2004 Lexus RX Powertrain & Transmission Problems

THIS IS OUR 2ND COMPLAINT REGARDING OUR 2004 RX 330. WE HAVE OWNED IT FOR 8 MONTHS AND HAVE PUT 7K MILES ON IT SINCE PURCHASE, AND IT ONLY HAS 85K NOW. SINCE PURCHASE WE NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND JERKING PROBLEMS AT ALL RATES OF SPEED WHEN STARTING/ DRIVING/STOPPING. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP TO ASK IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE, AND WAS ADVISED THEY COULD CHECK TO SEE IF THE PREVIOUS 1ST OWNER OF VEHICLE HAD EVER "UPGRADED" THE COMPUTER CHIP THAT CONTROLS THE SYSTEM. SO, WE TOOK IT IN AND THEY DETERMINED IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE SO WE PAID THE $100.00 FOR THE UPGRADE. WE HOPED IT HAD SOLVED THE ISSUE, BUT NOW IT IS EVEN WORSE. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK, I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON AND ACCELERATED TO CHANGE LANES AND PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. DURING MY ATTEMPT TO PASS WITH MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, FOR 5 OR 10 SECONDS THE ENGINE/ TRANSMISSION FROZE AND IT WAS LIKE YOU WERE IN NEUTRAL GEAR, IT DID NOTHING, AND FINALLY WITH MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR IT KICKED BACK INTO GEAR AND I WAS ABLE TO PASS THE VEHICLE TO MY SIDE. IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN BEHIND ME I'M SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT, AS THE TRUCK WAS IN MOTION BUT NOT ACCELERATING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY HAD COMPLAINTS AND WERE AWARE OF THE ACCELERATION ISSUE, BUT HAD NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH IT "FREEZING" LIKE THAT. HE SAID THE TRUCK WILL JUST HAVE TO "LEARN MY DRIVING PATTERN", AND UNLESS TOYOTA DOES A RECALL IT WILL ALWAYS HAVE THESE ISSUES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED, SOONER THAN LATER AND IT IS JUST NOT A "FLOOR MAT" CLIP FIX. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK SINCE IT'S A TOSS UP AS TO WHEN OR WHERE IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR 2004 LEXUS RX330 IN JANUARY 2013 AS THE 2ND OWNER WITH 78K MILES. WE BEGAN TO NOTICE AT LOWER SPEEDS THE TRUCK WILL JERK FORWARD WITH NO WARNING WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, OR EVEN WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MAKING LAND CHANGES OR SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. WE HAVE A 2001 LEXUS RX 300, AND IT NEVER HAS HAD THIS ISSUE. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE, AND WILL BE CONTACTING OUR LOCAL LEXUS DEALERSHIP TO LET THEM KNOW, SO IT CAN BE DOCUMENTED. SINCE READING OTHERS COMPLAINTS, IT SEEMS THAT LEXUS IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS ISSUE, WE MAY BE LOOKING TO TRADE IT IN AND GO BACK TO THE HONDA CRV, WHICH HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL, WE JUST LIKED THE LUXURY OF THE LEXUS, AND WANTED AN UPGRADE, NOT A VEHICLE THAT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WITH NO WARNING. *TR

2004 LEXUS RX330 TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND WILL ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. HAS ALMOST CAUSED A FEW ACCIDENTS. LEXUS WILL NOT HONOR ANY TSB'S DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

VEHICLE PERIODICALLY (APPROX. WEEKLY) SURGES BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE PURCHASE IN OCT. 2003, AS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE, UP THROUGH THE PRESENT DATE. FOR YEARS I COMPLAINED VERBALLY, AND WROTE LETTERS AND E-MAILS TO LEXUS. THEY FIRST DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN CHANGED TACTICS AND BLAMED IT ON ME, THEN SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS OR IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN LEXUS FINALLY ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM--"OFF THE RECORD," BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THEY WOULD INSTALL COMPUTER UPDATES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM--WHICH IT DID NOT. YEARS AGO, I RESEARCHED THROUGH GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME KIND WITH 2004 LEXUS RX 330S. IN LIGHT OF RECENT RECALLS OF TOYOTA VEHICLES, I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY SOMEDAY TURN INTO THE SAME UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING WITH OTHER TOYOTAS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR! *TR

TRANSMISSION INITIALLY FAILS TO ENGAGE IN GEAR CAUSING DRIVER TO INCREASE ACCELERATION UPON WHICH GEARS SUDDENLY (AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY) ENGAGE & JERK VEHICLE FORWARD. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND DOING THE SPEED OF 70 ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY POWER WAS LOST IT DROPPED TO ZERO, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT, BUT I THANK GOD IT WAS NOT, I HAD TO COAST AND TRY TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY ONTO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.*TR

TRANSMISSION JERK, LAGS AND HESITATES, CAR LOOSES POWER WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. ON GOING PROBLEM, HAD DEALER PERFORM ECM REPROGRAMMING AS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, CONDITION PERSISTS, GET WORSE. SAFETY ISSUE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE OUT OF TRAFFIC OR AVOID AN OBJECT ON THE ROAD. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER SERVICE, THEY STATED CONDITION IS "NORMAL". MANY MANY MORE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON SEVERAL BLOGS AND MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET. CAR NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SHOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *TR

I BOUGHT A USED 2004 LEXUS RX IN DECEMBER OF 2008. EVER SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE, AT RANDOM TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR SLOW MOVEMENT, IT WILL HESITATE AND THEN REVS UP AND THRUSTS FORWARD. I TOLD MY MECHANIC (A CERTIFIED LEXUS MECHANIC) ABOUT IT AND HE SAID THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE LEXUS DEALER TO HAVE THE "COMPUTER PROGRAM UPDATED". I TOOK IT TO THEM LAST SPRING AND THEY MADE ME DRIVE IT WITH THEM TO FEEL THE HESITATION AND THRUSTING FORWARD AND THEN TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP TO COMPLETE THE REPROGRAMMING OF IT. BUT THEN THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR'S RECORDS AND IT SAID THAT THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN REPROGRAMMED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T REPROGRAM IT AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SAID HE WOULD SEND NOTICE OF THE PROBLEM TO LEXUS, BUT I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM THE DEALER OR LEXUS. MY CAR STILL DOES THIS REVVING UP AND THRUSTING FORWARD. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACCIDENT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH A LEXUS ACCELERATOR AND ITS COMPUTER SYSTEM, THAT THEY EITHER IGNORED OR CAN'T FIX. DO YOU THINK THIS COULD BE A PRECURSOR TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND MAYBE AN ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE? I AM NERVOUS NOW THAT I HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH LEXUS ACCELERATORS AND ACCUSATIONS OF COVER-UPS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND NOTHING WAS FIXED AND NO ONE HAD THE COURTESY TO LET ME KNOW WHY NOT. WHO SHOULD I TRUST TO TAKE IT TO NOW? AM I IN DANGER IN THE FUTURE? HAVE YOU HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LEXUS ACCELERATOR COMPUTER SYSTEM? *TR

VEHICLE KEEPS MAKING NOISES AT AROUND 30 MPH. ROOT CAUSE IS THAT A TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE ON MY 2004 WHEN UNDER PRESSURE BANGS AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. LEXUS WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, SO THEY RE-DESIGNED THE LINE ON NEWER VEHICLE. LEXUS IS WILLING TO REPLACE THE PART BUT AT OWNER COST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT AND LEXUS NEED TO REPLACE THE PART UNDER THEIR OWN COST. *TR

UPON ACELLERATION, THIS VEHICLE SOMETIMES HESITATES AND AT TIMES ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT. THEY SAY THERE IS NO FIX. I WAS TOLD TO USE PREMIUM GAS, AND I HAVEBEEN TOLD THAT THE NEW SOFTWARE IS IN AND THAT IS ALL THEY COULD DO.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I GET A LOT OF HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION DURING HIGH SPEED DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALSO DRIVING IN THE CITY. THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO INCREASE IN SPEED AND CHOKES UP BUT IT DOESN'T CUT OFF. I'VE NOTICED THAT WHEN I DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55 OR 60 AND TRY TO INCREASE THE ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT WILL TAKE 5-10 SECONDS TO THINK ABOUT INCREASING AND THEN IT REVVS UP IN RPMS AND THEN JUST KICKS IN. YOU CAN HEAR THE ENGINE MAKING ALL OF HESITATION NOISE AND ALSO SEEING THE HESITATION ON THE RPM AND SPEEDOMETER READING. I'VE TAKEN THIS ISSUE INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IS OPERATING PER THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND THAT IT IS NOT OUT OF SPECS. THEY THEN TELL ME THAT THERE IS AN UPDATE TO THE TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE SO THEY SUPPOSEDLY UPDATE IT TO OPERATE BETTER. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A DIFFERENCE AFTER THE UPDATE. *JB

TRANSMISSION HESITATION ON 2004 LEXUS RX330 NEARLY RESULTED IN HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON JULY 14, 2007 WHILE MERGING FROM I-75 IN TAMPA ON RAMP INTO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THE LEXUS AT FIRST FAILED TO SLOW (TO MATCH SPEEDS) WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THEN WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE MERGE (TRAFFIC FLOW WAS ERRATIC), IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS, AND WE HAD TO DRIVE OFF THE PAVEMENT TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. WE HAVE REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION HESITATION PROBLEM TO LEXUS 5 OR MORE TIMES SO FAR, AND THEY SAY IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THIS SITUATION IS HAZARDOUS UNDER CERTAIN COMMON TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE JULY 14, 2007 INCIDENT WAS ONE OF SEVERAL WHERE WE NEARLY HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION DELAY. *TR UPDATED 01/09/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IN HEAVY RAIN DEFOGGER TURNED TO KEEP WINDOWS CLEAR. WHILE DRIVING IF VEHICLE HITS A LARGE PUDDLE A/C WILL TURN OFF AND NO WAY TO RESTART THE A/C OTHER THAN TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

I OWN A 2004 LEXUS RX330. SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT, THERE HAS BEEN A POWER "FADE" WHEN I MAKE SUDDEN SPEED CHANGES USUALLY FROM A SLOW DOWN TO QUICK ACCELERATION--SAY A LANE CHANGE TO AVOID SLOWER TRAFFIC. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY 2 OR 3 SECONDS WHEN THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE ALL POWER FALLS AWAY. I AM LEFT LIKE A SITTING DUCK UNTIL THE VEHICLE DECIDES WHAT TO DO WITH MY COMMAND. IF I AM CROSSING A MEDIAN, I MUST ALLOW FOR THIS DELAY. HOWEVER, IF I HAVE TO CHANGE LANES TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE MAKING AN UNSIGNALED TURN OR SUDDEN STOP, I AM PUTTING MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER BECAUSE I CANNOT COUNT ON HAVING THE POWER TO AVOID THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BY CHANGING LANES AND THEN I RISK AN INCIDENT IN TRYING TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE THAT IS NOW BEHIND ME. I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS WITH LEXUS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS INCLUDING ONE TRIP WHERE I DEMANDED THAT THE MASTER MECHANIC RIDE WITH ME. HE EXPLAINED THAT LEXUS IS AWARE AND THAT IT IS A COMPUTER PROBLEM FOR WHICH THERE IS NO PATCH AVAILABLE. AS OF TODAY, THERE IS STILL NO CURE. THE LAST UPDATE MY VEHICLE RECEIVED WAS IN SEPT 2006. *NM

2004 RX 330, STILL HAVING TROUBLE FROM DAY 1. I ALMOST GOT SLAMMED INTO BY A TRUCK 2 DAYS AGO. THE HAVE FLASHED THE COMPUTER, FOR TRANSMISSION HESITATION, BUT INSIST IT IS PERFORMING THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND LEXUS WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED! THIS IS VERY SERIOUS, IT HAPPENS AT ABOUT 20 MPH, WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE TO GET ON FREEWAY, ETC, IT WILL HESITATE, AND ACT LIKE IT DIED, OR REVS UP, AND DOES NOTHING. THEN YOU LET OFF PEDAL AND HIT IT AGAIN, AND IT HESITATES A SEC THEN GOES. I ALREADY HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THIS, AND CALLED 80025LEXUS TWICE, AND THEY ARE NOT DOING A RECALL THEY SAY. IT IS PERFORMING TO THE SPECS OF THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

I LEASED A 2004 RX330 IN JANUARY, 04. IMMEDIATELY I BEGAN HAVING DIFFICULTY PREDICTING WHAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO DO NEXT. SHIFT POINTS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE "UPGRADE" WAS PERFORMED, PROVIDED TEMPORARY ADJUSTMENT. MERGING IS DEADLY. I THOUGHT PERHAPS I WAS SLIPPING OFF THE PEDAL, BUT NOW KNOW IT WASN'T RESPONDING. THE DRIVELINE HAS ALWAYS HAD A "CLUNK" OR "THUMP" THAT OCCURS WHEN LIFTING FROM THE THROTTLE. WE HAVE REPORTED THIS TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP (TOM WOOD LEXUS, INDIANAPOLIS) ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE FIRST DIAGNOSIS WAS "ROCKS UNDER THE SEAT!!!!" EACH TIME, ANOTHER SERVICE WRITER WOULD EXPERIENCE THE THUMP/CLUNK, AGREE THAT THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, AND CLAIM "I'LL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT." IN EVERY INSTANCE WE RECEIVED THE STANDARD RESPONSE, "IT'S A NORMAL NOISE. THEY ALL DO IT." IN MID SEPTEMBER, THE VEHICLE WAS IN SERVICE FOR ANOTHER ISSUE, AND A NEW, EAGER SERVICE WRITER DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, ABSOLUTELY AGREED THAT THE NOISE WAS CAUSING WEAR ON SOMETHING AND THAT HE WOULDN'T WANT TO BUY THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT COMES OFF LEASE, IF IT DOES THAT!" AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR 10 DAYS TO FIX THE OTHER PROBLEM, THE PREVIOUSLY EAGER SERVICE WRITER TOLD US HE HAD DRIVEN OTHER RX'S ON THEIR LOT, AND APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS A "NORMAL" ONE. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE BEEN DRIVING A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE AND LEXUS/DEALER DON'T CARE. UNTIL SOMEBODY DIES, POTENTIAL LEXUS CUSTOMERS BEWARE!! *NM

HESITATION, JERKY WHEN SHIFTING. TOOK TO DEALERS 3 TIMES AND UNABLE TO RESOLVE ISSUE. THEY STATED THAT VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN PARAMETERS. NOW IT IS JERKY WHEN SHIFTING MOST OF THE TIME. *NM

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A LAG IN IT AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENT WHEN RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING AGAIN. IN THIS SITUATION THE TRANSMISSION DOES ON ENGAGE OR IT LAGS CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION BY ITS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR. THIS SITUATION HAPPENS ON A FREQUENT BASIS. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IS NHTSA GOING TO HOLD LEXUS ACCOUNTABLE FOR PUTTING A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION ON THE ROAD? I HAVE READ THAT LEXUS' REPEATED REPLY IS TO STATE THIS BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL. LEXUS CAN NOT WIN THIS ARGUMENT ON REPETITION, IT IS DEFECTIVE. IF THIS LAG IS *NORMAL* WHY DIDN'T LEXUS DESIGN THIS NICE LAG INTO ALL OF THEIR CARS? I'M SURE THIS WOULD BE A FEATURE THEY WOULD WANT TO RUN AN AD CAMPAIGN ON. *JB

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION HESITATION; MISSED SHIFT POINTS; AND STALLS IN TRAFFIC UPON ACCELERATION. USING AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL CAUSES ALL WINDOWS TO FOG UP TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS. LOAD ENGINE NOISES AND POPPING SOUNDS.

2004 LEXUS RX330 HAS PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SHIFT.*MR THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT SIMPLY UPGRADING THE COMPUTER CHIP WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

OUR LEXUS RX330 WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2003. FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO SHIFT GEARS WITH A LAG CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK FORWARD. WE HAVE TROUBLE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AS WELL AS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND WHILE TURNING DUE TO THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. DEALER KEEPS PERFORMING THE TSB TC005-03 "POOR SHIFT QUALITY" AND REPROGRAMS THE COMPUTER WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. WE ARE TOLD THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS WITH LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY DENY A PROBLEM EXISTS AND STATES THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMS WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN FAILS TO DOCUMENT MY COMPLAINTS BY NOT ENTERING IT IN THE IR COMPUTER SYSTEMS IN AN ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE DEFECT. MANY OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM ON INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED WITH A RECALL.