10 of the 188 complaints about the 2004 Lexus ES 330 are about the engine — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 11,050 miles.
10
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE
WHEN STARTING THE LEXUS ES 330 2004 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY IT MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND THAT LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS WHILE STILL PARKED THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE I AM FORCING IT DO ACCELERATE. AFTER BEING WARMED UP IT IS FINE AND AFTER SUBSEQUENT STARTS IT DOES NOT MAKE THAT NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #10854532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2008 I HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR JERKING BETWEEN 40-60MPH AND HAD THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE MY CONCERNS WHICH I TOOK THE CAR TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY NEVER FOUND; I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN ALL 2004 330ES AND THE PROBLEM WASN'T DETECTED. SO I DROVE THIS CAR FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE IT WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS; UNTIL 12/19/2015 THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WHEN I WAS ENROUTE TO ANOTHER TOWN AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND SLOWED DOWN AND I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE THE ENGINE; WHEN DOING SO THE CAR MADE AN ARKWARD SOUND; SO I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK HOME FROM WHERE I WAS IT WAS 8 MILES BACK; AND THE CAR WAS JERKING AND SHAKING TO WHERE IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND STILL PULLING; I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT OVER THE WEEKEND; AND THEY FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM CODE P0303 CYLINDER 3 MISFIRE AND PO353 IGNITION COIL, WHICH WAS THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND IT BECAUSE AT THE TIME THERE WAS NO LIGHT INDICATOR ON; BUT NOW THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED FOR WHICH THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WAS RELIABLE FOR THE PAYMENT. $500 LATER THE PROBLEM DISCOVERED. ALSO RECALL ON THE ISSUE BUT NOT THE VEHICLE I OWN; SINCE I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS I FEEL THAT THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED MY VEHICLE AND A REFUND DUE.
NHTSA complaint #10811654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE JENCI'S CONTEND THAT MRS. JENCI PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, IT THEN SURGED, MADE A LOUD SOUND AND LUNGED FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10143885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE HESITATED THEN SURGED FORWARD. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS CONDITION WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK
NHTSA complaint #10094051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED AT LOW SPEED. DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. MANUFACTURER INSISTED THERE IWASNOTHING DEFECTIVE ON THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10089427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
STANDARD COMPLAINT FOR THIS CAR. ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION DELAY WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED THEN SUDDENLY DEPRESSED. THIS OCCURS WHEN MERGING ONTO FREEWAYS, 4 WAY STOPS, A TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGES, AND WHEN PULLING OUT TO PASS OR IN CERTAIN EMERGENCY MANEUVERS. THE DELAY IS APPROXIMATELY 1 OR 1.5 SECONDS AND DISRUPTS TIMING WHEN YOU DEPEND ON THROTTLE RESPONSE THE MOST! THIS HAS LED TO SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS. DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT WHEN CAR WAS 1 WEEK OLD AND I WAS TOLD THE ADAPTIVE SYSTEM NEEDS 1,000 MILES TO LEARN MY DRIVING HABITS. THE DEALER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SAYS ALL THE 2004 ES330S SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. LEXUS CUSTOMER CARE CLAIMS THAT THE "CAR IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED". THERE IS AND WILL BE NO ATTEMPT BY LEXUS CO. TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THE DEALER'S HANDS ARE TIED AT THIS POINT SINCE THE COMPANY NEEDS TO ENGINEER A FIX.
NHTSA complaint #10080908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE HESITATED UPON ACCELERATION FOR A FEW SECONDS. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND INDICATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED BY MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA complaint #10073725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WHEN TRYING TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES IT HESITATED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. AFTER ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO ANY PARTICULAR GEAR. ALSO, ENGINE WOULD WHINE DURING THIS PROCESS. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO ADAPT TO THE DRIVERS HABITS.
NHTSA complaint #10073448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
EVER SINCE I PURCHASED BY 2004 LS430, I HAVE NOTICED AN UNACCEPTABLE ENGINE VIBRATION. THIS IS NOTICEABLE DURING IDLE/FIRST START-UP. THE ENGINE VIBRATES AND CAN BE FELT IN TO THE CABIN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE ENGINE REVS ARE BETWEEN 1200 -1400 RPMS. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR A $62K LEXUS! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF A LEXUS DEALER AND HAVE GOTTEN THE "IT MUST BE BAD GAS" BS. I TOLD THEM I ONLY USE CHEVRON SUPREME (92), WHICH I ALSO USE IN MY BMW WITH NO PROBLEM. A SECOND TIME, THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND NOT A PROBLEM. THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULDNT IN A VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10061982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED MY LEXUS RX330,I HAVE EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE ENGINE VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING IMPROPERLY. THOUGH I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO LEXUS MANY TIMES THEY HAVE NOT FIX THESE PROBLEMS AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #10055129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.