Power Train. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

28 crash reports2 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

153 reports

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2005

Exterior Lighting

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION NUMEROUS TIMES, AND THE MECHANIC ADJUSTED THE LIGHTS. BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10117135

1,000 miles · May 21, 2005

Power Train

SEVERE HESITATION WHEN MERGING ON TO A HIGWAY AT BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH. DEALER SERVICE HAS CHECKED VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY AND "ITS NORMAL FOR A LEXUS"

NHTSA ODI #10121789

500 miles · May 18, 2005

Power Train

AT LOW SPEED ABOUT 20-25 MPH LETTING GO OF THE GAS PEDAL AND PRESS ON AGAIN CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO HESITATE FOR AT LEAST 1-2 SECOND LIKE IT IS SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT GEAR. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI #10121334

200 miles · Apr 18, 2005

Power Train

WHEN DRIVING, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE COMPUTER SETTINGS WERE CHANGED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HESITATE. *AK THERE WERE SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER WOULD ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE. LEXUS DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A CONCER…

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NHTSA ODI #10115534

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2005

Power Train

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY 2004 LEXUS ES 330 BOUGHT IN AUGUST 2004. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH HESITATES VERY OFTEN WHEN IT SHIFTS DOWN FROM 2ND GEAR TO 1ST GEAR AND THEN BACK UP. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM MANY TIMES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENT, LEXUS SHOULD ADMIT IT IS…

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NHTSA ODI #10114292

7,615 miles · Mar 6, 2005

Vehicle Speed Control

TWO EPISODES OF SPONTANEOUS ACCELERATION. EPISODE ONE ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 17,2004, WHILE PULLING PAST A VEHICLE ON A FREEWAY, THE CAR DID NOT SLOW WHEN ACCELERATOR PRESSURE WAS RELEASED AND REQUIRED MULTIPLE PEDAL DEPRESSIONS TO OBTAIN CONTROL. THE SECOND EPISODE IS DESCRIBED BELOW.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10112616

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2005

Vehicle Speed Control

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I OWN A LEXUS 2004 ES 330, PURCHASED NEW. FROM DAY ONE THERE HAS BEEN A HESITATION IN ACCELERATION. THIS HAS PUT ME IN POSSIBLE DANGER MANY MANY TIMES. IN TALKING WITH THE DEALER, THEY WERE/ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SAID IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM THAT THEY HOPE WILL BE FIXED. NOTHING TO DATE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY AGREE THAT THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND THAT ALL THE ES 330S HAVE THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, LEXUS HAS NOT TAKEN THE TIME OR WANTED TO SPEND THE MONEY TO FIX THIS. THE DANGER IS REAL. CAN YOU HELP? THANKS. JANE ROBINS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10112463

Mileage unknown · Mar 2, 2005

Power Train

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I OWN A 2004 LEXUS ES 330 AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKS AND HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION. THIS DEFECT HAS PUT ME AT RISK NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED; THE RISK BEING THAT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND UPON GIVING IT MORE GAS IT DECIDES TO OVERCOMPENSATE, CAUSING NEAR COLLISIONS WITH THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THE LEXUS DEALER HAS DISMISSED THE PROBLEM AND HAS NOT INCLUDE IT IN THE SERVICE REPORTS, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE REQUESTED IT BE EXAMINED. THEY STATE THAT THE CAR IS LEARNING MY DRIVING HABITS. THIS IS A SMOKESCREEN AND UNACCEPTABLE; I AM CERTAIN THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE NHSTA BEFORE. LEXUS REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED ON NUMEROUS WEB SITES. THANK YOU! *AK

NHTSA ODI #10112425

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2005

Vehicle Speed Control

THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THEN, TURNED VEHICLE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10113240

10,000 miles · Feb 16, 2005

Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE HESITATED, THEN SURGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. NO IMPACT REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB VEHICLE SURGES EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A COMPLETE STOP. NO COLLISION SO FAR. *TT

NHTSA ODI #10108516

Official recalls

04V595000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Dec 15, 2004

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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..

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP05002 · Vehicle Speed Control

Opened Aug 5, 2005 · Closed Jan 5, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control

IN A LETTER DATED JULY 8, 2005, AND AFTER EXPERIENCING TWO INCIDENTS (AND ONE CRASH) WHERE HE ALLEGES HIS MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 CAMRY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, MR. JORDAN ZIPRIN PETITIONED THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION?S (NHTSA) OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) TO COMMENCE A PROCEEDING TO DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF A DEFECT WITHIN THE ETC SYSTEM IN MY 2002 TO 2005 TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES, OR TO REOPEN A PRIOR INVESTIGATION PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE) 04-021.IN A LETTER DATED AUGUST 18, 2005, MR. ZIPRIN AMENDED HIS PETITION TO INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF INTERRELATED BRAKE AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS THAT ALLEGEDLY RESULT IN INAPPROPRIATE AND UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE ACCELERATIONS.THE 1172 VEHICLE OWNER QUESTIONNAIRE REPORTS CITED BY THE PETITIONER INVOLVE 4 LEXUS AND 15 TOYOTA MODELS DEFINING A POPULATION OF 7 MILLION VEHICLES.THE REPORTS TYPICALLY ALLEGED A DEFECT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH SYSTEMS.IN ITS REVIEW OF THE REPORTS, ODI A) FAILED TO FIND EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF A BRAKE RELATED DEFECT IN THE CITED MODELS, AND B) DETERMINED THAT MANY CITED PRODUCTS WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH ETC.ACCORDINGLY, ODI RESTRICTED ITS ANALYSIS TO THE 432 PETITIONER REPORTS INVOLVING MY 2002 TO 2005 CAMRY, SOLARA, AND ES MODELS (ALL EQUIPPED WITH ETC) THAT ALLEGED AN ABNORMAL THROTTLE CONTROL EVENT (SEE THE JANUARY 3, 2006 FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE FOR FURTHER DETAILS).ABOUT 40% OF THE 432 REPORTS INVOLVE A DRIVEABILITY CONCERN WHERE THE OPERATOR INTENTIONALLY APPLIES THE THROTTLE PEDAL, IN EXPECTATION THAT THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE, AND THEN EXPERIENCES A DELAY OR HESITATION IN VEHICLE RESPONSE.THESE REPORTS INVOLVE VEHICLE RESPONSE TO INTENTIONAL DRIVER COMMANDS WHICH ODI CONSIDERS UNRELATED TO THE ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY THE PETITIONER.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED.ABOUT 20% OF THE REPORTS INVOLVE INCIDENTS WHERE OPERATORS ALLEGE VEHICLE ACCELERATION WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND AN INABILITY OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN APPLIED.NEITHER THE REPORTS, NOR THE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY ODI, IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE INCIDENTS OR DISCLOSED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT A FAILURE OF THE BRAKE OR THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM HAD OCCURRED.BECAUSE THESE REPORTS DO NOT INDICATE A DISTINCT SAFETY DEFECT FOR INVESTIGATION, THE REPORTS DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED BY THE PETITIONERTHE REMAINING REPORTS (~ 40%, SIMILAR TO THE PETITIONER?S AND THOSE OF PE04-021) TYPICALLY DESCRIBE INCIDENTS WHERE A VEHICLE IS BEING MANEUVERED AT SLOW SPEED IN A CLOSE QUARTER SITUATION AT WHICH POINT THE OPERATOR ALLEGES THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT AND CRASHES.IN THE AFTERMATH, OPERATORS ARE UNSURE OF WHETHER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED OR NOT, SOMETIMES STATING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO USE THE BRAKE; A CRASH OCCURRED AND THE OPERATOR BELIEVES AN UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION CAUSED IT.IN SPITE OF THE EFFORT EXPENDED DURING PE04-021 AND DURING THIS ANALYSIS, ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY VEHICLE-BASED CAUSE TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTS, OR UNCOVERED ANY EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT A THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE OCCURRED.THEREFORE, THE REPORTS HAVE AMBIGUOUS SIGNIFICANCE AND DO NOT CONSTITUTE A BASIS ON WHICH ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE ACTION IS WARRANTED.BASED ON THE ANALYSIS CONDUCTED, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.CONSEQUENTLY, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA?S LIMITED RESOURCES T