2005 Lexus RX Powertrain & Transmission Problems

CAR WAS PARKED AND A FIRE BROKE OUT UNDERNEATH THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT AND SAID THERE WAS LEAKAGE, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. I HAD CAR TOWED TO LEXUS DEALER IN LEXINGTON KY.

ONE CAN SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO DIFFERENT GEARS, I.E. REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE, WITHOUT STARTING THE VEHICLE ITSELF. ONE CAN TURN OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN GEAR, I.E. REVERSE, NEUTRAL, DRIVE. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE LISTED DATE.

MY WIFE (WHO IS NOT THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE) WAS ENTERING A PERPENDICULAR PARKING SPACE IN FRONT OF A BUSINESS LOCATED JUST OFF THE STREET. THE BUSINESS WAS ONCE A HOUSE AND HAS NOW PUT 3 PARKING SPACES IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING JUST OVER THE SIDEWALK.THE ENTRANCE IS UP A DRIVEWAY AND JUST BEYOND THE SIDEWALK AND INTO THE PARKING SPACES. AS SHE WAS GOING UP THE DRIVEWAY AND TURN SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT TO ENTER A PARKING SPACE, THE CAR HESITATED AND THEN ACCELERATED, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND LEFT A 5 FOOT SKID MARK BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE FRONT OF THE BUSINESS. THE CAR HAS DONE THIS BEFORE ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AND APPLYING A LITTLE GAS, IT WILL HESITATE AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, BUT NEVER CONTINUING AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKE. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY WITH THE LEXUS DEALER AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT COMPUTERS THAT CONTROL THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION CONSTANTLY ADJUST TO THE PRIMARY DRIVER MAY CREATE THIS ISSUE, BUT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED....UPDATED 09/08/15*BF UPDATED 12/3/15 *JS

BOUGHT THIS CAR USED 3/2011. ON 10/26/14 WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A WHINING NOISE & THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED. WOULD ONLY GO FORWARD A FEW FEET, BACKWARD A FEW FEET & THEN NOTHING. HAD THE CAR TOWED & DISCOVERED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION IN 2002 RX300 & KNEW THAT YEAR MODEL WAS NOTORIOUS FOR BAD TRANS BUT HAD RESEARCHED THIS YEAR MODEL & TRANS PROBS DID NOT SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE. AFTER DIAGNOSIS I RESEARCHED THE SERVICE RECORDS ONLINE & DISCOVERED THE TRANSMISSION HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED IN THIS SAME CAR ON 10/26/2010 AT 102K MILES. (HOW IRONIC - 4 YEARS TO THE DATE THE TRANSMISSION IS OUT AGAIN!) I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 103K MILES APPROX 5 MONTHS AFTER THE TRANS WAS REPLACED. MY CAR NOW HAS 196,625K MILES & THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD AGAIN. SPOKE WITH NALLEY LEXUS & WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAD REPLACED THE TRANS IN 2010 WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. NOW AT APPROX 94K MILES THE TRANS IS BAD AGAIN??? THIS DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL! I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME REIMBURSEMENT FOR ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE TRANS IN THE SAME CAR AGAIN! SOMETHING IS MAKING THE TRANSMISSION GO OUT. AS EXPENSIVE AS THESE CARS ARE - YOU WOULD THINK THE PARTS - ESPECIALLY THE TRANSMISSION - WOULD HOLD UP BETTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE NEAR THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MERGE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, BUT THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND HEADED BACK INTO TRAFFIC. ONLY THE FRONT TWO WHEELS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY AND THE REAR TIRES WERE LOCKED. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V112000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND 10V499000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY AND INDEPENDENTLY REVERSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY VEHICLE IS A 2005 LEXUS RX 330. I PURCHASED IT CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN 2007. I WAS COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. AS I PROCEEDED TO TAKE A LEFT HAND TURN THE CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE. IT WAS JUMPING AND SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL IT AND PULL INTO A NEARBY GAS STATION. I COULDN'T DRIVE IT AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST LEXUS SERVICE CENTER. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE TRANSFER CASE ON THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL WENT. THEY OPENED UP THE CASE BOX AND METAL SHAVINGS FELL OUT! I GUESS THERE WAS NO TRANSFER CASE FLUID! SHOULDN'T A MAINTENANCE REQUIRED LIGHT POP ON OR A WARNING? IF I HAD CONTINUED ON THE HIGHWAY RATHER THAN GET OFF THE EXIT, IT WOULD HAVE ENDED BADLY! THE BACK END OF THE CAR COMPLETELY LOCKED ON ME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THE TRANSFER CASE IS RUNNING OUT OF FLUID? THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $2700 FOR THE PART AND $1500 FOR LABOR! I ENDED UP HAVING THE CAR TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE UNTIL I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. I HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING AND HAD I BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, I COULD HAVE FLIPPED THE CAR AND ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL OR DEAD. I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR LEXUS/TOYOTA TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! *TR

I WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE ON A RAMP AND LEFT THE CAR IN GEAR (DRIVE) AND AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, IT ROLLED BACK INTO ANOTHER CAR. THE LEXUS 330 IS SUPPOSED TO PROHIBIT ONE FROM REMOVING THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION WHEN IN GEAR. MY CAR CONTINUES TO ALLOW ME TO REMOVE THE KEY (ENGINE OFF) WHILE IN DRIVE.

UPON SLOWING FROM 40MPH TO A STOP OR ALMOST A STOP, TO MAKE A TURN, THE CAR HESITATES BEFORE ACCELERATING. THIS HESITATION HAS CAUSED BOTH ME AND MY WIFE TO ABRUPTLY ABORT LEFT TURNS. THIS BEHAVIOR IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR DRIVERS IN THE CONGESTED NY METROPOLITAN AREA. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FRIGHTENING CLOSE CALLS WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING AN EMERGENCY ABORT OF A TURN. THIS HESITATION ALSO MANIFESTS ITSELF WHEN YOU LIFT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN GET BACK ON THE GAS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE DEALER HAD A FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER CHECK THE CAR: HE SAID ITHE CAR PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. *TR

2005 LEXUS RX330 WAS DRIVEN AT 40MPH UNDER NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT IN NEUTRAL WHERE THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING. THE DRIVER COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND BROUGHT TO A DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS DAY FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY DID NOT FIND ANY ERROR CODES. *TR

TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINTS ARE OCCASIONALLY NOT SMOOTH AND EXHIBIT INCONSISTENT ENGINE RPM SHIFT POINTS. INITIALLY NOTICED WHEN DRIVING UPHILL AND THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. NO ERROR CODES HAVE BEEN FOUND BY THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. A FIRMWARE UPDATE ON THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN TRIED TWO TIMES WITH LIMITED SUCCESS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO. THERE WAS IMPROVEMENT BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ELIMINATED. OCCASIONAL HARD UPSHIFTS ARE FELT UNDER LOW LOAD AND THROTTLE. FEELS LIKE THE NEXT GEAR UP OR OVERDRIVE IS CONFUSED ABOUT WHEN SHIFTING IS NEEDED. CONTRARY TO THE ABOVE SMOOTH SHIFTING DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION MAY FEEL SLOW AND A BIT UNCERTAIN. DOWN SHIFT POINTS CAN HAPPEN WITH MINOR ACCELERATOR PEDAL MOVEMENT CAUSING HIGHER RPM OF ENGINE THAN NEEDED. FEELS LIKE TWO GEAR DOWN-SHIFTS INSTEAD OF THE ONE THAT'S NEEDED. THIS WAS A LEXUS CERTIFIED VEHICLE WITH 28675 MILES WHEN PURCHASED USED MAY 2008. GAS MILEAGE HAS BEEN A BIT LOW AND I SUSPECT THE SHIFTING BEHAVIOR IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN TRANSMISSION IS COLD AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE (FROM NEUTRAL OR REVERSE) A RAPID BUT DISTINCT TWO "BUMPS" ARE FELT IF THE BRAKE IS NOT ON. I AM NOT CONVINCED THIS IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR AND NEVER HAD ANOTHER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DO ANY OF THE ABOVE. CURRENT MILEAGE IS ABOUT 36,000. *TR

TRANSMISSION DELAY/SLIP DURING ACCELERATION. REQUIRES AN ECU UPDATE. LEXUS WILL CHARGE FOR THE UPDATE, UP TO $100. THE UPDATE SHOULD BE MANDATORY AND FREE OF CHARGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPUTTER ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST THREE TIMES FOR THE FAILURE AND EACH TIME, THE TECHNICIAN WOULD ADJUST THE ECU BUT THE FAILURE WOULD PERSIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS RX330. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT LEFT THE GEAR IN DRIVE AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN ROLLING BACKWARDS. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE KEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE GEAR WAS NOT IN PARK. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND SENT TO THEIR INSURANCE DIVISION, BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET STATED WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

I OWN A 2005 LEXUS RX330. I PURCHASED IT USED IN SEPTEMBER 2007. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT, I HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS PEDAL THERE WAS A FEELING OF A LOSS OF POWER - A HESITATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR WORK UNDER WORK IN FEBRUARY 2008, AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN IMPROPER SHIFT IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WAS RECALIBRATED BY A TECHNICIAN. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE AGAIN HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THERE WAS A HESITATION IN SUPPLY POWER. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS SIMILAR COMPLAINT AND IF MY VEHICLE IS UNDER A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. TW*

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ENGAGE GEARS AUTOMATICALLY. THE PROBLEM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND REFUSED FURTHER SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (HUNTING FOR GEARS, JERKING AND HESITATION) ON A 2005 LEXUS RX330 - AWD. HAVE EXPERIENCED NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO VEHICLE HESITATION WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, CROSSING INTERSECTIONS, OR MAKING TURNS. WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLES HESITATES FOR 3-5 SECONDS. HAVE HAD "FLASH" SERVICE DONE TO ECU. SAME ISSUES STILL EXIST. *NM

MY 2005 RX330 HESITATES AND I FEEL IT'S DANGEROUS. THERE ARE TIMES THAT AFTER MAKING A TURN AND STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR THAT THE CAR BEHIND ME HAS ALMOST RAMMED ME. *TR

2004 LEXUS RX 330: BASICALLY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GEAR DOWN SATISFACTORILY, UNTIL IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. A SLOW TURN AND THEN ACCELERATION WILL 'ALWAYS' RESULT IN 'LAGGING' OF GEAR CHANGES, THEN IT WILL FINALLY GEAR DOWN AND LURCH INTO THE LOWER GEAR. IT'S AGGRAVATING AND CAN BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS IN TIGHT CROWDED FREEWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS WHERE IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN SPEED UP WITHOUT GETTING REAR-ENDED. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO HAS A VERY LOUD "WHINING" AS SOON AS YOU LET OFF ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THESE THINGS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEB 2004. AT THE 5000, 10,000 SERVICINGS, I COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND EACH TIME WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR.