- The problem
- 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.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2005 Lexus RX330 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 192 complaints about the 2005 Lexus RX330 with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (37) and the lights (34). Those complaints describe 17 crashes, 2 fires and 10 injuries. It is covered by 3 recalls, the latest in November 2011 for the engine and engine cooling. For comparison, the 2004 has 327 and the 2006 has 99.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical RX330 year, for its age
#70 most complained-about 2005 vehicle
- Complaints
- 192
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 17
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 10
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2005 Lexus RX330 problems
Share of all 192 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2005 Lexus RX330 recalls 3
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal and interfere with the accelerator pedal arm.
- The risk
- If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
- The problem
- On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with the accelerator pedal rod.
- The risk
- This condition may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on july 24, 2006, and should be completed by early september 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
What owners say
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192 complaints about the 2005 Lexus RX330
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 8.
My vehicle caught fire a few days after being repaired by a licensed repair shop in California. The repair was performed by: Brodie's Tire & Automotive Address: 1276 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA 94952 Phone: [[redacted]] After the fire, the repair shop admitted in writing that: • The intake manifold melted after the fire • The engine became "not repairable" • The fire occurred shortly after their repair • They offered to "fix it for free," which indicates awareness of responsibility The fire caused severe heat...
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damage to the engine compartment, electrical wiring, and surrounding components. The vehicle became unsafe to drive, and the engine can no longer operate. This incident presents a serious safety hazard because the fire happened shortly after a repair that involved components near the engine and fuel system. Improper or unsafe repair work may cause similar fires for other consumers. This incident is already under active investigation by: • California Department of Insurance (CDI) - Complaint #[redacted]• California Bureau of Automotive Repair (DCA/BAR) - Case No: [redacted] I am reporting this to NHTSA because the fire and melted engine components indicate a dangerous defect tied to improper repair work, which may pose a risk to other drivers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Unexpectedly found steel cable has snapped off & the spare tire was gone Like to report this could be a safety issue leading to an accident for fellow driver.
The contact owns a 2005 Lexus RX 330. The contact stated that there were horizontal and vertical cracks on the dashboard near the passenger's side air bag housing. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was concerned about the safety of the driver's and passenger's side air bags. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Over past month Dashboard where airbag is under has become discolored and is CRACKING as if AIRBAG wants out. Other 2005 Toyota vehicles have been recalled bc of Dangerous AIRBAG issues. Should the AIRBAGS in 2005 Lexus' be too? Afraid to drive now.
An AutoZone, Durlast brand brake master cylinder failed in less than one year. The piston in the master cylinder dislodged, preventing proper braking in at least two of the four disc brake calipers. The Duralast master cylinder has been retained for inspection. The safety of the driver, passengers, other motorists and pedestrians were placed at risk due to the malfunction of the shoddily manufactured brake component. Braking distance and stopping efficiency were adversely affected. The problem was confirmed by...
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the automobile repair center. The manufacturer has, so far, failed to contact me about the defective brake component. No warning lamps or messages were associated with the master cylinder failure.
The contact owns a 2005 Lexus RX330. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle was slow to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the Duralast brake master cylinder was inoperable. The contact was informed that the piston in the brake master cylinder had become dislodged, causing the braking system to become less efficient. The mechanic replaced the part. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 210,000.
Front dashboard cracking and peeling off - have not received any recall notices but have seen this issue appear on others complaints. We have heard there have been recalls but have received no notices to date to be able to have repaired
2005 LEXUS RX 330 Vin# [[redacted]] Problem: Dashboard crack and peel all over the surface happened on January 2021.I might be eligible for Lexus to cover this approximate $ 800.00 repair at no charge to me. This is WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTIFICATION. Letter I never get from LEXUS. List of Models Lexus IS covering under this warranty Enhancement 2007-2008 ES 350 2003-2008 GX 470 2004-2006 RX330 2007-2009 RX 350 2005-2008 RX 400h My warranty expire on august 2017 The Dash start cracking and peeling on 2021. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated the dashboard was cracking. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 lexus rx330. The contact stated that the dashboard was fractured near the passenger's side air bag housing. The dashboard fracture expanded throughout the dashboard and caused the front passenger's air bag outline to be visible. The manufacturer informed the contact that the dashboard replacement warranty had expired in 2018. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 70,000. The vin was not available. *Bf carfax states that according to the vin number, the vehicle is actually a 2005 lexus rx330 not a 2010.*As\
Pulling in to a parking slot at dental office, with my foot on the brake, the car suddenly revved and accelerated forward at a high speed. With my foot still on the brake, the car did not stop until hitting the rock wall side of the building. *Tr
Brake pedal goes soft while holding brakes on at a stop. The car will start to roll forward unless more brake pedal pressure is applied. Brake pedal goes almost to the floor. Pumping the brakes restores pressure. My shop bled the brakes twice and found no air in the system. Bleeding did not correct the issue. They said there is a problem with the master cylinder and it needs to be replaced... *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated that the vsc indicator illuminated intermittently. Also, while the vehicle was at a complete stop, the steering wheel would vibrate uncontrollably. In cold weather, the steering wheel would become difficult to maneuver. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 220,000.
The rx330 was seen at the toyota dealership around 121,000 miles for brake pads and general maintenance & inspection. Upon inspection, it was discovered there was a power steering fluid leak and it would be necessary to replace the rack/pinion to a tune of around $2,000! The service was declined and the owner was informed it might be dangerous to drive the vehicle because the steering could lock up, making it more probable for an accident to occur. At present, the owner is adding ps fluid to the vehicle when...
