IllustrationAIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN IDLE AND WON'T GO OFF. CODE B1787. NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. UNPLUGGED AND RE-PLUGGED ALL CONNECTIONS; DISCONNECTED BATTERY FOR 15 MINUTES BUT DID NOT RESET LIGHT. DEALER CHECKED AND COULD NOT RESET SYSTEM. NO AIR BAG PROTECTION NOW. FIX REQUIRES NEW SEAT WITH SENSORS EST $4500. CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX.
2004 Lexus ES330
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ES330 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 15 of 21 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
10 reportsB1650 CODE - OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM CODE DISPLAYS. NEVER BEEN IN ACCIDENT AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. APPEARED AT START UP OVERNIGHT.
I WAS IN 3 ACCIDENTS AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED. 1 ACCIDENT I WAS HIT IN THE BACK, I WAS NOT MOVING WHEN THE CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND (ON THE FWY), HE MUST OF BEEN DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH. I T-BONED A CAR GOING AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 35 MPH.
AIRBAG HAS PARTIALLY OPENED AND I AM AFRAID IT WILL EXPLODE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.
NO ONE HAS NOTIFIED ME OF THE RECALL OF MY TOYOTA LEXUS 2004 MODEL 330 TO LET US KNOW IF WE NEED THE AIRBAGS REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH AND EXITING THE RESIDENCE, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH AND EXITING THE RESIDENCE, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND NECK THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,999.
PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG COVER IS SEPARATING FROM THE DASH. I APPEARS TO BE RISING UP FROM ITS FLAT POSITION ON THE DASH AND I'M AFRAID IT MIGHT DEPLOY AND INJURE A PASSENGER. IS THIS A TAKATA AIRBAG?
THE AIR BAGS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IS PROTRUDING OUT OF THE DASH. THIS COULD BE A HAZARD BECAUSE THE AIR BAG APPEARS THAT IT COULD BE RELEASED AT ANYTIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER WAS WARPED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
AROUND JANUARY 2014 (BUT IT COULD HAVE STARTED SOONER) I NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG STARTED LOOKING LIKE THE EDGES ARE PEELING AWAY FROM REST OF THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE AREA AROUND THE AIRBAG IS PULLING AWAY AND THE AIRBAG ITSELF LOOKS SO STRETCHED I FEAR THE AIRBAG IS GOING TO DEPLOY. I A…
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AROUND JANUARY 2014 (BUT IT COULD HAVE STARTED SOONER) I NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG STARTED LOOKING LIKE THE EDGES ARE PEELING AWAY FROM REST OF THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE AREA AROUND THE AIRBAG IS PULLING AWAY AND THE AIRBAG ITSELF LOOKS SO STRETCHED I FEAR THE AIRBAG IS GOING TO DEPLOY. I AM AFRAID TO HAVE ANYONE SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. I WORRY THAT ANY BUMP COULD CAUSE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT INJURING SOMEONE. *TR
Official recalls
111V539000 · Engine And Engine Cooling
Nov 9, 2011
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.