There are 12 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2004 Lexus ESin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO DUE TO SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND LOSS OF STEERING IN A 2004 LEXUS ES330. I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR AND I HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS. THE NIGHT OF MY ACCIDENT I LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF MY CAR AS I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE ON TO THE LOCAL LANES OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN, NJ. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO THE LEFT AND CROSSED SPED ACROSS 8 LANES OF THE HIGHWAY, INCLUDING OVER A MEDIAN BEFORE IT SPUN AROUND AND JERKED TO A STOP IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE WEST BOUND LANES FACING EAST. I WAS HIT HEAD ON BY ANOTHER DRIVER. I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. BOTH OF MY PARENTS ALSO CURRENTLY DRIVE LEXUS VEHICLES, AND BOTH MODELS WERE NOTED TO HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES. FURTHERMORE, MY MOTHER RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER INDICATING HER CAR WAS BEING RECALLED DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ISSUES, THE LETTER STATED WHILE TOYOTA WOULD OFFER WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE A SUITABLE FIX AT NO CHARGE. THE LETTER FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THEY DID NOT CURRENTLY POSSESS THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIRS AND WOULD BE IN TOUCH IN THE FUTURE, NO INDICATION OF THE EXPECTED TIME FRAME WAS PROVIDED. BETWEEN MY ACCIDENT AND KNOWING BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE CURRENTLY DRIVING VEHICLES THAT ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE, BY TOYOTA'S OWN ADMISSIONS, I HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT DISTRESS. I AM AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANT FINES AND SUITS SETTLED AGAINST TOYOTA IN THE PAST, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO SEEM UNFAZED DESPITE THEIR CARS PUTTING ALL OF OUR LIVES AT RISK DAILY. I AM ALSO INCREDIBLY DISGUSTED BY THEIR HISTORY OF VICTIM BLAMING AND WOULD LOVE TO DO WHATEVER I CAN TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE. I FEEL IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT TOYOTA ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR SEEMINGLY NEVER ENDING LIST OF WRONGDOING AND TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO CORRECT ONGOING ISSUES.
WHEN BRAKING AND SLOWLY TURNING LEFT TO COME TO A STOP IN A PARKING SPACE AT A WAL-MART PARKING LOT MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY AT SUCH A FAST SPEED THAT MY CAR CRASHED INTO A METAL POLE AND PUSHED A PARKED STATION WAGON FACING MY CAR BACK FAR INTO ANOTHER ISLE. MY FOOT WAS DEFINITELY BRAKING THE WHOLE TIME.!!!! MY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY HIGH SPEED WHILE I PRESSED THE BRAKE. I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION A SURVEILLANCE TAPE OF THE ACCIDENT TAKEN BY WAL-MART. AS A RESULT I HURT MY BACK AND NECK AND WAS VERY UPSET THAT I COULD HAVE KILLED PEOPLE WALKING IN THAT PARKING LOT. I AM POSITIVE THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY CAR MALFUNCTIONED.
WHEN I TRIED TO STOP AND TURNED RIGHT ON A SIDE STREET THE CAR'S BRAKE DIDN'T WORK AND THE CAR EVEN ACCELERATED ITSELF. IT DIDN'T STOP EVEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE UNTIL IT HIT A STREET SIGN AND KNOCKED THE TREE DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK. THE AIR BAG DIDN'T COME OUT AFTER THE CRASH NEITHER. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOST AFTER THIS ACCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES330. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, HE FAILED TO DISENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. HE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STILL ENGAGED. IN DOING SO, THE MAIN BRAKES WOULD NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND MADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE, AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
2004 LEXUS ES330. CONSUMER STATES ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSED THE CAR TO SKID OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A GUARD RAIL. *TGW ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE VEHICLE LOST TRACTION DUE TO ICY CONDITIONS AND STRUCK A GUARDRAIL. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED HE WROTE TO THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES AND NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. UPDATED 12/22/10. *JB UPDATED 08/24/10*JB THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING COULD ONLY CONFIRM THAT THE INTERNAL COMPUTER WAS NOT REPORTING A SYSTEM ERROR. UPDATED 06/23/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED A SLIGHT APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, CAUSED THE WHEELS TO FREEZE AND THE VEHICLE SKIDDED OUT OF CONTROL. UPDATED 03/29/10.*JB UPDATED CONSUMER LETTER 07/15/10.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 LEXUS ES 330. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NO PERSONALS INJURY. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED FOR BODY DAMAGES AT AN ESTIMATION OF $1,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
