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Steering
Lexus ES330 Steering problems by year
18 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Lexus ES330's steering. Loss of power steering, stiff or loose steering, wandering, column and rack problems.
Steering complaints by model year
Latest ES330 steering complaints
Authorized dealership service department (Toyota West/Germain Automotive Group) performed structural repairs and released a vehicle back to me as safe. I operated this vehicle on public highways with my child. Upon subsequent inspection, the same dealership declared the vehicle a 'Total Loss' due to structural frame damage caused by their own technician. The dealership knowingly allowed a structurally compromised, unsafe vehicle to be driven off their lot without disclosing the safety risks.
FORMAL COMPLAINT: CONSUMER FRAUD & SAFETY VIOLATION Dealership: Germain Toyota West (Columbus, OH) Case Reference: #[[redacted]] To the Consumer Protection Division: I am filing a formal complaint regarding Theft by Deception, Gross Negligence, and Reckless Endangerment by this dealership. 1. THEFT & BILLING FRAUD On Oct 24, 2025, the dealership charged me $455.00 for labor to install rear sway bar links. I provided my own parts. The technician (Maciah Houpe) failed to install the parts but still charged me. He...
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later admitted via text message: "I did not do your rear links... you didn't pay for rear links." The dealership has refused to refund this money despite the written confession. 2. PROPERTY DESTRUCTION During the attempted repair, the technician used excessive force and bent the vehicle's "wheel rod" (Tie Rod), destroying the steering geometry. The technician later admitted to a witness that he was fired for "bending the wheel rod" on my vehicle. 3. RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT (SAFETY VIOLATION) The dealership released the vehicle to my family on Oct 26, representing it as "safe." After a near-miss incident on [[redacted]] where the steering failed at highway speeds, Management admitted to my wife that they knew the vehicle "might be lucky to make it to the North Side" before failing. They knowingly released a vehicle with a critical safety defect onto a public highway. 4. RETALIATION When I contacted Toyota Corporate to complain, the technician texted me: "You blew up the spot coming through Toyota... they can't help you." The dealership then revoked a "cure offer" (towing/rental) purely as retaliation for my consumer complaint. ATTACHED EVIDENCE: Please see the attached "Master Case Brief" and "Exhibit A" (PDFs). These contain the full legal timeline and the Text Message Logs where the employee confesses to the theft and damage. I have served the dealership a Notice of Intent to Sue. I am requesting an immediate investigation into this franchise's billing fraud INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[[redacted]] : "for parts it's $375. I'll drop the labor down to $80 for $455 total..."You: "Well I already have the sway bar links but yes that's fine bro. [[redacted]] : "Got it let me see if I can change the order real quick. [[redacted]] : "Got it changed "Screenshot that whole block.Text 2 - "Good to go" / work doneFind where he talks about finishing and testi [[redacted]] ah: "Got the rear brakes done, fighting the links right no [[redacted]] ah: "First ones out should be [[redacted]] ciah: "Got it done,...
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about to test drive and bring it up"Screenshot from "Got the rear brakes done" through "bring it up."Text 3 - Apology and refund offerFind this [[redacted]] ciah: "[redacted] bro it was smooth when I test drove it. I can't do anything until 5 tomorrow. I'll send your money back too, I apologize about that."I definitely got everything tight... If you can pull up at 5 tomorrow I'll check it over."Screenshot that entire message.Text 4 - "Through me not Toyota / blew up the spot / arm and a leg"Find the long message from later:"At home, brother you did work through me not Toyota. They can't help you with anything..."You blew up the spot coming through Toyota. I can't even have your car in the shop now without you going through them first and charging you an arm and a leg."I tried to do something nice for you... you ha [[redacted]] -old vehicle..." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My wife was driving the car to pick-up our granddaughter from school on 10-22-2018. She made a full stop at the corner and took her foot off the brake and started to make a right turn. When she started to press on the gas pedal lightly, the engine revved up to full throttle and the car accelerated and lunged uncontrollably forward. Her steering wheel was locked. Because of this acceleration, she hit the car in front with great force and severely damaging our front end and the car bumper in front of her. She was...
