2005 Lexus ES330 recalls and problems

The 2005 Lexus ES330 has 2 safety recalls and 141 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Lexus dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

141

Crashes / fires

34 / 2

Injuries / deaths

18 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2005 Lexus ES330 vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2005 Lexus ES330 recalls

Recall 11V-539: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Nov 9, 2011 · 420,326 vehicles affected · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

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.

Recall 04V-595: Seat Belts

Reported Dec 15, 2004 · 150,061 vehicles affected · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

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..

2005 Lexus ES330 problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Vehicle Speed Control	51
Power Train	43
Air Bags	18
Engine and Engine Cooling	9
Electrical System	8
Service Brakes	7
Unknown or Other	5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	4
Steering	4
Exterior Lighting	3
Fuel System, Gasoline	3
Structure	3

Most reported parts

Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 31
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal — 5
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 2
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift — 1
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) — 1
Seat Belts › Rear/Other — 1
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash — 1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 33,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2005 Lexus ES330 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Air Bags · at 80,000 miles · reported Feb 28, 2019

This is similar to the complain another car owner has filed. My car was purchased new from the lexus of pleasonton,ca dealership. I have had no major accident or no airbag deployment. Car has been lightly used with 80k miles on the odometer currently. The airbag container on the passenger dash has progressively cracked at the topical seams over time. I have been told an airbag should not look like this. I AM concerned about an untimely deployment and if the container will get worse. At no time has the airbag been manipulated, repaired, etc since my ownership.

Air Bags · at 45,000 miles · reported Feb 18, 2019

This car was purchased from the lexus of memphis dealership as used in 2010. I have had no accidents or airbag deployment. I AM.not aware of any a evident history from the previous owner. The airbag container on the passenger dash has progressively cracked at the topical seams over time. I have been told an airbag should not look like this. I AM concerned about an untimely deployment and if the container will get worse. At no time has the airbag been manipulated, repaired, etc since my ownership.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) · reported Jul 25, 2018

My check engine light is on and when the diganoised code check is performed "no codes appear," but I do have a power steering leakage and I hear the power steering noise when I AM turning and from the recall 11v53900 11/09/2011 engine and engine cooling its a huge problem. I call customer service and they where no help! I called for servicing and they stated on my VIN there is no recall but on the NHTSA there pops up this recall so no cool. I AM going to wait until something happens and sue the hell out of lexus for refusing to service my vehicle and neglecting the issues when I called and all…

Air Bags · at 169,000 miles · reported Oct 24, 2017

Tamara recall on my airbags,never repaired. I got into an accident and airbags didn't come out. Have to replace brakes every few months on this car also

Air Bags · at 83,000 miles · reported Sep 8, 2017

Front passenger airbag cover appears to be separated along the seam near windshield on dashboard and there is a wider gap on that side vs the side closest passenger. I've not seen this before in any of my other lexus vehicles and it's cause for concern of safety as a result.

Other Lexus ES330 years

200620052004

Compare all Lexus ES330 years · All Lexus models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Lexus ES330 have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2005 Lexus ES330: 11V-539 (engine and engine cooling), 04V-595 (seat belts). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2005 Lexus ES330?

Owners report vehicle speed control problems most often (51 reports), followed by power train (43). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 33,000 miles.

Are Lexus recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Lexus dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.