2005 Lexus RX330 Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VSC INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. IN COLD WEATHER, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

NHTSA ID

11288005

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

220,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE WHILE BEING TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF ANNAPOLIS (121 FERGUSON ROAD, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21409, (410)-266-3333) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND CAUSED THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,100.

NHTSA ID

11102514

Incident

Jun 15, 2018

Mileage

130,100 mi

THE KEY BROKE INTO THE IGNITION, DEALER REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH REPAIR OT NEW KEY EVEN THOUGH I HADN'T HAD IT VERY LONG. THE STERING WHEEL LOCKS., THE TIRES SHAKE, CORDS ALL FALLING FROM UNDER THE CAR, THE ELECTRICAL GOES IN AND OUT INCLUDING WINDOWS AND HEAT. MY SEAT BELTS LOCK ON ME . THIS CAR IS A MESS AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN 11,5 AND A SENIOR FATHER THAT HAS ALZEIMERS THAT HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED IN THIS LEMON FAILY. THE DEALERS WONMT HELP THEY MAKE PAYMENT AND REAPIR PROMISES AND NEVER KEEP THEM, I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING HARDSHIPS AND THEY USED IT AGAINST ME TO JUSTIFY NOT REPAIRING THE CAR. YET THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN EXISITENT SINCE DAY 1. 11/15/2016

NHTSA ID

11032111

Incident

Nov 15, 2016

OWNER TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE 110,000 MILE SERVICE (TOLD IT WOULD BE ABOUT $150). NEXT DAY WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT POWER STEERING PUMP AND HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HAD NOT NOTICED ANY SYMPTOMS PRIOR TO THIS, NO LEAKING NOTED BENEATH CAR OTHER THAN WATER FROM AC. DEALER SAID A LEAK WOULD BE FROM SAME PAN AS AC, BUT POWER STEERING FLUID WOULD BE OILY NOT WATERY. I EXPLAINED THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGN OF POWER STEERING LEAK. PARTS ($665.94) AND LABOR ($217) FOR PUMP = TOTAL ($882.94) PARTS ($528.99) AND LABOR ($294.50) FOR HIGH PRESSURE STEERING HOSE = TOTAL ($831.48) THIS COST WAS $1700 ON TOP OF MY 110.000 MAINTENANCE CHARGE. HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR OTHER OWNERS OF 2005 RX 330 ?

NHTSA ID

10992995

Incident

Jun 2, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT ALSO OBSERVED EVIDENCE OF A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10967136

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

I AM EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY STEERING CONTROL AND POWERING STEERING LEAKING WHICH HAS CAUSED A UNIQUE NOISE ON SHARP TURNS AND WHILE DRIVING IN GENERAL. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY RACK AND PINIONS NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY 2005 RX 330 CURRENTLY HAS 131,000 MILES. IT'S VERY SAD TO READ PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS AND LEXUS STILL HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT LEXUS IS AWARE OF - WHAT THE HELL!

NHTSA ID

10967114

Incident

Mar 3, 2017

MY STEERING LOCKED UP WAS WINING TOOK IT IN RACK AND PINION IS LEAKING REAL BAD NO POWER STEERING DO TO LEAK..

NHTSA ID

10872860

Incident

Jan 20, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE ALIGNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE AND HAS BEEN ADJUSTED MORE OFTEN THEN ANY OTHER CAR I'VE EVER OWNED. UNTIL RECENTLY I NOTICED THE STEERING GETTING STIFFER AND HARDER TO HANDLE. CHANGED THE FLUID SEVERAL TIMES AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE PROBLEM. TOOK IT IN TO GET CHECKED, IT'S THE RACK AND PINION AND WILL COST OVER $1000 TO REPAIR. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MECHANIC HE STATED "THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN YOUR LEXUS, BUT THEY AREN'T PUTTING IN A RECALL ON IT." THAT'S RIDICULOUS. AS MOST OF US HERE, WE HAVE THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILIES IN OUR CARS. I'M NOT EVEN FINISHED PAYING THIS THING OFF AND IT'S FALLING APART. THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED CONSIDERING THAT IT LOOKS AS IF MOST OF THESE MODELS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. IT'S VERY SCARY TO DRIVE. BUT NOT IN MY BUDGET...FOOD AND CLOTHING FIRST...NOT FIXING A MANUFACTURERS ERROR. MANUFACTURED IN CANADA.