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getting get in line to wait for the school children to let out. Had her the car accelerated out of control when children were crossing the street, it would have been a great catastrophe and dead children. Something must be done to alert the public. Another sudden acceleration occurred when I was driving the car about 2 years ago. But the dealer said they couldn't find anything wrong. Our car has a little over 60,000. Each time I take my car to the dealer for an oil change, they removed the floor mat. They say the floor mat can get in the way of the accelerator pedal. I don't think so, but we keep the floor mat in the trunk. I have reported this issue to a lexus headquarter in texas, (800) 255-3987. The representative said a case manager will be contacting me. I'm not sure what they will do. Something must be done to prevent running over people. There will be deaths if nothing is done!
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...
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for refusing to service my vehicle and neglecting the issues when I called and all the calls are recorded. Trouble & horrible service I am not a satisfied customer. I guess you need to be in certain financial bracket to receive exceptional service.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus es330. While driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart on the first attempt and was driven home. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering pump and alternator failed and needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact needed to replace her key with another key chip. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage and vin were unknown.
Was driving 2004es 330 lexus on interstate, traffic was light, cloudy day @1:20pm. Had been on interstate for maybe 15-18 mins of driving before accident occurred. All of a sudden steering seem to lock and car just started spinning uncontrollable. Hit one brick overpass then sprung into the opposite side, hitting another brick wall,continued to spin until it rest against the brick wall again. After help came to pull me out, car was smoking. We could not get it into park to prevent from continue to roll backwards. We just left door open...Rest against brick wall to prevent car from rolling into oncoming traffic. Hero truck drug it to a safe location out of traffic. *Tr
While driving my car, I realized that the passenger rear tie rod was loose, making steering control dangerous. I contacted city tire who did the alignment over 16 months ago. They told me it was not their fault. I had a mechanic look at it. He said that the person that did the alignment did not tightening up the bolt after adjusting the tie rod. This caused the threads on the tie rod to wear out and then the tie rod to fail. A new tie rod is needed. I have a fried that has a chevy impala 2003 this car had the same...
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problem. I came to the conclusion that the manufacture for the part could be the same for both cars and the part could have a design flaw in which the threads inside the adjusting rods wear out. Please investigate this for me. It does seem like a minor thing but it does affect steering controls when it fails. *Tr
Driving south on florida turnpike, car suddenly accelerated --unable to steer it or slow it down--had to get off highway to avoid collision --turned wheel to right and slid across swale into thicket of trees want to get a used lexus to replace this be but am afraid of safety issues now. *Tr
During oil change, mechanic notices power steering fluid leaking. Worried that this is safety problem and could lose steering if seals break. Had rack and pinion replaced. Cost over $1000. Feel that toyota should be responsible for this cost. *Tr
Upon routine inspection at dealer, service manager informed me that the steering rack was in imminent danger of failing and needed to be replaced soon. Failure could result in loss of control. *Tr
I received a safty recall notice from lexus indicating my engine crankshft pulley may loose and cause loss of power steering. I called lexus and they said I had to take the vehicle to a lexus dealer. Since there isn't a lexus dealer in my hometown they informed me that the closest dealers were at least 150 miles from my home. I bought the car at a local used car dealership that is no longer in business. I asked if they could certify my local toyota dealer to do the inspection and they said no. If this defect is...
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on my vehicle it would be unsafe to drive 150 miles to get to their certified dealer. If there is an accident on my way to the inspection who is liable? They will be. I want them to accomodate me by certifying the local toyota dealer to do an inspection for me. *Tr
I purchased a used 2006 lexus es330 in february, 2009. Upon the first long range highway trip, january, 2010, I experienced the vehicle "drifting" either left or right. I do not notice the drifting in city driving, but it is very exaggerated and potentially dangerous at highway speeds. I have checked for recalls, but found none. *Tr
Vehicle pulling to one side lexus 2006 steering wheel nhtsa 10017720; also indicator light on engine nhtsa item number 10017720 service bulletin 00401 es330 model year 2006 mfg component code 010000 steering date of bulletin 12/21/2001. *Tr
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data