LEXUS ES 330 · model year

2004 LEXUS ES 330

188 NHTSA complaints, 38 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004LEXUSES 330 carries 188 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 38 crashes, 5 fires, 26 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 ES 330 is power train:automatic transmission with 48 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (34) and vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (13). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2004 ES 330. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

188
Complaints
38
Crashes
5
Fires
26
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

188 filings

Crashes Reported

38 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION48
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL34
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL13
AIR BAGS12
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC8
POWER TRAIN7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING6
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3
STRUCTURE3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
SEAT BELTS3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2

Recalls (1)

04V59500015/12/2004

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

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.

Recent Complaints

20190426POWER 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.

Mileage: 150,000

20180814AIR 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.

20180704AIR 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.

Mileage: 88,000

20180410AIR 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.

Mileage: 203,000

20170203SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELT FOR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE SEAT ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED WHEN MY PASSENGER BUCKLED HIS SEAT BELT. THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND AND THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SYSTEM WAS RE CALIBRATED AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE SPORADIC PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. I CANNOT HAVE A PASSENGER DUE TO THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 150,000

20170203SEATS

THE SEAT BELT FOR PASSENGER SIDE AND THE SEAT ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONED WHEN MY PASSENGER BUCKLED HIS SEAT BELT. THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND AND THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SYSTEM WAS RE CALIBRATED AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE SPORADIC PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. I CANNOT HAVE A PASSENGER DUE TO THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 150,000

20161205AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL MY 2004 LEXUS ES 330 HAS A MALFUNCTIONING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THERE IS A LIGHT THAT SAYS PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF THAT IS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THERE IS A GAP IN THE HOUSING WHERE THE AIRBAG IS LOCATED ON THE DASH OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. I AM CONCERNED THERE HAS BEEN NO FORMAL RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM CONSUMERS WITH SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME MAKE/MODEL. PLEASE ADD THIS VEHICLE TO THE RECALL.

Mileage: 160,000

20160801VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS DRIVING AT 9:30AM CST ON 7/27/16 WHEN MY CAR EXPERIENCE UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILES. MY CAR REFUSED TO SLOW DOWN, EVEN WHILE I HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED. I HAVE HAD MY CAR SENT TO LEXUS HEADQUARTERS TO BE INVESTIGATED.

Mileage: 140,000

20160409ENGINE

WHEN STARTING THE LEXUS ES 330 2004 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY IT MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND THAT LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS WHILE STILL PARKED THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE I AM FORCING IT DO ACCELERATE. AFTER BEING WARMED UP IT IS FINE AND AFTER SUBSEQUENT STARTS IT DOES NOT MAKE THAT NOISE.

Mileage: 118,240

20160409FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHEN STARTING THE LEXUS ES 330 2004 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY IT MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND THAT LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS WHILE STILL PARKED THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE I AM FORCING IT DO ACCELERATE. AFTER BEING WARMED UP IT IS FINE AND AFTER SUBSEQUENT STARTS IT DOES NOT MAKE THAT NOISE.

Mileage: 118,240

20160409UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHEN STARTING THE LEXUS ES 330 2004 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY IT MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND THAT LASTS ABOUT 5 SECONDS WHILE STILL PARKED THEN WHEN DRIVING IT SEEMS LIKE I AM FORCING IT DO ACCELERATE. AFTER BEING WARMED UP IT IS FINE AND AFTER SUBSEQUENT STARTS IT DOES NOT MAKE THAT NOISE.

Mileage: 118,240

20160408AIR BAGS

WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS, OUR DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAGS CAME ON. THE DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE PART IS IN AN ELECTRICAL HOUSING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT TO BE REPLACED AS A WHOLE PART AT A COST OF $4000. A SEPARATE MECHANIC WE HAVE USED LONG TERM SAYS IT IS THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SEAT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THIS ONE IS AT A COST OF $6000. THEY BOTH STATE IT'S NOT PART OF THE RECENT AIRBAG RECALLS. THEY KNOW THE AIRBAGS HAVE NOT INFLATED, YET CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL INFLATE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN OUR POSSESSION AS ORIGINAL OWNERS AND NO ONE ELSE DRIVES THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR FENDER BENDER OR ANYTHING. THE LIGHT CAME ON ONE MORNING AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY ALL NIGHT. WE DON'T PARK ON THE STREET.

