2004 LEXUS RX330 Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

2004 LEXUS RX330 TRANSMISSION JUMPS AND WILL ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL. HAS ALMOST CAUSED A FEW ACCIDENTS. LEXUS WILL NOT HONOR ANY TSB'S DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY LEXUS IN 2007. IT IS A 2004 RX LEXUS 330 IT HAD 31,000 MILES WHEN BOUGHT. SINCE I HAD THE CAR MY RADIATOR WAS BROKEN AND THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY. BEFORE THIS I REMEMBER STOPPING TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE FELT THE CAR WAS STALLING AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WRONG ITS JUST I HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT THE WAY I DRIVE WITH SPEED. NOW IN 2010 I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING OR LAGGING WITH THE RPM AND A LITTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I REALLY THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS OR DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I READ ALOT OF REVIEWS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING AND THE CAR DOESNT EVEN HAVE THAT MANY MILES. I SPENT ALOT OF MONEY ON THIS CAR AND THEY SHOULD TAKE THIS PROBLEMS IN CONSIDERATION REALLY. *TR

VEHICLE PERIODICALLY (APPROX. WEEKLY) SURGES BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE PURCHASE IN OCT. 2003, AS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE, UP THROUGH THE PRESENT DATE. FOR YEARS I COMPLAINED VERBALLY, AND WROTE LETTERS AND E-MAILS TO LEXUS. THEY FIRST DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN CHANGED TACTICS AND BLAMED IT ON ME, THEN SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS OR IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN LEXUS FINALLY ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM--"OFF THE RECORD," BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. EVERY TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THEY WOULD INSTALL COMPUTER UPDATES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM--WHICH IT DID NOT. YEARS AGO, I RESEARCHED THROUGH GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME KIND WITH 2004 LEXUS RX 330S. IN LIGHT OF RECENT RECALLS OF TOYOTA VEHICLES, I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY...

PURCHASED A NEW 2004 LEXUS RX 330 IN AUGUST OF 2003 AND REPEATEDLY BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALERSHIPS COMPLAINING OF A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE IN AN INTERSECTION OR ON A FREEWAY ENTRANCE RAMP, THE CAR WILL HESITATE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN CATAPULT FORWARD. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL ERRATICALLY JUMP BETWEEN DIFFERENT GEARS, AS IF LOOKING FOR THE OPTIMAL GEAR. I CAN BEST DESCRIBE THIS TRANSMISSION AS SCHIZOPHRENIC. I HAVE CONTACTED MULTIPLE LEXUS DEALERS OVER THE YEARS FROM MINNEAPOLIS, TO CHICAGO TO SALT LAKE CITY AND THEY ALL TOLD ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE COMPLAINED. HOWEVER, LEXUS HAS NEVER OFFERED SERVICE OR A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE REPROGRAMMED MY TRANSMISSION ON 2 OCCASIONS AND TOLD ME TO USE PREMIUM FUEL. NONE OF THESE ACTIONS CORRECTED THE...

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I HAVE MY DREAM CAR, 2004 LEXUS RX330. I HAVE HAD SAME TROUBLE. I AM AFRAID OF THE CAR. I HAVE AN OLD FORD RV, I DRIVE INSTEAD OF MY BEAUTIFUL LEXUS. PEOPLE ASK WHY, I TELL THEM I'M AFRAID OF IT. IT LURCHES FORWARD, AND ALSO JUMPS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GEARS @ 20MPH. THIS IS AFTER 5 UPDATES IN THE COMPUTER OF THE CAR. I HAVE PUT 200K MILES ON MY OTHER 5 TOYOTAS, AND ALL WENT BEAUTIFULLY! THEN THE DEMON CAR AS I REFER TO IT. I REPORTED IT REPEATEDLY, AND WAS TOLD BY EVERYONE, INCLUDING LONG BEACH TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS, THAT IT WAS WORKING IN THE MANNER IT WAS DESIGNED, IT WAS LEARNING HOW I DRIVE. HORSE PUCKY. I AM A RETIREE OF ATT. I HAD DEFENSIVE DRIVING EVERY YEAR TO DRIVE THEIR CO....