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it runs low and hoping for the best. A few mechanics have commented this might be the less expensive option. However, with a broken rack/pinion, it makes the vehicle very difficult to resale. Mechanics are becoming more and more aware of this costly manufacturing defect in the 2005 lexus. One mechanic commented there is a weak spot in the r&p which gives, causing this problem.
Error message has appeared regarding passenger air bag. Airbag on/off indicator goes on and off when someone is sitting on front passenger seat. Seatbelt warning signal starting ringing when passenger removed seatbelt and exited the car. Stoped when I pressed down on passenger seat.
Timing belt broke on the expressway driving 65 mph causing me to loose power and almost cause an accident. The water pump was leaking causing the car to heat up. The timing belt broke and the mechanic said the car had extensive damage to the motor and is not worth fixing.
Hello, this complaint is not of lexus vehicle I own. I am filing the compliant about the firestone destination le 2 tires I purchased from local firestone store couple years again. I purchase 5 tires including a full size spare. I did first tire rotation this month at the same store location. This morning while driving on the high way. The brand new spare tire rotated to the rear passenger side had a sudden blow out. I almost lost control of my vehicle. By the time I stopped on the shoulder, on side of the tread...
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was completely separated from the wall. I think the tire has manufacture defect and would like to report to you. In case this is not an isolated problem the manufacture should notify other customers about the problem.
I was in the process of parking my car (going slow) in front of a dry cleaners and suddenly the car just took off and accelerated right through the store front. I have never been so shocked and scared in my life. Due to the force of the car moving so fast, I was not able to reach the brakes to stop the car. Fortunately, no one was hurt, since it was a sunday and the store was closed. Without much time to think, I told the police that my shoe must have gotten caught on the pedal. However, the more time I have had...
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to think about it, I do not recall my shoe getting caught on the pedal. This was the only thing I could think of at the time. I have read that this has happened before with the toyota lexus include the rx 330 model.
Falken pro g4 a/s 235/55/18 tire blew up while driving around 30 mph
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. While the vehicle was stationary, the radiator failed. The contact stated that there was no indication on the instrument panel that the vehicle had overheated. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed coolant leaking from the radiator onto the ground. Crown lexus (1125 south kettering drive, ontario, california 91761, (909) 480-4095) and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Car was parked and a fire broke out underneath the car. Fire department put it out and said there was leakage, but they didn't know what caused it. I had car towed to lexus dealer in lexington ky.
Lexus had a recall to repair cracks rapidly developing in the dashboard. When the recall came out I was in the hospital having cancer surgery. The date for the recall had just passed. I called lexus and was told to bring the car to9 the dealer. The dealer found the problem and wrote of an estimate to summit from headquarters for coverage. Headquarters got back to me and said I was too late to have it fixed under the recall. This was after the dealer said they would. I wrote to the ceo of lexus usa and never even got the courtesy of a reply. Now the dashboard is cracking worse.
Vehicle is equipped with two-piece style lug nuts consisting of a physical lug nut and a decorative cap. Lug nuts are 21mm in size. Over time, especially in humid climates or where road salt is used, lug nuts swell between decorative cap and physical lug nut due to corrosion. Swelling can cause 21mm tools including vehicle lug wrench to not fit on lug nut. This is a safety concern because having a flat tire with this issue can lead to being unable to remove lug nuts from vehicle
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated that the brake system failed and the brake warning indicator illuminated. The contact also stated that the steering wheel made a loud noise while being turned. The vehicle was taken to lexus of annapolis (121 ferguson road, annapolis, md 21409, (410)-266-3333) where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder failed and caused the brake fluid to leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 130,100.
My complaint is not about the airbag but rather about the dashboard protecting the airbag! Lexus is aware of cracking dashboards in the rx since they issued an extended warranty to replace these dashboards that expired 05/31/2017! My dashboard did not start cracking until april 2018 and has now started cracking in 5 different locations in just the last month, three of which are in proximity to the passenger airbag. When I took the car to my mechanic for an estimate to replace the airbag he mentioned the safety...
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issue with the dashboard developing cracks in the area that protects the airbag. He said it was a safety issue and recommended that I contact nhtsa with a complaint about this potential safety issue. I purchased this 2005 model in dec 2004 and it has been garage kept the whole time so these cracks are age related not weather related.
Lexus RX330: every year compared
All RX330 years2005 Lexus RX330 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Lexus RX330 | 192 | 3 | F | |
| 2005 Lexus ES330 | 201 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus GX470 | 33 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus RX400H | 29 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus LS430 | 26 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus IS300 Sportcross | 16 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus IS300 | 16 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus SC430 | 12 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2005 Lexus LX470 | 9 | 3 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2005 Lexus RX330
Does the 2005 Lexus RX330 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2005 Lexus RX330: engine and engine cooling (November 2011); accelerator pedal (February 2011); accelerator pedal (July 2006). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Lexus RX330?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (37), lights (34), steering (31).
How many complaints has the 2005 Lexus RX330 had?
192 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on February 14, 2005 and the latest on November 20, 2025. Of these, 17 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 10 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2005 Lexus RX330 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 24 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Lexus RX330 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Lexus RX330 years have the most complaints?
2004 (327), 2005 (192), 2006 (99). See every Lexus RX330 year compared.
What should I do if my 2005 Lexus RX330 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data