Mileage: 162,888

20151222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2008 I HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR JERKING BETWEEN 40-60MPH AND HAD THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE MY CONCERNS WHICH I TOOK THE CAR TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY NEVER FOUND; I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN ALL 2004 330ES AND THE PROBLEM WASN'T DETECTED. SO I DROVE THIS CAR FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE IT WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS; UNTIL 12/19/2015 THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WHEN I WAS ENROUTE TO ANOTHER TOWN AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND SLOWED DOWN AND I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE THE ENGINE; WHEN DOING SO THE CAR MADE AN ARKWARD SOUND; SO I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK HOME FROM WHERE I WAS IT WAS 8 MILES BACK; AND THE CAR WAS JERKING AND SHAKING TO WHERE IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND STILL PULLING; I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT OVER THE WEEKEND; AND THEY FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM CODE P0303 CYLINDER 3 MISFIRE AND PO353 IGNITION COIL, WHICH WAS THE PR

Mileage: 170,693

20151222ENGINE

SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2008 I HAD THE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR JERKING BETWEEN 40-60MPH AND HAD THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE MY CONCERNS WHICH I TOOK THE CAR TO A LEXUS DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THEY NEVER FOUND; I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IN ALL 2004 330ES AND THE PROBLEM WASN'T DETECTED. SO I DROVE THIS CAR FOR ALL THE YEARS I HAVE IT WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS; UNTIL 12/19/2015 THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WHEN I WAS ENROUTE TO ANOTHER TOWN AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING AND SLOWED DOWN AND I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE THE ENGINE; WHEN DOING SO THE CAR MADE AN ARKWARD SOUND; SO I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD BACK HOME FROM WHERE I WAS IT WAS 8 MILES BACK; AND THE CAR WAS JERKING AND SHAKING TO WHERE IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AND STILL PULLING; I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT OVER THE WEEKEND; AND THEY FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM CODE P0303 CYLINDER 3 MISFIRE AND PO353 IGNITION COIL, WHICH WAS THE PR

Mileage: 170,693

20150625AIR BAGS

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS SPLITTING OR BUSTING AROUND THE TOP OF IT, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE REST OF THE DASHBOARD. NOT SURE HOW THIS AFFECTS THE AIRBAG AS FAR AS ITS PERFORMANCE IF IN AN ACCIDENT. OR IF IT CONTINUES TO SPLIT WILL THE AIRBAG DEPLOY.

20150518AIR BAGS

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SEEM TO HAVE DEVELOPED A TEAR AROUND THE TOP EDGE. NOT SURE IF THIS AFFECTS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. AFTER DOING A SEARCH ON TH WEB THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON FOR LEXUS ES 330 OF 2003 ONWARDS

Mileage: 100,000

20150112VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES 330. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

Mileage: 38,000

20150109SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO PERFORMED UNKNOWN REPAIRS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

20141023AIR BAGS

NO ACCIDENT- THE PASSENGER AIR BAG- THE COVER IS RAISE AND THE EDGES TURNED UP AS IF READY TO OPEN-WE FEAR DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER -THE NEWS TODAY SAID THERE IS A RECALL-WHAT DO WE DO. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

20140903CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES IT FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB, FLIPPED OVER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

Mileage: 47,000

Compare 2004LEXUSES 330 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 LEXUS ES 330 have?
The 2004 LEXUS ES 330 has 188 NHTSA complaints, 38 crashes, 5 fires, 26 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 LEXUS ES 330?
Yes, the 2004 LEXUS ES 330 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 LEXUS ES 330?
The most-complained component for the 2004 LEXUS ES 330 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 48 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Is the 2004 LEXUS ES 330 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.