DO HAVE A POWER STEERING LEAKAGE AND I HEAR THE POWER STEERING NOISE WHEN I AM TURNING AND FROM THE RECALL 11V53900 11/09/2011 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING ITS A HUGE PROBLEM. I CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WHERE NO HELP! I CALLED FOR SERVICING AND THEY STATED ON MY VIN THERE IS NO RECALL BUT ON THE NHTSA THERE POPS UP THIS RECALL SO NO COOL. I AM GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS AND SUE THE HELL OUT OF LEXUS FOR REFUSING TO SERVICE MY VEHICLE AND NEGLECTING THE ISSUES WHEN I CALLED AND ALL THE CALLS ARE RECORDED. TROUBLE & HORRIBLE SERVICE I AM NOT A SATISFIED CUSTOMER. I GUESS YOU NEED TO BE IN CERTAIN FINANCIAL BRACKET TO RECEIVE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.

NHTSA ID

11113561

Incident

Jul 24, 2018

PASSENGER AIRBAG ON THE DASHBOARD IS OPENING, AND MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN IMPACT.

NHTSA ID

11079927

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

TAMARA RECALL ON MY AIRBAGS,NEVER REPAIRED. I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T COME OUT. HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKES EVERY FEW MONTHS ON THIS CAR ALSO

NHTSA ID

11039368

Incident

Oct 21, 2017

Mileage

169,000 mi

FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG COVER APPEARS TO BE SEPARATED ALONG THE SEAM NEAR WINDSHIELD ON DASHBOARD AND THERE IS A WIDER GAP ON THAT SIDE VS THE SIDE CLOSEST PASSENGER. I'VE NOT SEEN THIS BEFORE IN ANY OF MY OTHER LEXUS VEHICLES AND IT'S CAUSE FOR CONCERN OF SAFETY AS A RESULT.

NHTSA ID

11022269

Incident

Aug 15, 2017

Mileage

83,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG COVER WAS BULGING AND HAD SEPARATED ALONG THE SEAM NEAREST THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DASHBOARD. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUTLER LEXUS OF SOUTH ATLANTA (LOCATED AT 4025 JONESBORO RD, UNION CITY, GA 30291, (678) 783-2703) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ID

11019563

Incident

Aug 15, 2017

Mileage

212,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP AND ALTERNATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NEEDED TO REPLACE HER KEY WITH ANOTHER KEY CHIP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10967246

Incident

Mar 18, 2017

MY COMPLAINT IS IN REGARD TO THE IGNITION SWITCH FOR MY 2005 LEXUS ES-330. WHILE TRYING TO START MY VEHICLE THE CASE THAT HOUSES THE KEY BROKE APART. THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION, THE CAR RUNNING, BUT THE OTHER HALF OF THE CASE WAS DANGLING FROM THE KEY ITSELF.AFTER I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE BY TURNING IT OFF WITH THE KEY ITSELF AND GATHERING UP ALL THE PARTS OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, UPON OBSERVATION I FOUND A VERY SMALL SCREW THAT SUPPOSEDLY WAS USED TO SECURE THE SWITCH CASE TOGETHER HAD BECOME LOOSE AND THEREFORE ALLOWED THE SWITCH CASE TO BREAK OPEN FROM THE PRESSURE NEEDED TO START THE ENGINE. WITH A LITTLE BIT OF GLUE AND TRANSPARENT TAPE I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND DRIVE IT TO THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALER ON ATLANTIC BLVD.IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.THE SERVICE MANAGER SEEMED UNCONCERNED ABOUT MY PROBLEM, AND SPOKE MOSTLY ABOUT THE REDESIGNED SWITCH PRESENTLY AVAILABLE, AND WAS TOTALLY UNCONCERNED ABOUT MY PROBLEM. I ASKED ABOUT OTHERS WITH THE SAME TYPE KEY CASE AS MINE AND IF A REMEDY HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE SECURING OF THE SMALL SCREW THAT HOLDS THE CASE TOGETHER, HE SAID NOT HIS KNOWLEDGE. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS SIMPLY WHY NOT? THE SERVICE MANAGER IS [XXX], I WAS TOLD BY HIM MY ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO PURCHASE ANOTHER KEY AS IF THE PROBLEM WAS MINE INSTEAD OF THE DEALERS.COULD THERE BE A SAFETY CONCERN HERE? I AM [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10916491

Incident

Oct 15, 2016

Mileage

56,000 mi

SHRINKING DASHBOARD AIRBAG COVER - THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR LEXUS OWNERS - - LEXUS SAYS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD AND DOES NOT WARRANT REPAIR - ONLY COSMETIC. THEY ARE REPAIRING SOME DASHBOARDS FOR CRACKS ON OTHER MODELS. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM APPROXIMATELY JANUARY 2013.

NHTSA ID

10904596

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY DISCHARGE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V539000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,108. *CONSUMER REQUEST TO WITHDRAW COMPLAINT. UPDATED 10/21/16*LJ THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO WITHDRAW THE COMPLAINT. THE ISSUE WAS FIXED. UPDATED 10/26/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10898756

Incident

Feb 28, 2012

Mileage

66,108 mi

THE AUTOMOBILE SEEMS ACCELLERATE JUST A LITTLE BIT.WHEN YOU ARE STEPPING ON THE GAS IT, KIND OF JUMPS FORWARD SOME, WITHOUT PUTTING MORE PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL.IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED.

NHTSA ID

10876227

Incident

May 1, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 LEXUS ES330. WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE VEHICLE SURGED BACKWARDS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, DROVE OVER A CURB, AND THEN ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A RESTAURANT AND THREE PARKED VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10853397

Incident

Mar 22, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE OF HIS VEHICLE, CAUSING THE HIM TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. THE BODY DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED BUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000....UPDATED 09/08/16 *BF UPDATED 09/26/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10808270

Incident

Dec 14, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN I NOTICED FLAMES SHOOTING OUT UNDER THE HOOD.

NHTSA ID

10785011

Incident

Oct 15, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

AS CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON BRAKES TO AVOID TWO TEENAGERS RUNNING ACROSS IN FRONT OF HER, I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM 20-30. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT ENGAGE AND LOCK TO PREVENT ME FROM SLAMMING INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ABS BRAKES WERE SLAMMED AND IT FELT LIKE THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK LIKE THERE WAS AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE SYSTEM. I CRASHED INTO THE HYUNDAI. TOTALED MY CAR AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR FRAME WAS BENT. CALLED THE POLICE, BUT DID NOT TAKE A REPORT SINCE NO ONE WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE. WENT DO MY DOCTOR AND REPORTED THIS TO LEXUS-INCIDENT NUMBER 150922-00272 ON 9/22/15. LEXUS WILL INSPECT THE CAR ON 10/9/15...UPDATED 10/15/15 *BF ...UPDATED 12/03/15 *BF, UPDATED 4/9/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ID

10777818

Incident

Sep 11, 2015

Mileage

73,874 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG DETERIORATION (SEPARATED) ON DASHBOARD.

NHTSA ID

10721227

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

DID NOT HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT, OR EXPERIENCE ANY INJURIES OR CAR DAMAGE, BUT THIS CAR, LIKE NUMEROUS OTHER CARS OF THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR HAS SOME SERIOUS TRANSMISSION/COMPUTER SOFTWARE ISSUES AT TIMES. IT HESITATES AND LURCHES OFTEN. I DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY AND THE CAR ACTED UP IN THE WORST WAY EVER.BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WITH INFORMATION ON THESE SAME TRANSMISSION ISSUES PLASTERED ALL OVER THE INTERNET, YOUR ORGANIZATION WOULD MAKE TOYOTA ENGINEER A PERMANENT FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND RECALL AND FIX THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID

10715805

Incident

Nov 1, 2013

Mileage

125,000 mi

WE WERE GOING ON A TWO WAY STREET, (OLD ANNAPOLIS ROAD, ELLICOTT CITY, MD-21042) ANOTHER CAR CROSSED THE TWO YELLOW LANES (MEDIAN) AND HIT OUR CAR HEAD- ON. THE FRONT PORTION OF OUR CAR AND THAT CAR HIT US WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THE CAR BEHIND US COULD NOT STOP AND HIT OUR CAR FROM THE REAR. WE NOTED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS IN OUR 2005 LEXUS 330 DID NOT DEPLOY. WE WERE GOING ABOUT 30 MILES AND THE PERSON CAME IN TO OUR LANE MAY BE 35 TO 40 MILES. I TRIED TO APPLY THE HORN AND STOP MY VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE OTHER DRIVER PROBABLY DOZED OUT, BUT THE AIR BAGS IN HIS CAR DEPLOYED. WHY THE AIR BAGS IN OUR CAR DID NOT DEPLOY? .. UPDATED 03/31/15 *BF

NHTSA ID

10701537

Incident

Feb 28, 2015

Mileage

104,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKING AND LOOKS TO BE EXPANDING. THIS IS HAPPENING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SEAM AND IT STARTED ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. I AM VERY CONCERN THIS MAY COMPROMISE THE AIRBAG AND SAFETY. I CALLED MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AFTER HEARING ABOUT MANY OTHER MODELS BEING REPLACED BUT MY MODEL IS NOT ON THE LIST. ON CLUBLEXUS.COM, MANY USERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING BUT I AM NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE FILE A VEHICLE COMPLAINT YET. HERE IS THE LINK: HTTP://WWW.CLUBLEXUS.COM/FORUMS/ES300-AND-ES330/657687-ES330-SHRINKING-DASH-AIRBAG-COVER.HTML. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701267

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS PROTRUDING. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BUT I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT IF ONE WERE TO OCUT, THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10689879

Incident

Feb 22, 2015

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REALIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/03/15*LJ UPDATED 9?19/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10678355

Incident

Oct 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 15 TO 20 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO A DIFFERENT LANE AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 1/7/15*CN UPDATED 9/7/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10661471

Incident

Nov 28, 2014

1. HEADLIGHTS: BEFORE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THE BLINKING CAUTION LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT WAS WORKING FINE AND TO IGNORE THE BLINKING CAUTION LIGHT. NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I LATER RESEARCHED AND FOUND THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. 2. TRANSMISSION LAGS AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING THROUGH TRAFFIC CIRCLES AND GOING THROUGH BUSY INTERSECTIONS. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS IS NORMAL OPERATING AND TO USE A HIGHER OCTANE GAS. I AM RETURNING VEHICLE TO LEXUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10633795

Incident

Aug 25, 2014

Mileage

132,000 mi