NHTSA ID

10806415

Incident

Nov 24, 2015

Mileage

162,000 mi

DEALER MENTIONED POWER STEERING LEAK IN 2014, AGAIN IN 2015 AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF VEHICLE TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT DUE TO COMPLAINT OF PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING IN 2012 WITH WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WERE CHANGED. MY LOCAL DEALER IS STATING THE REPAIR WILL COST AT LEAST $1000 TO REPAIR. DESPITE RECALLS ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT THE INVESTIGATION OF THE 2005 LEXUS RX 330 NEEDS TO INCLUDE VEHICLE MANUFACTURED IN CANADA (MINE STATES CANADA). PLEASE HELP I WANT TO BE SAFE DRIVING MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10749457

Incident

Aug 17, 2015

Mileage

144,572 mi

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUE WITH MY STEERING CONTROL, AND A UNIQUE NOISE ON SHARP TURNS, SO DURING MY NEXT OIL CHANGE AT THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP THEY EXAMINED AND INFORMED ME THAT MY STEERING RACK IS SEEPING OIL, AND WOULD NEED A REPLACEMENT TO A COST OF $1,800. I DRIVE MY CAR OVER THE WEEKENDS WITH MY KIDS ON OUTDOOR TRIPS OVER THE WEEKEND AND HAVE ONLY 70K MILES, SO WAS A COMPLETE SHOCK TO LEARN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN ME THAT THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE, AND MANY CONSUMERS HAVE SIMILAR COMPLAIN. ON CONTACTING LEXUS, I WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD, THERE NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO ALTHOUGH THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE, THERE WAS A CHANNEL 2 SAN DIEGO, CA CLIP ON TOYOTA MOTORS HAVING A RECALL, BUT I WAS INFORMED NO SUCH RECALL IS IN FORCE, SO I AM CONFUSED. LEXUS CONTACT ME AND READY TO PAY A PARTIAL SUM ON THE PART REPLACEMENT BUT I WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE LABOR AND MUCH OF THE COST ASSOCIATED FOR THE PART. A SIMILAR STORY THAT ECHOED WITH OTHER USERS, LEXUS NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS RECALL/SAFETY ISSUE AT ONCE, BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS.

NHTSA ID

10748726

Incident

Jul 25, 2015

Mileage

74,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THE STEERING WHEEL FELT LOOSE AND A NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, WHILE IN PARK, THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT AND THE RACK AND PINION NUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,594.

NHTSA ID

10695362

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

109,594 mi

VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING.. WAS REFERRED TO DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.. CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, TWICE, AND HAVE STILL NOT GOTTEN ANY SATISFACTION OR RESOLVE. SO MUCH FOR LEXUS QUALITY.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663169

Incident

Dec 2, 2014

VEHICLE STARTING MAKING NOISE, TOOK IT INTO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS VERY LOW. THEY ALSO STATED I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION. I LOOKED ONLINE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH 2005 RX330'S. OBVIOUSLY, READING THE COMPLAINTS, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643465

Incident

Oct 7, 2014

Mileage

108,000 mi

POWER STEERING RACK UNIT LEAKING COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY LEXUS OWNERS AS SHOWN BELOW. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM LEAVING MANY OWNERS TO PAY FOR EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. I HAVE PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT PART MYSELF AND WILL HAVE MY LOCAL CERTIFIED MECHANIC DO THE LABOR. TOTAL COST TO ME WILL BE OVER $600 WHICH IS FAR CHEAPER THEN THE LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP CHARGES. LINK BELOW SHOWS HOW MANY LEXUS OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2005/LEXUS/RX+330/STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629501

Incident

Aug 20, 2014

Mileage

85,000 mi

POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY O-RING SEALS FAIL ALLOWING POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT INTO RUBBER BOOT. REPLACEMENT IS RECOMMENDED AVERAGE COST TO OWNER $1000, LEXUS REFUSES TO COVER ANY OF IT. MY LEXUS WAS INSPECTED BY CAR CENTER LOCATED IN GREENVILLE MI LICENSED MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED AND DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM. CALLED MY LOCAL LEXUS DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS MY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10628110

Incident

Aug 20, 2014

LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE RX330'S. ADVISED I NEED A NEW RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY. LEXUS NEEDS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, TOO MANY COMPLAINTS! ALSO TOLD NEED TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT BALLIST! *TR

NHTSA ID

10616154

Incident

Mar 8, 2013

Mileage

162,557 mi

REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS YESTERDAY ON MY 2005 LEXUS RX330, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE I NOTICED THE INNER TIE ROD BOOT DETERIORATED AND SURROUNDED BY OIL AND/OR GREASE LEAKING. I WAS BAFFLED BY THE POOR CONDITION THIS BOOT WAS IN, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT AND HOW THIS WAS CAUSED. DURING MY RESEARCH ONLINE, I SOON DISCOVERED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME DEFECT. THE FIX IS TO REPLACE THE RACK & PINION DUE TO A FAULTY SEAL THAT HAS CAUSED POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE INNER TIE ROD BOOT AND BREAK DOWN AND DISINTEGRATE THE RUBBER BOOT. A VERY COSTLY REPAIR, THAT I FEEL THE CONSUMER SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ABSORB, BEING LEXUS IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. I HAVE 135,000 MILES ON MY RX330. I BOUGHT A LEXUS FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF RELIABLITY AND LONGEVITY. I'M WONDERING IF I MADE THE WRONG CHOICE..... ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610982

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

VEHICLE'S SVC SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE'S STEERING TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY-PARTICULARLY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50MPH. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10597712

Incident

May 3, 2014

Mileage

101,000 mi

MY DASHBOARD BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNS OF CRACKING ABOUT A YEAR AGO. IT STARTED TO CRACK AROUND THE RADIO/AUDIO COMPONENTS AND SPREAD QUICKLY LIKE A SPIDER WEB. LEXUS AGREED TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD AT NO CHARGE, BUT NOT THE LABOR COSTS. WHILE REPLACING IT, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION HAD SEVERE FLUID LEAKAGE ON RIGHT SIDE, BOOT DETERIORATED. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS $1,856.00. THERE WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE LEFT FRONT CV AXLE INBOARD JOINT BOOT, AN ADDITIONAL $412.00. IN READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THAT THE DASHBOARD AND THE RACK AND PINION ARE A COMMON PROBLEMS THAT LEXUS IS AWARE OF. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE RX 350 HAS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION, BUT LEXUS IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM HOPING THAT THIS BRINGS LIGHT TO THESE ISSUES AND SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593782

Incident

May 15, 2014

Mileage

128,772 mi

VEHICLE'S STABILIZATION CONTROL (VSC) MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560682

Incident

Jul 15, 2013

Mileage

93,000 mi

TOOK VEHICLE TO LEXUS DEALER FOR 90,000 MILE SERVICE AND TECH FOUND POWER STEERING FLUID LOW AND DIRTY. WHEN LOOKING FURTHER, TECH FOUND THAT STEERING RACK WAS TORN AND LEAKING. TECH REQUESTED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PERFORM A FLUSH. I DECLINED BECAUSE OF THE EXORBITANT COST ($1,000?). THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND VERY SIMILAR TO A COMPLAINT FILED 11-5-13, NHTSA I.D. NO. 10550956. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PATTERN HERE, THE PRODUCT RECALLED, AND LEXUS/TOYOTA ACCEPT THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ASAP. I BELIEVE THEY MAY HAVE SERVICE BULLETIN NO. LSB-0107-12, NHTSA I.D. NO. 10050660, STEERING, ISSUED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558004

Incident

Dec 19, 2013

Mileage

88,494 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,901.

NHTSA ID

10550956

Incident

Oct 22, 2013

Mileage

81,901 mi

LEAKING POWER STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE RX330'S... *TR

NHTSA ID

10523258

Incident

Jul 5, 2013

I AM HAVING SERIOUS QUALITY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 RX330. THE VEHICLE IS KEPT IN THE GARAGE AND BEING TAKEN CARE OF LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER. I TOOK THE SUV TO A LEXUS DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LEAKING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED - APPROXIMATE COST $1800. I WAS ALSO TOLD THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED - COST ANOTHER $1000. THIS IS NOT THE END! APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO MY WATER PUMP FAILED AT THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION, AND I HAD TO REPLACE MY WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, DRIVE BELTS, ETC ONLY AT 65K MILES - COST $1200. WHY EVERY MAJOR KEY COMPONENTS ARE FAILING SO EARLY? I DROVE A CAR MADE BY A COMPETITOR UPTO 110K MILES WITHOUT ANY OF THESE ISSUES. LEXUS/TOYOTA IS USING DEFECTIVE/CHEAP PARTS AT THE EXPENSE AND SAFETY OF CONSUMERS. I WOULD RECOMMEND STARTING AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST LEXUS/TOYOTA FOR FAULTY STEERING AND POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS IN RX, AND BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION, START A RECALL IF NEEDED. I REACHED OUT TO LEXUS IN THE PAST, BUT THEY DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE ANY QUALITY PROBLEMS WITH RX330; HOWEVER, WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET, I SEE HUNDREDS OF OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AND THEY ARE HELPLESS. LEXUS WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, AND THEREFORE, WE NEED NHTSA'S HELP TO PUSH LEXUS TO RECALL RX330 STEERING AND POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10480931

Incident

Oct 13, 2012

Mileage

77,900 mi

STEERING RACK ON VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED LEAK, IT SEEMS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10480922

Incident

Oct 8, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi