2005 Lexus ES330 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
No verdict The 2005 Lexus ES330 has 141 NHTSA complaints, the most of any year in this model's data, with a complaint index of 100 and rank 1 out of 3 model years tracked. Engine problems (43% of complaints) and unintended acceleration reports dominate, alongside 2 recalls.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 3 ES330 years
- Verdict
- No verdict
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 141
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 34
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 18
- Top issue
- Engine
- Best nearby year
- —
- no alternative with data
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 18 / 0
Top 2005 Lexus ES330 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine60 (43%)
- Transmission & Powertrain43 (30%)
- Airbags17 (12%)
- Brakes14 (10%)
- Electrical System11 (8%)
- Fuel System5 (4%)
- Other5 (4%)
- Steering4 (3%)
- Structure & Body4 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe sudden unintended acceleration while shifting into park, reverse, or making low-speed turns, sometimes reaching high speeds before impact.
- Several complaints describe brake pedal pressure failing to stop the vehicle, occasionally paired with simultaneous acceleration.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in rear-end and intersection crashes, resulting in injuries.
- One owner reported a strong gasoline odor inside the garage with no visible leak found.
- Some acceleration events occurred at very low mileage, including near-new vehicles with only about 100 miles on the odometer.
2005 Lexus ES330 recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 11V539000Nov 9, 2011Engine420,326 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
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.
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.
- NHTSA 04V595000Dec 15, 2004Seat Belts150,061 vehicles
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.
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.
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..
2005 Lexus ES330 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,100
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2005 compared with other ES330 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2005 Lexus ES330 reliable?
- NHTSA lists 141 complaints for the 2005 ES330, the highest count among the model years with data, giving it a complaint index of 100 and the worst rank (1 of 3). Engine issues account for 43% of complaints.
- What is the top problem area for the 2005 Lexus ES330?
- Engine complaints lead with 60 reports, 43% of the total, followed by transmission and powertrain issues at 30%.
- Does the 2005 Lexus ES330 have any recalls?
- Yes, two recalls: one covering the crankshaft pulley on the engine, and one covering a front passenger seatbelt buckle switch tied to child seat installation.
- How does the 2005 ES330 compare to the 2006 model?
- The 2005 ES330 has a complaint index of 100 versus 50 for 2006, and 141 complaints versus 64, making 2005 the higher-complaint year.
- What mileage do engine problems typically show up at in the 2005 ES330?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 24,500 at failure for engine-related complaints on the 2005 ES330.