Model year record

2004 Lexus ES330 recalls & problems

The 2004 Lexus ES330 has 2 safety recalls and 174 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (62 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints174filed by owners

Crashes · fires35 · 2reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths22 · 0reported in complaints

2004 Lexus ES330 in an NHTSA crash test — NHTSA crash test

Safety recalls

Engine and engine coolingNov 9, 2011

Engine and engine cooling

Recall 11V539000420,326 vehicles

Problem: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.
Risk: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Seat beltsDec 15, 2004

Front › Buckle assembly

Recall 04V595000150,061 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (OVSC)

Problem: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT PASSENGER POWER SEAT, WHEN INSTALLING CERTAIN REAR-FACING INFANT CHILD SEAT BASES ONTO THE SEAT WITH AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH SEATBELT TENSION, IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO UNSEAT A COMPONENT CALLED THE BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH FROM THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE.
Risk: IF THE SWITCH BECOMES UNSEATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAY MISTAKE THE REAR-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT FOR AN UNBELTED ADULT OCCUPANT, AND MAY NOT SUPPRESS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT BUCKLE STATUS SWITCH. THIS SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (SSC 40M) BEGAN ON DECEMBER 20, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987..

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2004 Lexus ES330 4-DR. w/SAB

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

2004 Lexus ES330 NHTSA side crash test — NHTSA side barrier crash test

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

ES 330

21mpg combined

City / highway	18 / 27 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

3.3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,200/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Automatic transmission › Control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)	62	1	0	1	500 mi
Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal; Cruise control	53	22	0	14	22,445 mi
Air bagsFrontal; Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger	26	5	0	6	80,500 mi
Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	12	6	1	3	30,000 mi
Engine and engine coolingEngine	8	1	0	1	800 mi
Electrical systemInstrument cluster/panel; Wiring	8	1	3	0	154,000 mi
VisibilityRearview mirrors/devices › Exterior; Windshield wiper/washer › Motor	4	0	0	0	7,000 mi
Unknown or other	4	2	0	0	118,240 mi
Seat beltsRear/other	4	0	0	0	94,000 mi
StructureBody	4	1	0	1	75,000 mi
Engine	4	1	0	1	144,466 mi
SuspensionFront	3	0	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electrical system
EVERY WINDOW HAS STOPPED WORKING.THE FIRST ONE STOPPED GOING UP D OWN TEN YEARS AGO NOW THEY HAVE ALL STOPPED.
Nov 12, 2012
Power train
UPPER RIGHT MOTOR MOUNT HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. NOW CAR IS VIBRATING BETWEEN 45-60 AND HAS NO POWER AND IS TAKING UP TO 1-2 MINUTE'S.
Apr 4, 2019 · 150,000 miles
Air bags
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN IDLE AND WON'T GO OFF. CODE B1787. NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. UNPLUGGED AND RE-PLUGGED ALL CONNECTIONS; DISCONNECTED BATTERY FOR 15 MINUTES BUT DID NOT RESET LIGHT. DEALER CHECKED AND COULD NOT RESET SYSTEM. NO AIR BAG PROTECTION NOW. FIX REQUIRES NEW SEAT WITH SENSORS EST $4500. CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX.
Jan 15, 2019 · 158,000 miles
Air bags
PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND WON'T CUT OFF,I HAVEN'T BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT NOR HAS MY AIRBAG EMPLODED, HAD IT LOOK AT BY MECHANIC AT AUTO SHOP WHERE I GET MY OIL CHANGES AND SUCH HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANY PROBLEMS,CALLED LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE AN ARM AND A LEG JUST TO LOOK AT IT.
Feb 2, 2018
Air bags
I STARTED MY CAR AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT, AIRBAGS WERE NEVER DEPLOYED, I CHECKED ALL THE WIRES AND EVEN UNPLUGGED THE BATTERY FOR GOOD 10 MINUTES AND THE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, MY CAR WILL NOT DEPLOY AIR BAGS AND IT CREATES A POTENTIAL THREAT THAT IT CAN BE AN INSTA-DEATH, ESPECIALLY WITH A STEERING WHEEL IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.
Jul 4, 2018 · 88,000 miles
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger
B1650 CODE - OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM CODE DISPLAYS. NEVER BEEN IN ACCIDENT AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. APPEARED AT START UP OVERNIGHT.
Jan 8, 2018
Air bags
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG COVER IS SEPARATING FROM DASHBOARD AND APPEARS TO HAVE PRESSURE BEHIND IT. VINYL IS CRACKED ON TOP SIDE OF AIRBAG COVER.
Apr 9, 2018 · 203,000 miles
Air bagsCrash1 injury
I WAS IN 3 ACCIDENTS AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. 1 ACCIDENT I WAS HIT IN THE BACK, I WAS NOT MOVING WHEN THE CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND (ON THE FWY), HE MUST OF BEEN DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH. I T-BONED A CAR GOING AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 35 MPH.
Aug 11, 2017 · 195,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLClosed
IN A LETTER DATED JULY 8, 2005, AND AFTER EXPERIENCING TWO INCIDENTS (AND ONE CRASH) WHERE HE ALLEGES HIS MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 CAMRY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, MR. JORDAN ZIPRIN PETITIONED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION?S (NHTSA) OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) TO COMMENCE A PROCEEDING TO DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE ETC SYSTEM IN MY 2002 TO 2005 TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES, OR TO REOPEN A PRIOR INVESTIGATION PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE) 04-021.IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 18, 2005, MR. ZIPRIN AMENDED HIS PETITION TO INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF INTERRELATED BRAKE AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS THAT ALLEGEDLY RESULT IN INAPPROPRIATE AND UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE ACCELERATIONS.THE 1172 VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE REPORTS CITED BY THE PETITIONER INVOLVE 4 LEXUS AND 15 TOYOTA MODELS DEFINING A POPULATION OF 7 MILLION VEHICLES.THE REPORTS TYPICALLY ALLEGED A…
DP05002 · opened Aug 5, 2005 · closed Jan 5, 2006