Skip to content
VINDecoder360
Menu

NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2004–2010

Lexus ES 330 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 380 owner complaints for the Lexus ES 330, covering model years 2004 to 2010. The 2004 model year drew the most complaints (174), and Vehicle Speed Control is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Lexus ES 330 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 2 recall campaigns on file
  • 380 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 4 model years with data (2004–2010)
  • most complaints: 2004 (174 for that model year)
  • top component: Vehicle Speed Control (125 complaints)
  • latest recall 11V539000 (reported Nov 9, 2011)
  • 86 complaints reporting a crash (22.6%)
  • 5 complaints reporting a fire (1.3%)
  • 35 complaints reporting an injury (9.2%)
  • 1 complaint reporting a death (0.3%)

Lexus ES 330 complaints by model year

4 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2004 model year has the most complaints: 174 of 380, or 45.8%. Next come 2005 (141) and 2006 (64). The fewest are for 2010, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Lexus ES 330 owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 2004–2010Column chart of 380 complaints across 7 model years. The highest is 2004 with 174. The full figures are in the table below the chart.2004: 174 complaints17420042005: 141 complaints14120052006: 64 complaints6420062007: 0 complaints20072008: 0 complaints20082009: 0 complaints20092010: 1 complaint12010
Lexus ES 330 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Lexus ES 330 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
2004174352160
2005141342150
20066417141
201010000
All model years380865351

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Lexus ES 330 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Vehicle Speed Control is the component named most often, in 125 complaints (32.9% of all 380), followed by Power Train (114) and Air Bags (61).

Components named most often in Lexus ES 330 complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Lexus ES 330 complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Vehicle Speed Control12532.9%
Power Train11430.0%
Air Bags6116.1%
Engine and Engine Cooling205.3%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic195.0%
Electrical System164.2%
Steering123.2%
Service Brakes112.9%
Unknown or Other112.9%
Engine92.4%
Exterior Lighting82.1%
Structure82.1%
Visibility71.8%
Fuel System, Gasoline61.6%
Seat Belts61.6%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Lexus ES 330 recalls

2 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name ES 330, newest first. The 2 campaigns cover model years 2004 to 2005. The 2004 and 2005 model years appear in the most campaigns (2 each).

  • 2 recall campaigns
Lexus ES 330 recall campaigns covering each model year
2004: 2 campaigns2005: 2 campaigns

  1. NHTSA campaign 11V539000

    Reported

    Engine and Engine Cooling

    Model years 2004–2005

    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:
    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.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  2. NHTSA campaign 04V595000

    Reported

    Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly

    Model years 2004–2005

    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.

    Consequence:
    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..

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Lexus ES 330 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Lexus ES 330 have?

NHTSA lists 2 vehicle recall campaigns for the Lexus ES 330, covering model years 2004 to 2010. The most recent, 11V539000, was reported on November 9, 2011 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 2004 and 2005 model years are covered by the most campaigns (2 each).

Which Lexus ES 330 model year has the most complaints?

The 2004 model year, with 174 of the 380 complaints in NHTSA’s file (45.8%). The next are 2005 (141) and 2006 (64). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Lexus ES 330 complaint?

Vehicle Speed Control is the component named most often: 125 complaints, or 32.9% of all 380. Power Train (114) and Air Bags (61) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Lexus ES 330?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Lexus dealer.

How many Lexus ES 330 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 380 complaints, 86 report a crash, 5 a fire, 35 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Lexus models

8 models · most complaints first

The Lexus models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Lexus VIN decoder with every Lexus model page, WMI code and VIN note.

  • Lexus ES 350 2007–2023 · 11 recalls · 1,451 complaints
  • Lexus RX 1999–2026 · 10 recalls · 947 complaints
  • Lexus RX 350 2004–2023 · 13 recalls · 838 complaints
  • Lexus RX 300 1998–2003 · 2 recalls · 722 complaints
  • Lexus IS 250 2006–2016 · 8 recalls · 719 complaints
  • Lexus ES 1996–2025 · 4 recalls · 666 complaints
  • Lexus IS 1999–2026 · 8 recalls · 595 complaints
  • Lexus ES 300 1995–2013 · 4 recalls · 562 complaints

All Lexus models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.