SOMEONE NEEDS TO LISTEN! I HAVE A 2004 LEXUS RX330. IT'S HAD TROUBLE FROM DAY ONE, AND I GOT NOWHERE! THEY HAVE DONE 5 UPDATES ON THE COMPUTER. NOW IT ONLY SEEMS TO HAVE TROUBLE AT 20 MPH, INSTEAD OF 40-50 AND 65-80, OF LURCHING, HESITATING, THEN TAKING OFF LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL. IT'S HAD A "BULLETIN" ON THE FRONT BRAKES, AND SHIMMIED ALL OVER THE ROAD. I HAVE PAPER WORK ON ALL OF THIS AND MORE. YOU, THE NTSB, CAN TAKE THE CAR AND GO THRU IT, I'LL GIVE YOU THE REPAIR RECORDS. I'VE CALLED THE TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS IN 04 OR 05 BEGGING THEM TO HELP ME. A WOMAN SAID, THE CAR WAS, "PERFORMING IN THE MANNER IT WAS DESIGNED:" I SAVED A LONG TIME TO BUY MY DREAM CAR WHEN I RETIRED, NOW I HAVE A DEFECTIVE CAR, WITH ONLY 48K MILES BECAUSE OF FEAR OF...

TRANSMISSION INITIALLY FAILS TO ENGAGE IN GEAR CAUSING DRIVER TO INCREASE ACCELERATION UPON WHICH GEARS SUDDENLY (AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY) ENGAGE & JERK VEHICLE FORWARD. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND DOING THE SPEED OF 70 ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY POWER WAS LOST IT DROPPED TO ZERO, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT, BUT I THANK GOD IT WAS NOT, I HAD TO COAST AND TRY TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY ONTO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY.*TR

TRANSMISSION JERK, LAGS AND HESITATES, CAR LOOSES POWER WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. ON GOING PROBLEM, HAD DEALER PERFORM ECM REPROGRAMMING AS PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, CONDITION PERSISTS, GET WORSE. SAFETY ISSUE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE OUT OF TRAFFIC OR AVOID AN OBJECT ON THE ROAD. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER SERVICE, THEY STATED CONDITION IS "NORMAL". MANY MANY MORE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON SEVERAL BLOGS AND MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET. CAR NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SHOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *TR

VEHICLE KEEPS MAKING NOISES AT AROUND 30 MPH. ROOT CAUSE IS THAT A TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE ON MY 2004 WHEN UNDER PRESSURE BANGS AGAINST THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. LEXUS WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, SO THEY RE-DESIGNED THE LINE ON NEWER VEHICLE. LEXUS IS WILLING TO REPLACE THE PART BUT AT OWNER COST. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT AND LEXUS NEED TO REPLACE THE PART UNDER THEIR OWN COST. *TR

UPON ACELLERATION, THIS VEHICLE SOMETIMES HESITATES AND AT TIMES ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT. THEY SAY THERE IS NO FIX. I WAS TOLD TO USE PREMIUM GAS, AND I HAVEBEEN TOLD THAT THE NEW SOFTWARE IS IN AND THAT IS ALL THEY COULD DO.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I GET A LOT OF HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION DURING HIGH SPEED DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND ALSO DRIVING IN THE CITY. THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO INCREASE IN SPEED AND CHOKES UP BUT IT DOESN'T CUT OFF. I'VE NOTICED THAT WHEN I DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55 OR 60 AND TRY TO INCREASE THE ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT WILL TAKE 5-10 SECONDS TO THINK ABOUT INCREASING AND THEN IT REVVS UP IN RPMS AND THEN JUST KICKS IN. YOU CAN HEAR THE ENGINE MAKING ALL OF HESITATION NOISE AND ALSO SEEING THE HESITATION ON THE RPM AND SPEEDOMETER READING. I'VE TAKEN THIS ISSUE INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IS OPERATING PER THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND THAT IT IS NOT...

TRANSMISSION HESITATION ON 2004 LEXUS RX330 NEARLY RESULTED IN HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. ON JULY 14, 2007 WHILE MERGING FROM I-75 IN TAMPA ON RAMP INTO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, THE LEXUS AT FIRST FAILED TO SLOW (TO MATCH SPEEDS) WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THEN WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE MERGE (TRAFFIC FLOW WAS ERRATIC), IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS, AND WE HAD TO DRIVE OFF THE PAVEMENT TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. WE HAVE REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION HESITATION PROBLEM TO LEXUS 5 OR MORE TIMES SO FAR, AND THEY SAY IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THIS SITUATION IS HAZARDOUS UNDER CERTAIN COMMON TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE JULY 14, 2007 INCIDENT WAS ONE OF SEVERAL WHERE WE NEARLY HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION DELAY. *TR UPDATED 01/09/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IN HEAVY RAIN DEFOGGER TURNED TO KEEP...

I OWN A 2004 LEXUS RX330. SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT, THERE HAS BEEN A POWER "FADE" WHEN I MAKE SUDDEN SPEED CHANGES USUALLY FROM A SLOW DOWN TO QUICK ACCELERATION--SAY A LANE CHANGE TO AVOID SLOWER TRAFFIC. THERE IS APPROXIMATELY 2 OR 3 SECONDS WHEN THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE ALL POWER FALLS AWAY. I AM LEFT LIKE A SITTING DUCK UNTIL THE VEHICLE DECIDES WHAT TO DO WITH MY COMMAND. IF I AM CROSSING A MEDIAN, I MUST ALLOW FOR THIS DELAY. HOWEVER, IF I HAVE TO CHANGE LANES TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE MAKING AN UNSIGNALED TURN OR SUDDEN STOP, I AM PUTTING MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER BECAUSE I CANNOT COUNT ON HAVING THE POWER TO AVOID THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BY CHANGING LANES AND THEN I RISK AN INCIDENT IN TRYING TO MATCH THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE...

2004 RX 330, STILL HAVING TROUBLE FROM DAY 1. I ALMOST GOT SLAMMED INTO BY A TRUCK 2 DAYS AGO. THE HAVE FLASHED THE COMPUTER, FOR TRANSMISSION HESITATION, BUT INSIST IT IS PERFORMING THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND LEXUS WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED! THIS IS VERY SERIOUS, IT HAPPENS AT ABOUT 20 MPH, WHEN YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE TO GET ON FREEWAY, ETC, IT WILL HESITATE, AND ACT LIKE IT DIED, OR REVS UP, AND DOES NOTHING. THEN YOU LET OFF PEDAL AND HIT IT AGAIN, AND IT HESITATES A SEC THEN GOES. I ALREADY HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THIS, AND CALLED 80025LEXUS TWICE, AND THEY ARE NOT DOING A RECALL THEY SAY. IT IS PERFORMING TO THE SPECS OF THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

HESITATION, JERKY WHEN SHIFTING. TOOK TO DEALERS 3 TIMES AND UNABLE TO RESOLVE ISSUE. THEY STATED THAT VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN PARAMETERS. NOW IT IS JERKY WHEN SHIFTING MOST OF THE TIME. *NM

TRANSMISSION IS HESITANT, SWITCHES UP AND DOWN IN RAPID JUMPS, IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE!! ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. BEEN DOING IT SINCE I BOUGHT IT 2 YRS. DEALER CLAIMS KNOWN PROBLEM, AND NO FIX YET!!!*JB

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A LAG IN IT AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS APPARENT WHEN RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING AGAIN. IN THIS SITUATION THE TRANSMISSION DOES ON ENGAGE OR IT LAGS CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION BY ITS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR. THIS SITUATION HAPPENS ON A FREQUENT BASIS. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. IS NHTSA GOING TO HOLD LEXUS ACCOUNTABLE FOR PUTTING A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION ON THE ROAD? I HAVE READ THAT LEXUS' REPEATED REPLY IS TO STATE THIS BEHAVIOR IS NORMAL. LEXUS CAN NOT WIN THIS ARGUMENT ON REPETITION, IT IS DEFECTIVE. IF THIS LAG IS *NORMAL* WHY DIDN'T LEXUS DESIGN THIS NICE LAG INTO ALL OF THEIR CARS? I'M SURE THIS WOULD BE A FEATURE THEY WOULD WANT TO RUN AN AD CAMPAIGN ON. *JB

AROUND 11,000 MILES MY 2004 RX330 STARTED HAVING A THUMPING SOUND THAT OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DECELERATING ESPECIALLY AROUND 29 MPH AND THEN AGAIN AROUND 19 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS MY TRANS COOLER LINE ASSEMBLY AND OIL COOLER HOSE WHICH WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK THAT WAS BACK IN OCT. 2004. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK ABOUT 4 MORE TIMES FOR THE THUMPING NOISE THAT CONTINUES TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY AND NOW THEY TELL ME THE NOISE IS NORMAL AND THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. I QUESTIONED HOW CAN IT BE CONSIDERED ABNORMAL BACK IN OCTOBER BUT NOW THAT THE THUMPING NOISE CAN'T BE FIXED THEY CONSIDER IT A DESIGN FLAW. THEY APPARENTLY UPGRADED IT AND THAT SHOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE NOISE BUT IF IT DIDN'T THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO BECAUSE...

