2005 Lexus ES Powertrain & Transmission Problems

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELORATOR THERE IS A HESITATION IN THE CAR SPEEDING UP AND WHILE DRIVING THERE IS SOMETIMES THAT SAME HESITATION. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND ALSO WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEEDS OF 30 MPH APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT GEARS , BUT THE SPEED WOULD NOT INCREASE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,500 THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND JERKS AT ALL TIMES PUTTING THE DRIVER IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS. THERE APPEARS TO BE A ENDLESS LIST OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS AND LEXUS NOT TAKING ANY ACTION TO CORRECT IT ON THEIR OWN. I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A PULLEY PROBLEM THAT MAY CAUSE A BELT TO COME OFF BUT THEIR IS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR A DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION ISSUE, SERIOUSLY?? I HOPE SOMEONE FORCES THEM TO TAKE ACTION SOON SINCE THEY DON'T APPEAR TO BE CONCERNED WITH CUSTOMER SAFETY OR LOYALTY. *TR

LEXUS ES330 TRANSMISSION. SURGES. *TR

ACCELERATION PROBLEM WITH LEXUS ES 330 (YEAR 2005). HAVING BEEN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME (HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO DEALER SHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND FILED LAW SUIT THROUGH THE LEMON LAW) AND LEXUS CONTINUALLY ADVISING THAT CAR IS WORKING PROPERLY. I WAS ALMOST IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT LAST NIGHT AS A RESULT OF THE ACCELERATION HESITATION PROBLEM. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWN IN SEPTEMBER 2007. AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A MONTH OR TWO. I EXPERIENCE A CONSISTENT HESITATION ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD RESET SOMETHING IN THE COMPUTER TO ADJUST TO MY DRIVING STYLE. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO HELP. SO I'VE TAKEN IT BACK 2 TIMES SINCE AND THEY SAY IT'S THE NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE DRIVE BY WIRE AND NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION IN MY LEXUS ES330 APPEARS NOT TO SHIFT DOWN NORMALLY UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A FULL STOP. WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC THEN ACCELERATING AND/OR SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS OR CORNERS RESULTS IN GEAR HESITATION AND LURCHING FORWARD. AT INTERSECTIONS WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS IT APPEARS TO SLIP [NO POWER FOR A BRIEF MOMENT). I FEEL THE CAR IS NOW UNSAFE TO MAKE LEFT TURNS BECAUSE THE CAR MAY NOT HAVE ACCELERATION WHEN NEEDED. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE CAR REPAIRED FOR THIS TYPE OF ISSUE WHEN THE LEXUS ES330 LOST ALL POWER. AND SINCE THE REPAIRS I AM STILL HAVING THE HESITATION ISSUES AND BRIEF LOSS OF POWER. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE HENDRIX LEXUS SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THIS "HESITATION" ISSUE IS A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM. I CANNOT AGREE WITH THAT CONCLUSION. THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE ES330 AND A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. IF I WAS TO BRING MY CAR IN FOR THIS ISSUE, IT WOULD BE THE 3RD OR 4TH TIME AT THAT SHOP FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE FOR MY LEXUS ES300. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU RECOMMEND OR IF THERE IS A SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. AGAIN, LET ME STRESS, I FEEL THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE IN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THANK YOU FOR HELPING WITH THE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TRANSMISSION HESITATES FROM A STOPPED POSITION ON MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 CAUSING A FEELING THAT THE CAR MAY STALL OR LUNGE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. I PURCHASED THE CAR A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH 22,500 MILES. I BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER'S ATTENTION AND READ ABOUT IT ONLINE. APPARENTLY, LEXUS PROVIDES A "FLASH" FIX TO THE SOFTWARE. BUT, MY LOCAL LEXUS SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED NOT USING THE FIX BECAUSE, ACCORDING TO HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THE FIX CAN CAUSE DAMAGE SOMEHOW TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER THAT IS IRREPARABLE. APPARENTLY, THE FIX IS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD FIX. I WAS TOLD THE FIX CANNOT BE SET BACK ONCE IT IS BEEN ADDRESSED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THOUSANDS OF LEXUS DEALERS HAVE BEEN EFFECTED. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY I FEEL LIKE MY CAR LUNGES FORWARD SUDDENLY AND BRIEFLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ANY GUIDANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE ABOUT THESE MATTERS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED EXTREMELY HARD, CAUSING THE PASSENGERS TO BE THROWN FORWARD. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND BECAME WORSE WITH EACH INCIDENT. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A REMEDY FOR THE ISSUE BUT THE REMEDY WOULD DESTROY THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 10/11/12*LJ

MY 2005 LEXUS ES330 HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT ON 9/22/2008 WITH 30,057 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION WILL AT TIMES HESITATE AND/OR SEEM TO BE UNABLE TO FIND THE CORRECT GEAR TO BE IN FOR THE SITUATION.IT SHOWS UP MOST OF THE TIME IN THE 30-45MPH RANGE BUT IT ALSO HESITATES FROM A STANDING START. AT TIMES IT "LOOKS" FOR A GEAR TO BE IN AND HESITATES THEN HARD SHIFTS IN TO A GEAR. I ALSO OWN A 2000 CAMRY AND A 2008 COROLLA AND THEIR TRANSMISSIONS WORK JUST FINE. THE LEXUS TRANSMISSION JUST WILL NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY FOR THE SPEED AND THROTTLE INPUT. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN QUITE A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF LEXUS CARS. THE LEXUS DEALER SAYS IT IS "NORMAL". THIS CAN NOT BE NORMAL. SINCE I GET TO DRIVE TWO OTHER TOYOTA CARS WITH AUTO TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY WORK JUST FINE I CAN TELL QUITE EASILY THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. IT NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED BY LEXUS BEFORE THEIR IS A FATALITY DUE TO THE EXTREME LAG AT START FROM STOP CONDITIONS. I HAVE HAD THE GAS PEDAL ONE QUARTER OF THE WAY DEPRESSED BEFORE THE CAR EVEN RECOGNIZED I HAD APPLIED THE THROTTLE. THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT EITHER STARTING FROM A STOP SIGN WITH TRAFFIC CROSSING YOUR ROUTE OR THE VEHICLE "JUMPING" AT A START BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE PEDAL PART WAY DOWN BEFORE THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION GETS THE SIGNAL AND YOU ACCELERATE RAPIDLY FROM A DEAD STOP. CORPORATE TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM AND COME UP WITH A FIX. IT MAY HAVE TO BE A RECALL OR PERHAPS JUST A SERVICE NOTICE TO ALL 2005 LEXUS ES330'S OWNERS. WHATEVER IT TAKES IT NEEDS TO BE DONE SOON. THIS IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE IT CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS. *TR

LEXUS ES330 2005 CAR SHIFTS IMPROPERLY WHEN DRIVEN AT 20-35 MPH, UNEXPECTED UP SHIFTS THAT OCCUR TO EARLY AND DOWN SHIFTS WHILE SLOWING DOWN CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO MODULATE THE BRAKING TO AVOID EITHER COMING UP TO CARS IN TRAFFIC AHEAD TO QUICKLY OR TRAFFIC COMING FROM BEHIND SO AS TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT FROM BEHIND AS YOU SLOW TO QUICKLY. HAPPENS ONLY ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME BUT FORCES THE DRIVER TO BE VIGILANT CONSTANTLY TO AVOID PROBLEMS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330. THE VEHICLE HESITATES ABNORMALLY WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE DID NOT NOTICE ANY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000. UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ UPDATED 12/10/09.*JB

ALMOST COLLISION. WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, CAR HESITATES, CREATING HAZARD. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. *TR

2005 LEXUS ES330 TRANSMISSION "HUNTING" FOR PROPER GEAR WHEN SLOWING DOWN THEN WANTING TO IMMEDIATELY SPEED UP BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR