Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Lexus ES330 problems

Owners filed 190 complaints about the 2004 Lexus ES330 with NHTSA between Oct 2003 and Feb 2022. The most-cited component is power train (63).

Complaints
190
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
40
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
24
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train63
  2. Vehicle speed control58
  3. Air bags28
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic12
  5. Electrical system8
  6. Engine and engine cooling8
  7. Structure6
  8. Engine6
  9. Seat belts4
  10. Visibility4
  11. Service brakes3
  12. Suspension3
  13. Fuel/propulsion system3
  14. Steering3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20031
200449
200525
20069
20076
20086
20095
201030
20119
20121
20130
201412
201511
20169
20174
20186
20194
20202
20210
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

63 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT FROM SECOND TO THIRD, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM HESITATED AND AS A RESULT, THE COMPUTER MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UP TO THEIR STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2011Power trainODI 10426920

Vehicle speed control

58 reports25 crashes
“I WAS DRIVING AT 9:30AM CST ON 7/27/16 WHEN MY CAR EXPERIENCE UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILES. MY CAR REFUSED TO SLOW DOWN, EVEN WHILE I HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SENT TO LEXUS HEADQUARTERS TO BE INVESTIGATED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2016Vehicle speed controlODI 10892284

Air bags

28 reports5 crashes
“The passenger side airbag is shrinking and seems to be collapsing into the dashboard. There is an indicator light on the passenger side that is lit up noting that "airbag off," so apparently there is no airbag protection for passenger. Three days ago, the right side of the windshield - passenger side, and the passenger window and passenger side back seat window, were all moist and foggy in the morning. There were no windows opened. I think the airbag situation is causing the airbag to leak moisture into the surrounding windows and the passenger side of the car. I don't know what this fluid/moisture is composed of, but I can only imagine it must be some type of chemical - something that you do not want to be leaking into the car on a daily basis.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2022Air bagsODI 11450072

Service brakes, hydraulic

12 reports6 crashes1 fire
“WHEN BRAKING AND SLOWLY TURNING LEFT TO COME TO A STOP IN A PARKING SPACE AT A WAL-MART PARKING LOT MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AT SUCH A FAST SPEED THAT MY CAR CRASHED INTO A METAL POLE AND PUSHED A PARKED STATION WAGON FACING MY CAR BACK FAR INTO ANOTHER ISLE. MY FOOT WAS DEFINITELY BRAKING THE WHOLE TIME.!!!! MY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY HIGH SPEED WHILE I PRESSED THE BRAKE. I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION A SURVEILLANCE TAPE OF THE ACCIDENT TAKEN BY WAL-MART. AS A RESULT I HURT MY BACK AND NECK AND WAS VERY UPSET THAT I COULD HAVE KILLED PEOPLE WALKING IN THAT PARKING LOT. I AM POSITIVE THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY CAR MALFUNCTIONED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10383855

Electrical system

8 reports2 crashes2 fires
“I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO DUE TO SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF STEERING IN A 2004 LEXUS ES330. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR AND I HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS. THE NIGHT OF MY ACCIDENT I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY CAR AS I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE ON TO THE LOCAL LANES OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN, NJ. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO THE LEFT AND CROSSED SPED ACROSS 8 LANES OF THE HIGHWAY, INCLUDING OVER A MEDIAN BEFORE IT SPUN AROUND AND JERKED TO A STOP IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE WEST BOUND LANES FACING EAST. I WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER DRIVER. I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. BOTH OF MY PARENTS ALSO CURRENTLY DRIVE LEXUS VEHICLES, AND BOTH MODELS WERE NOTED TO HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES. FURTHERMORE, MY MOTHER RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER INDICATING HER CAR WAS BEING RECALLED DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ISSUES, THE LETTER STATED WHILE TOYOTA WOULD OFFER WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE A SUITABLE FIX AT NO CHARGE. THE LETTER FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THEY DID NOT CURRENTLY POSSESS THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIRS AND WOULD BE IN TOUCH IN THE FUTURE, NO INDICATION OF THE EXPECTED TIME FRAME WAS PROVIDED.…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2017Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineCrash reportedODI 10956681

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports1 crash1 related recall
“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.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2004Engine and engine coolingODI 10089427
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.