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION HESITATION; MISSED SHIFT POINTS; AND STALLS IN TRAFFIC UPON ACCELERATION. USING AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL CAUSES ALL WINDOWS TO FOG UP TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN NOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDOWS. LOAD ENGINE NOISES AND POPPING SOUNDS.

2004 LEXUS RX330 HAS PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SHIFT.*MR THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT SIMPLY UPGRADING THE COMPUTER CHIP WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *NM

I HAVE A 2004 RX330. THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES TERRIBLY, TO THE POINT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE. I HAVE HAD IT IN 3 TIMES, AND THEY TELL ME THAT'S THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE. THEY SAID, "I'TS TRYING TO LEARN HOW YOU DRIVE" GIVE IT TIME, THEY SAY, NOW I HAVE 10K MILES, STILL SAME PROBLEM. I WAITED MY WHOLE LIFE TO GET A LEXUS, AND NOT THEY ARE PROVING TO BE LEMONS, AND LEXUS OF ALL THE COMPANIES, SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING. IT'S GOING TO GET SOMEONE KILLED. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO HELP ME AND THE OTHERS THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE? IT SEEMS TO BE WHEN YOU START FROM A STOP, IN THE LOWER GEARS. LEXUS SAID THIS CAR DOESN'T NEED THE "UPDATE".*JB

HESITATION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 LEXUS RX330. AT LOW SPEEDS OF 10-15 MPH TO UP TO AROUND 40-50 MPH. LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN & PRESS THE GAS PEDAL THERE IS A HESITATION. THIS HAS HAPPEN CHANGING LANES ON A HIGHWAY OR TURNING AROUND A CORNER. THIS HESITATION HAS HAPPEN MANY TIMES SINCE THE I LEASED THIS LEXUS FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE TAKEN THIS RX330 BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE LEXUS DEALERSHIP HAS CALLED IT A SITUATION NOT A PROBLEM. BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. I HAVE VOICED MY COMPLAINT AT THE LEXUS CUSTOMER RELATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. I HAVE REPEATEDLY CALLED. THEY TELL ME HOW SORRY THEY ARE WHEN I TELL THEM SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS VECHICLE I HAVE BUT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE HAD...

I AM LEASING A 2004 LEXUS RX 330 FWD WITH ABOUT 20,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TRY TO APPLY THE THROTTLE AFTER SLOWING DOWN THERE IS A SEVERE HESITATION, USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN SURGE IN POWER. AT TIMES THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL HESITATION WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS DECIDING WHAT GEAR IT SHOULD BE IN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE WHILE MAKING A TURN AT AN INTERSECTION, AND ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IF THERE ARE PEDESTRIANS IN THE INTERSECTION. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE LEASING DEALER (LONGO LEXUS) AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH PROVIDED A TEMPORARY AND PARTIAL FIX. AFTER A FEW WEEKS, APARENTLY THE TRANSMISSION REPROGRAMMED ITSELF AND THE PROBLEM RETURNED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A SECOND DEALER AND HE SAID THAT THEY HAD MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT DRIVELINE, BUT THERE WAS NO FACTORY FIX. I CALLED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE SAME. THIS PROBLEM...

TOYOTA/LEXUS NEEDS TO ADDRESS THEIR POWER TRAIN PROBLEM ON THE 2004 RX 330 INSTEAD OF SEEMINGLY IGNORING IT. THE REPROGRAMMING DOES NOT WORK. I'VE HAD IT DONE. SEEMED TO BE A BAND AID FIX FOR A MAJOR PROBLEM. WILL IT HAVE TO BE A DEATH BEFORE THEY RECALL THESE LOUSY TRANSMISSIONS. I HAVE BEEN IN SEVERAL NEAR MISS SITUATIONS BECAUSE OF THIS AWFUL TRANSMISSION SINCE PURCHASING THIS SUV BRAND NEW APRIL 15, 2003. AND AFTER PAYING CASH ($45,000) FOR THEIR SUPPOSED GREAT PRODUCT I WANT TO SUE FOR MY MONEY BACK. THE LAG BETWEEN GEARS, THE HIGH REVS BEFORE GETTING INTO A GEAR IS UTTERLY INSANE. CAN YOU SAY RECALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*JB

