What breaks most · 2004 to 2004 model years
Lexus ES 330 problems by year
Owners have filed 153 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lexus ES 330 across model years 2004 to 2004. One year stands out: 2004 for powertrain and transmission complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2004
- Complaints on file
- 1532004 to 2004, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004153 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 282 fires · 18 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 42kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 1Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 153 | 28 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (61) |
What fails on the 2004 Lexus ES 330
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 40% |
61 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 32% |
49 | 19 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2004 Lexus ES 330 |
| Air bags | 9% |
14 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
12 | 6 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2004 Lexus ES 330 |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 5% |
8 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2004 Lexus ES 330 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 3% |
5 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2004 Lexus ES 330 |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 3% |
4 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seat belts | 3% |
4 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Upper right motor mount has been replaced 3 times. Now car is vibrating between 45-60 and has no power and is taking up to 1-2 minute's.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Lexus ES 330 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004 carries the most filings on the Lexus ES 330. The 2004 alone has 153 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Lexus ES 330 problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 61 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lexus ES 330 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lexus ES 330 complaints that include mileage is about 42,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.