Problems · by component

2005 Lexus ES330 power train problems

67 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Lexus ES330 cite power train, 33% of all 201 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
67
33% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2020Power trainODI 11338582
“JUST BOUGHT CAR TODAY. HAD NEW TIRES INSTALLED AND THEY TOLD ME THEY PUT THE CAR IN PARK BUT IR STARTED ROLLING. HAD TO RESTART IN NEUTRAL AND PUT IN PARK AGAIN. WHEN I LEFT WENT TO AUTO PARTS STORE AND PARKED AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. AS I WAS GETTING OUT REALIZED CAR WAS ROLLING. I PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AND CAR RESTARTED WITHOUT PUTTING IN NEUTRAL. SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND BACK TO PARK AND IT STOPPED THIS TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2019Power trainODI 11222547
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2016Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 10876227
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 11, 2015Power trainODI 10715805
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2014Power train, Exterior lightingODI 10633795
“I 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, ESPECIALLY IN D4. I DROVE ON THE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY IN D4, AND THE CAR ACTED UP IN THE WORST WAY EVER. I LATER TRIED DRIVING IN D, AND THE CAR DID BETTER IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY, 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. BY THE WAY, THIS CAR HAD THE LEXUS SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR ITS TRANSMISSION ISSUES LAST SUMMER, AND I ONLY USE THE HIGHEST OCTANE GASOLINE. THE CAR ACTUALLY BELONGS TO MY ELDERLY MOTHER, WHICH MAKES ME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HER HAVING AN ACCIDENT, OR COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE LEAVING HER STRANDED SOMEWHERE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2013Power trainODI 10519916

Showing 6 of 67 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2005 ES330 problem areas