HESITATION ON 2004 LEXUS RX 330 TRANSMISSION. IT'S UNSAFE TO PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC WITH THIS CAR. YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR WILL PROCEED OR IF IT WILL HESITATE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. LEXUS SAYS IT'S A DESIGN ISSUE, WITH NO FIX. LEXUS TOLD US TO USE PREMIUM GAS - THEN DID AN ECM REFLASH - THEN SAID IT'S A DESIGN ISSUE. THIS CAR DOES THIS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. IT'S GREAT ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, BUT FROM A STARTING POSITION OR A LOW SPEED POSITION IN THE CITY - IT'S TERRIBLE - MORE IMPORTANTLY IT DOESN'T FEEL SAFE. TODAY - IT EVEN SURGED WHEN I PULLED AWAY FROM A LIGHT.*AK

RE: SUPPLEMENT TO CONSUMER COMPLAINT #10091268 LEXUS RX 330 TRANSMISSION/THROTTLE PROBLEMS. *BF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESTIATES, HUNTS, SHIFTS INCONSISTENTLY, HANGS IN BETWEEN GEARS, DELAYES, ETC. THE THROTTLE DELAYS AT THE FIRST APPLICATION OF GAS AND THE RATE OF ACCELERATION SURGES UP AND DOWN UNEVENLY. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. *TT

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RENDERED THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY UNSAFE, PRONE TO POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS. *BF THE CONSUMER DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS LAG OR HESITATION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM FIRST TO SECOND AND OR SECOND TO THIRD, SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE REVVED UP TO THE REDLINE WITH OUT THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGING. THE DEALER RESET A COMPUTER CHIP THAT WAS INVOLVED IN REGULATING THE POWER TRAIN SYSTEM. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THERE WAS ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE RESULT OF THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. (LAWYER IRA NEWMAN ON BEHALF OF CLIENT, PETER JANCZUK)*JB

SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT MY CAR THE TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN SHIFTING PROPERLY. IT HESITATES IN LOW GEARS WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES . THE MOST BOTHERSOME IS THE LACK OF PROPER RESPONSE WHEN THE DRIVER NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATE (SUCH AS TURNING LEFT OR CHANGING LANES TO AVOID OBSTACLES OR DOUBLE PARKED CARS). IN THESE CASES TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO GO INTO NEUTRAL, AND AFTER ABOUT A SECOND GOES INTO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR WITH A RAPID , JERKY MOVEMENT OF THE WHOLE CAR, WHICH I WOULD COMPARE TO BEING REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR. IT HAPPENED TO ME AND MY WIFE 4 TIMES AND RESULTED IN NECK PAIN AND HEADACHE, AND ALMOST BEING HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. LEXUS DEALER AND CUSTOMER CARE STATE THAT THE CAR WAS DESIGNED TO WORK THIS WAY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*AK

THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASED NEW IN DEC 2003. AS HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES, MY CAR ACCELERATION HESITATES FROM A STOP OR FROM LOW SPEEDS. ALSO MY VEHICLE HAS EXTENSIVE PAUSE OR LAG BETWEEN GEARS. THIS HAS CREATED NUMEROUS DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHERE I WAS STUCK WHILE OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO TAKE ACTION TO AVOID HITTING MY RX330. OFTEN, WHILE MAKING LEFT TURNS AGAINST ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THIS LAG IS SO LONG AS TO BE DANGEROUS. IN THE PAST, I HAVE ACCELERATED HARDER THAN I FEEL NECESSARY IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS LAG. THIS RESULTS IN A SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT AND FORWARD LURCH THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO MY DEALER ON 3 OR MORE OCCASIONS AND THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR MY MODEL. THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER DID DOCUMENT THIS COMPLAINT...