MY LEXUS ES330 2004 HAS ABOUT 17K MILES ON IT, AND I HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL INDICATIONS WHERE I TRY AND BRAKE AND IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKES WILL NOT FULLY ENGAGE, OR THAT THE EBS BRAKING SYSTEM IS ENGAGED, WHEN I DO NOT BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE ENGAGED. THIS HAS HAPPENED MOSTLY IN THE WINTER OR FALL MONTHS WHEN THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE AIR WAS DRY. IT HAS TAKEN ME WAY TO LONG TO BRAKE AND COME TO A PROPER STOP. IT HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 10 TIMES. I DO NOT DRIVE VERY MUCH AS YOU CAN NOTE FROM THE MILEAGE. A FEW TIMES IT OCCURRED WHEN THE ROAD WAS WET, AND FELT LIKE THE BRAKES ACTUALLY LOCKED UP AND THEN RELEASED AND THEN WENT INTO THE EBS MODE. IF I DRIVE AGGRESSIVELY, AND WANT TO STOP QUICKLY, THIS CAN OCCUR ON DRY PAVEMENT, IN SITUATIONS WHERE THE CAR IS CLEARLY NOT ACTING IN A MANOR THAT IT SHOULD. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO LEXUS AND THEY SAY THAT THERE IS NO RECALL OR REPORTED PROBLEMS ETC. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT I SUSPECT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO TEST. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL HIGH PERFORMANCE CARS BEFORE, SUCH AS A PORSCHE 944 AND A MERCEDES AND NEVER EVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE. I DO NOT WANT TO SELL THE CAR TO AN UNSUSPECTING PURCHASER, AND THUS I WANT IT RESOLVED. IF I AM DRIVING AGGRESSIVELY, AND GO TO STOP, AT TIME IT IS AS IF THE CAR ASSUMES THAT THE EBS SYSTEM WILL BE NECESSARY GIVEN THE SPEED, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE. ALSO, A FEW TIMES WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE BACK BRAKES SEEMED TO LOCK AND I FELT MY BACK END FISH TAIL. I GOT OUT OF THE PROBLEM BY RELEASING THE BRAKE AND HITTING IT QUICKLY TWICE. IT REALLY IS DISTURBING THAT I DRIVE A CAR THAT I SIMPLY DO NOT TRUST TO STOP APPROPRIATELY. EVEN AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED, IF I HIT THE BRAKES HARD, THE CAR CONTINUES TO TRAVEL ENGAGING THE ABS (THAT WHAT IT IS NOT EBS0 BRAKING SYSTEM WHEN REALLY IT SHOULD NOT BE DOING SO GIVEN THE SPEED AND WEATHER CONDITIONS. I WILL PUT 1/12009 FOR INCIDENT DATE, BUT I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT. *TR
2004 LEXUS ES330. CONSUMER STATES RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER THREE TIMES. DESPITE HAVING THE MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED, THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO HAVE BRAKE ISSUES. ON THE THIRD VISIT, THE BRAKE CALIPER AND BRAKE BOOSTER WERE REPLACED. ON THE FOURTH VISIT, THEY REPLACED THE ABS ACTUATOR. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEMS SHE WAS EXPERIENCING WERE NORMAL. *JB
2004 LEXUS ES 330 DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH BRAKING.*MR THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOISEY WHEN PRESSED AND RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WAS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. *NM
THE BRAKES ON MY NEWLY LEASED 2004 LEXUS 330 DO NOT ENGAGE WITH PRESSURE FOR THE INITIAL 1/2 TO 1 INCH OF PRESSURE AND ARE INCONSISTANT. THEY ALSO MAKE A DISTRACTING AND IRRITATING KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE PEDAL IS RELEASED. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS TOLD ME THE BRAKES WERE FINE, BUT THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT.
MY LEXUS ES330 WAS LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OLD AND THE MILEAGE READ ABOUT 950 THE TIME WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED.T OCCURRED ON THE WAY TO WORK AT 8:40 AM MARCH 8TH, 2004. IT WAS A SUNNY WARM DAY. AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FAR RIGHT LANE OF SOUTH 5 FREEWAY WITH SPEED AROUND 65 TO 70 MPH, A CAR NEXT TO MY LANE WAS TRYING TO CUT IN FRONT OF ME. IN ORDER TO KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE, I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE MOMENT I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE CAR SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I COULDN'T CONTROL WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS HEADING AND THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN AS I FURTHER PRESSED THE BRAKE. IT BUMPED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AND TURNED 180 DEGREE FACING THE ONCOMING CARS. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A TURN AND PARKED THE CAR WITHOUT HITTING ANYBODY. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED FROM THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE REAR BUMPER. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AND LEXUS SENT A INSPECTOR TO CHECK ON THE CAR. ONE WEEK LATER, I WAS INFORMED THE CAR IS OK AND THERE IS NOTHING ABNORMAL AFTER THEIR INVESTIGATION. I REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION REPORT AND THE RESPONSE I GOT IS I HAVE TO "GO THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM". THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR THE EXACT MEANING OF THIS PHRASE. I AM A GOOD DRIVER WITH EXCELLENT RECORD. THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF NOWHERE AND UNPREDICTABLE. I KEPT LOOKING BACK TO FIND ANY CLUES THAT MIGHT LEAD TO THE ACCIDENT. AS I STUDIED THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS, MOST OF THEM HAPPENED DURING SLOW SPEED DRIVING. MY CASE HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL I REMEMBERED WAS THE CAR DIDN'T SLOW DOWN AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE. *AK
AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE GARAGE AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, I CONTINUED TO BOUNCE OFF THE WALL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD STOP. I FELT THAT THE BRAKES FAILED OR THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER, THEY CALLED ME BACK 30 MINUTES LATER AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR AND I COULD PICK IT UP. I FELT AS IF I HAVE BEEN "BLOWN OFF' AND I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICES AND PLACED A COMPLAINT, HOWEVER, THIS ISSUE STILL REMAINS UNRESOLVED. THE FORM WILL NOT LET ME ENTER THE CORRECT MODEL OF MY CAR, IT IS AN ES330 NOT AND RX. *LA
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026