2004 Lexus RX330 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE MOTOR THAT REGULATED THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11102271

Incident

Jun 16, 2018

Mileage

170,000 mi

MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 IS JUMPING ALL OVER THE ROAD, REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSTICS SHOW THE RIDE HEIGHT CONTROL AND AIR RIDE STRUTS HAVE FAILED CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION, APPARENTLY LEXUS WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE ONLY MAKING THIS MODEL YEAR WITH THE AIR RIDE CONTROL AND KNOWING THE SYSTEM WILL ONLY LAST TEN YEARS BEFORE FAILURE. I GUESS THEY FIGURED AFTER TEN YEARS MOST VEHICLES WOULD HAVE EITHER INSTALLED THE CONVERSION KIT OR HAVE BEEN SOLD FORWARD SO MANY TIMES THAT NEW OWNERS WOULD NOT PURSUE A SAFETY RECALL. AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN CREATED TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE RETAILING CONVERSION KITS SO MUCH SO THAT MY TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP HAS SUGGESTED INSTALLING THE CONVERSION KIT WHICH THEY OFFER. MY VEHICLE BOUNCES WHEN NAVIGATING TURNS AND BUMPS, WHILE SITTING STILL THE VEHICLE RAISES AND LOWERS INDEPENDENT OF ANYTHING MANUALLY INITIATED AND SIDE TO SIDE LIFTS AND LOWERS.

NHTSA ID

11023758

Incident

Aug 25, 2017

THE AIR SUSPENSION HAS AN EXHAUST VALVE SOLENOID ON THE AIR SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR THAT STOPPED WORKING THAT CAUSES THE SUSPENSION TO FULLY EXTEND UPWARDS. WITH THE SUSPENSION FULLY EXTEND UPWARDS THE RIDE IS HARSH AND STABILITY.OF VEHICLE IS DECREASED. LEXUS WILL ONLY REPLACE THE WHOLE COMPRESSOR, THE QUOTED PRICE FOR PARTS AND LABOR IS $3500. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594546

Incident

May 15, 2013

Mileage

160,000 mi

FAILURE OF MY 2004 LEXUS RX 330 HEIGHT AIR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAUSING THE AIR SUSPENSION TO POSITION MY CAR IN THE HIGHEST SETTING. I HAVE THE SAME TROUBLE AS ODI ID NUMBER 10314023 EXCEPT MINE BEGAN TO FAIL (CLICK) AT AROUND 39,300 MILES. I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING SOUND BACK IN JUNE 2008 WHEN I STARTED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 60 SECONDS. AFTER THE CLICKING STOPPED A LED ON THE DASH BOARD INDICATED THE HYDRAULIC HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT LIFT WAS OFF. THE CODE THE LEXUS TECHNICIAN READ FROM THE CAR INDICATED AN AIR SUSPENSION CODE C1735 FOR SUSPENSION EXHAUST SOLENOID. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT MY WARRANTY EXPIRED SIX MONTHS EARLIER (MY MILEAGE WAS 39,514). THE COST TO REPLACE THE SOLENOID WAS $1100 IN 2008. I WAS SURE A RECALL WOULD BE ISSUED SO I DID NOT PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED. OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS THE RX330 WOULD RISE AND FALL LIKE IT HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN. AT MY 60,000 MILE CHECKUP THE COST TO REPAIR THE AIR SUSPENSION WAS $3,000. I DECLINED THE REPAIR AT THAT TIME DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS. I OPENED A COMPLAINT WITH LEXUS ON JUNE 19, 2012 AFTER A COLLEAGUE OF MINE STARTED HEARING THE FAMILIAR CLICKING SOUND IN HIS 2004 LEXUS RX330. I ALSO FOUND THE COMPLAINT LISTED ABOVE. OUR VIN NUMBERS ARE IDENTICAL OUT TO 11 DIGITS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHECK DIGIT (9TH POSITION). LEXUS MOST DEFINITELY HAS A DEFECT IN THEIR RX330 EXHAUST SOLENOID VALVE CIRCUIT. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM LEXUS ON JUNE 26, 2012. THE WOMAN TOLD ME THAT THE DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER HAD REVIEWED MY LEXUS MAINTENANCE REPORTS FROM THE DEALER AND DENIED MY REQUEST FOR HELP. I GAVE THE WOMAN THE ODI COMPLAINT NUMBER ABOVE AND ASKED HER TO PLEASE HAVE THE SERVICE MANAGER RESEARCH THE COMPLAINT AND VIN NUMBER BECAUSE THE TWO RX330 AIR SUSPENSION FAILURES MUST BE RELATED!! THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER DECLINED MY REQUEST FOR REPAIR AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10464764

Incident

Aug 23, 2008

Mileage

39,514 mi

FAILURE OF 2004 LEXUS RX 330 AIR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAUSING THE AIR SUSPENSION TO POSITION CAR IN AN ELEVATED POSITION, HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST NORMAL SETTING. OWNER'S MANUAL CLAIMS THAT THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN WITH THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM IN FAILURE MODE. CAR RODE EXTREMELY ROUGH AND NOT AS SECURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE REQUIRED ALMOST $5000 IN REPAIR COSTS. PARTS FAILED AT 41,000 MILES AND 5 MONTHS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRATION. THIS PARTICULAR MODEL WITH AIR SUSPENSION WAS RARE AND ONLY A FEW SOLD PER DEALER IN 2004. THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS ON THE INTERNET OF SIMILAR FAILURES. MY ORIGINAL SYSTEM WAS NOISY FROM DAY ONE, THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE QUIET. MOST LIKELY THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10314023

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

41,000 mi

LOW SPEED, SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT. RIGHT FRONT TIRE HIT CURB, 20-25 MILES AN HOUR. VISIBLE DAMAGE- TIRE RUINED, RIM SCRATCHED. DEALER INSPIRED- TIRE, RIM, BALL JOINTS, LOWER CONTROL ARM, CVT, AXLE, ETC. DRIVE TRAIN HAD PRE EXISTING CONDITION OF NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT HAND DRIVE AREA. DEALER STATED NO PROBLEM. SINCE ACCIDENT, DEALER STATES NEED TO REPLACE ALL OF THIS. OBVIOUS DEALER OVER REPAIR OR LACK OF TRAINED STAFF, RESULTING IN OVERCHARGES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144470

Incident

Dec 1, 2005

Mileage

30,200 mi

MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 HAS NOISY RATTLING SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING OVER UNDULATING SURFACES OR SPEED BUMPS, ALSO THE STEERING APEARS TO DRIFT WHEN TRAVELLING IN A STRIAGHT LINE,. DEALER HAS CHECKED ON NUMBER OF OCCASIONS BUT STATED IT IS JUST A CHARACTRISTIC OF THE VEHICLE, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN MANY OTHER SIMILAR CARS WITH NO SUCH NOISE OR DRIFT.

NHTSA ID

10121750

Incident

May 18, 2005

Mileage

29,850 mi

FULL LOAD SUSPENSION TRAVEL. BOTTOMS OUT CONSTANTLY WITH 700 LBS. LOAD (FOUR ADULTS).*AK

NHTSA ID

10058387

Incident

Feb 1, 2004