MY LEXUS RX 330 HAS HAD REPEATED TRANSMISSION AND THROTTLE PROBLEMS. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATES, HUNTS, SHIFTS INCONSISTENTLY, HANGS IN BETWEEN GEARS, DELAYS, ETC. THE THROTTLE DELAYS AT THE FIRST APPLICATION OF GAS AND THE RATE OF ACCELLERATION SURGES UP AND DOWN UNEVENLY. THE RESULT IS THAT THE CAR OFTEN CANNOT AVOID HAZARD SITUATIONS. IF ONE IS TRYING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC THE DELAYS CREATE HAZARDS. IF ONE ANTICIPATES AND APPLIES THE THROTTLE EARLY TO COMPENSATE, ONE SOMETIMES LURCHES INTO TRAFFIC. WHEN YOU ATTEMPT A LANE CHANGE THE SAME PROBLEMS CAUSE THE SAME TROUBLES: DELAYS AND A HAZARD. THE DELAY ALSO HAS CAUSED ME TO BE ALMOST REAR ENDED AT STOP LIGHTS. I HAVE REPEATEDLY REPORTED THIS PROBLEM OR PACKAGE OF PROBLEMS TO MY LOCAL SERVICING DEALER AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT LEXUS KNOWS OF THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE COMPLAINTS BUT THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT LEXUS WILL DO...

JUST LEFT MY LEXUS DEALER FOR MY 20,000 SERVICE. FINALLY THE SERVICE MGR ACKNOWLEDGED MY TRANSMISSION WOES. SEE MY PREVIOUS POST. HE SAID LEXUS IS AWARE OF THE CONCERN "NATION WIDE". THEY CHANGED? THE TRANNY FOR 2005!!! THEY ARE ALSO POSTPONING THE HYBRID FOR 6 MONTHS DUE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE 2004 RX TRANSMISSION THOUGH WE KNOW THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT APPLICATION. THE KICKER IS THOUGH IT'S STILL AN OPEN CASE, LEXUS AT THIS TIME DOES NOT HAVE A FIX. SO 20,000 MILES LATER I HAVE A 40,0000 SUV THAT HAS A TRANSMISSION OF A YUGO. NO OFFENSE TO THE YUGO. I WAS TOLD HOW FRUSTRATED THEY ARE WITH THIS. I BELIEVE MY FRUSTRATION IS GREATER, SEEING HOW I MAKE THE PAYMENTS AND DRIVE THIS CAR DAILY. ALSO NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO RIGHT NOW UNTIL LEXUS MAKES A MOVE. AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH. NOT HAPPY IN THE TWIN CITIES.*AK

TRANSMISSION HAS A SERIOUS DELAY IN DOWNSHIFTING WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. THIS HAS CAUSED MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE WHERE A COLLISION COULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO INABILITY TO AVOID FASTER TRAFFIC. *AK *TC

ACCELERATION WITH THIS SUV IS NOT POSITIVE AND YOU NEVER KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR. THIS SUV USES "DRIVE BY WIRE" TECHNOLOGY SO THERE IS NO PHYSICAL LINK BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND THE ENGINE. WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE GAS, THERE IS A DELAY IN THE REPONSE WHICH CAN CAUSE YOU TO END UP IN SOME OTHER DRIVER'S PATH. THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. I TOOK MY SUV TO THE DEALER AND HE "RESET MY ON-BOARD COMPUTER AND THE COMPUTER THAT COMMUNICATES TO THE TRANSMISSION .......... THIS DID NOTHING! I PLAN TO TAKE MY SUV BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND IF HE CANNOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM I AM GOING TO TERMINATE MY LEASE!*AK

2004 LEXUS RX 330 HAS INTERMITTANT, ERRATIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DEALER SAYS IT IS A "HESITATIION ISSUE", BUT RFEUSES TO CONFIRM IN WRITING BECAUSE MANUFACTURER SAYS IT'S THE WAY THE CAR IS DESIGNED. EVEN THOUGH COUNTLESS OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.*AK

OUR 2004 LEXUS RX330 (NOW ABOUT 15,000 MILES) CONTINUES TO HAVE TERRIBLE SHIFTING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IN PARTICULAR, TWO MAJOR ISSUES -- (1) DOESN'T UPSHIFT CORRECTLY, USUALLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS, BUT THE REAL CONCERN IS (2) WHEN SLOWING DOWN, COASTING ANYTHING ABOVE 0 MPH (EVEN 1), THEN HITTING THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR SIMPLY DOESN'T RESPOND FOR 3-5 SECONDS, THEN SLOWLY ACCELERATES. WE'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT 5 TIMES BECAUSE OF THE 2ND PROBLEM. WE'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER DENIED THE PROBLEM EXISTED. THE SECOND TIME THEY RECOGNIZED IT (AFTER A TEST DRIVE WITH ME) AND RESET THE SOFTWARE/DRIVING CHIP, TELLING ME THE CAR "LEARNS" OUR DRIVING HABITS AFTER ABOUT 300 MILES, SO TO GET THE CAR TO RESPOND [THE WAY IT SHOULD], I SHOULD FLOOR THE GAS ALL THE TIME FOR THE...

1. THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING. . THE TRANSMISSION ON MY BRAND NEW LEXUS RX 330 DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY. IT KICKS WHEN STEPING ON THE THE GAS PEDAL, THERE IS A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, & BETWEEN 20 - 40 MPH, AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, THE TRANSMISSION HAS TROUBLE UP SHIFTING AND ENGINE REVS UP AND DOWN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE SHIFTING 3. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER, AND HAS TRIED SWITCHING TO HIGH OCTANE FUEL. NEITHER HAS WORKED. THE DEALER IS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, I KNOW OF SEVERAL RX 330 OWNERS WHO ARE ALL EXPERIENCEING SIMMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN SOME PART OF THE TRANSMISSIONS USED IN THE RX 330. *AK

I HAVE OWNED MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 SINCE OCTOBER. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON (4) SEPARATE OCCASIONS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. UPON ACCELERATION AFTER SLOWING DOWN THE VEHICLE AND RETURNING TO THE PEDAL TO REACCELERATE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE. THE CAR HAS A "DEAD PEDAL" AT TIMES I HAVE EVEN PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR WITH NO REACTION. WHEN YOU LET UP ON IT AND REPRESS THEN IT WILL REACT. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION HAS A "LAG" IN SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ESPECIALLY WHEN YEILDING AND STARTING TO PROCEED, I HAVE ALMOST HIT A VEHICLE FROM THE LAG TIME FROM WHEN I ACTUALLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO MOVE. I FEEL THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS I HAVE COME CLOSE TO HITTING A VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FROM THIS. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE...

THE AUTOMOBILE HAS A LATENT DEFECT AND IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. IN NOVEMBER 2003, I ATTEMPTED TO BACK UP IN A CROWDED PARKING LOT, AND WHILE IN REVERSE, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR - THERE WAS A LAG AND THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED BACKWARD VERY RAPIDLY, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE. I ASSUMED THE FAULT WAS MY OWN (SINCE IN MOVING MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE, MY FOOT WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE BECAUSE THE PEDALS ARE CLOSE TOGETHER, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER ITEM) AND AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED (APPROXIMATELY $7,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE) I RESUMED DRIVING THE VEHICLE. ON JUNE 29, 2004, AGAIN I WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP AND AGAIN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND AGAIN WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, THERE WAS A LAG AND THEN AGAIN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY BACKWARDS, STRIKING A BUILDING. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IS...

OUR 2004 LEXUS 330 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND SEEMS TO "BOUNCE" BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEARS. WE HAVE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TWICE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO NO AVAIL. THIS SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM. *AK

SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH ROUGH SHIFTING AND A LAG ASSOCIATED WITH A DELAY IN LOW SPEED ACCELERATION. RETURNED VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS ADJUSTED. PROBLEM PERSISTS. EVENTUALLY, SOMEONE WILL BE INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM DUE TO UNEXPECTED HESITATION IN ACCELERATION.*AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN OR A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE DROPPED OUT OF GEAR THEN SURGED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION PERFORMED ERRATICALLY. *JB THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT. THE MANUFACTURERE CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS A CHARAXTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

I TOO HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 LEXUS RX 330. I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN THE REPAIR CENTER THREE TIMES ALREADY FOR HESITATION AND LAGGING BETWEEN GEARS AND VIBRATIONS NOISES THROUGHOUT THE CAR. I PERSONALLY DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR BECAUSE IT DRIVES INCONSISTENTLY AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED OR HAVE STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT PROPERLY ACCELARATE. I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES. I AM BEING TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL. NORMAL TO WHO? IT IS OBVIOUS, BY MANY COMMENTS I HAVE REVIEWED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME VEHICLE THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE HERE THAT LEXUS IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. I WONDER HOW LONG THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TURN THEIR HEADS. I DROVE AN RX 300...

MY RX 330 HAS A TRANSMISSION LAG AT 20-25MPH. THE CAR JUST DOESNT GO AND IT IS EXTREMLY DANGEROUS IN INTERSECTIONS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED AND I HOPE IT IS NOT ME.*AK

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ERRATIC AT LOW SPEEDS. "CLUNK OR MUTED "CLANK" HEARD AND FELT UNDER CLOSED THROTTLE DOWSHIFTS WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP. MOST NOTICEABLE DURING THE 5-4 DOWNSHIFT (37 MPH) AND THE 4-3 DOWNSHIFT (25 MPH). SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMS IT'S A NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION FOR LEXUS. TECHNICIAN WHO RODE WITH ME DISAGREED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 5100 MILES. PROBLEM BEGAN AT 2000 MILE MARK. *JB

TRANSMISSION PROBLEM: SERIOUS LAG BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS. IF I PUSH THE ACCELERATOR DOWN TO ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION: NOTHING HAPPENS. THE CAR SEEMS TO STALL, SLOWS DOWN AND THEN ONCE THE ECU HAS DETERMINED WHICH GEAR TO SELECTIT ACCELERATES VIOLENTLY TAKING THE DRIVER BY SURPRISE. ALTOGETHER THE RESPONSE IS FAR TOO SLOW. TRANSMISSION IS NOT SMOOTH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. DEALER CHECKED TRANSMISSION:"WORKING ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS" ?! ALSO "THUMP" "CLUNK" NOISE WHEN DECELERATING FROM 50 MPH TO LOWER SPEEDS, OCCASIONALLY. AA. *AK

MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 AWD HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION "HANGING" ON THE 2-3 UPSHIFT. THE CAR HESITATES THEN ROUGHLY SHIFTS INTO THE NEXT GEAR. IT HAS NEVER SHIFTED AS SMOOTHLY IN ANY GEAR AS OTHER LEXUS AND TOYOTA PRODUCTS I DRIVEN. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL. THE NET RESULT HAS BEEN THAT THE ENGINE SHIFTS AT A HIGHER RPM THAN IT DID BEFORE, BUT IS STILL NOT SMOOTH. THE HESITATION BETWEEN GEARS WAS LESS FREQUENT FOR A WEEK OR TWO AFTER THE REPROGRAM, BUT HAS NOW RETURNED AND THERE IS AN INCREASING LAG OR HESITATION IN SHIFTING IN THE 2-3 AND 3-4 UPSHIFT. LAST WEEK AS I WAS MERGING INTO EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC, I PUSHED DOWN THE THROTTLE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. IT ALMOST SEEMED AS THOUGH THE ENGINE DIED. I RELEASED THE THROTTLE, PUSHED AGAIN AND THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED A LOWER...

LEXUS 2004 RX 330 - TRANSMISSION. SHIFTING HESITATION, LEXUS HAS ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM WITH A CHANGE IN COMPUTER SHIFTING POINTS BUT IT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THEY NOW REFUSE TO HELP FURTHER SAYING ONLY THAT IT IS WITHIN DESIGN STANDARDS. MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM IN LEXUS OWNERS FORUM WEB SITE, BUT NO HELP FROM LEXUS.*JB

WHEN I DRIVE MY 2004 LEXUS RX330 MANUAL ON 4TH, SPEED IS AROUND 40 MPH, AND LEFT OFF THE THROTTLE, I CAN HEAR A WHINING NOISE FROM REAR. ONCE I PUSH THE GAS PADDLE, THE NOISE IS GONE. IT CAN BE DUPLICATED ON D WHEN I SLOW DOWN FROM 50 MPH. THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO THE OTHER THREE RX330S (TWO LOANER CARS AND ONE BRAND NEW CAR).*AK

THE RX330 HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A SERIOUS LAG BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTS. THE ENGINE WILL REV UP BUT THE CAR DOESN'T MOVE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND ALSO WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, CHANGING LANES, AND PASSING TRAFFIC. I HAVE NARROWLY AVOIDED BEING HIT IN THE REAR TWICE BECAUSE OF THIS BEHAVIOR. WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE CAR DOESN'T DOWNSHIFT INTO THE PROPER GEAR AT TIMES AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED". THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE BUT TELL ME THAT LEXUS HAS NOT COME UP WITH A FIX YET. I HAVE CONTACTED LEXUS CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS...