2004 Lexus ES330: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Sep 23, 2011 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 lexus es330. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and attempting to shift from second to third, the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the electronic control system hesitated and as a result, the computer module would need to be updated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was operating up to their standards. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 70,000.

Filed Jul 5, 2010 · Acceleration · 50,000 miles · HI

I have a 2004 lexus es330 with accelerator problems. My initial problem was as I come to a stop light and it turns green, before I have to stop I would accelerate and there would be a hesitation where the engine feels like it is stalling. It would then accelerate with a thump. I took it in to the lexus dealer in hawaii (oahu) and they recognized it as a computer program problem that tells the car when to accelerate. I was told that they can "try" to fix it by changing the computer chip and resetting the memory in the computer. However, they said that it would either fix the problem or create other accelerator problems. They know that this problem exists. It fixed my initial problem but has caused other problems such as car now jerks upon accelerating while traveling 5-15 MPH. From a stop, my car sometimes hesitates and then accelerates when I step on the gas pedal. I know other lexus owners have complained as well as camry owners that have a v6 engine and the same transmission as the lexus es330. You can google it.

Filed May 7, 2010 · Transmission · 42,000 miles · FL

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 lexus es330. While driving at various speeds ranging from 0-10 miles per hour, the contact noticed that the transmission jerked, causing the vehicle to hesitate. The contact had not called the local dealer and the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 42,000.

Filed Apr 3, 2010 · Transmission · 32,000 miles · NC

My transmission feels confused in my 2004 lexus es 330. When slowing down to turn in the city or pull out of your driveway my car will hesitate and pause for about a second before accelerating. This seems to be very dangerous as I am afraid that someone will hit me in the back before I can get the car up to the desired speed. I find myself always double checking sometime triple checking beofre I pull out. I have looked online at many different websites and I have found about 1900+ people who have complained about this problem.

Filed Apr 9, 2008 · Transmission · AE

There's a "lag" in the shifting of gears due to something wrong with the transmission in my 2004 lexus es330. I purchased the car new from a major lexus dealership at roseville auto mall, roseville, ca. Although I noticed from the start, a "slippage" or "lag" during the automatic shifting of gears, and brought this to the attention of the lexus dealership, they brushed it off as "normal". My lexus now has 23,000 miles on its odometer and this "lag" is driving me nuts! Driving in europe requires rapid responses and advanced speeds, especially when driving on the autobauns. This "gear shift hesitation" is extremely dangerous and often finds me in a semi-dangerous situation. My driving skill and habits have accommodated this transmission idiosyncrasy but whenever another driver drives my car they immediately recognize the problem and I have so often been advised to place a complaint with the lexus manufacturer, I have yet to do so because I suspect it will fall on deaf ears. Do I have any recourse? My lexus has few miles on it and is still well within it's warranty. I have recently read that the 2004 lexus es330 is wrought with transmission problems. Has lexus served a recall on my model? Please advise. I will appreciate whatever assistance and guidance you may suggest. Thank you very much. I am a us citizen, and retired federal service worker. My wife currently works for us army corps of engineers here in wiesbaden, germany. Wiesbaden recently opened a new and large lexus dealership. Do you think this dealership might know what I'm talking about if I discuss the transmission with them? Do you know of any "fix" lexus is providing for this problem? Thank you again. My phone number is to lengthy to fit into the space provided by this website. Appreciatively, leroy clemans halb . Dr and as finhesitation" I nrlag in the.

Filed Sep 17, 2007 · Transmission · GA

Transmission issues and hesitation in acceleration. Have been back to the dealer 4 times since oct 2006. Dealer "reprograms" the transmission but it does nothing.

Filed Sep 8, 2007 · Transmission · 100 miles · AZ

The 2004 lexus model es 330 has a safety defect in the its transmission that the company refuses to fix. When the driver takes his foot off the gas and slows down, then steps back on the gas, there is a hesitation and at times a jerking in the transmission. Numerous complaints to lexus have only brought the response that this is a known defect, but lexus will not correct the problem. After spending 35,000 dollars for a car, this is not the response one expects to hear! As one's level of frustration with the problem increases, the temptation is to slam your foot on the gas to try to correct the problem, which could obviously lead to more serious issues. The service manager at the local lexus dealership states he has had numerous complaints about the issue, but lexus refuses to address the issue. The date referenced below is only one of continuous dates the problem has occurred; again lexus has been non responsive and blatantly callous to requests to address the problem.

Filed Sep 9, 2006 · Transmission · 2,500 miles · GA

Our 2004 lexus e330 has exhibited many life threatening problems involving its automatic transmission performance. Of greatest concerns are life threatening instances over the two years. Hesitations occur when pressing the gas during critical entry attempts onto interstate hwys, etc. Where we have experienced near deadly transmission hesitations of needed power getting into oncoming traffic. My wife was almost killed by an 18 wheeler when she otherwise would have had adequate time to safely merge had the transmission not hesitated. She was fortunate to have survived. Just one of many close calls. Another es 330 automatic transmission problem is the untenable, untimely, rough down and up shifting between the first and second gears that lexus has advised has been corrected in the 2007 models which of course will not help with this vehicle I am stuck with. Such admittance support my argument that they are quite aware of this very un- lexus type performance in the 2004. What a shame that lexus would let the great lexus name be so degraded by their failure to support their faithful customers in such justified complaints; this is our third lexus!

Filed Nov 28, 2005 · Transmission · 35 miles · FL

Very bad hesitation when accelerating. Took delivery 4/27/04 and found the problem immediately. Complained at 1000 mile checkup. Told to give it time. Complained again at 5000 checkup. They said they checked it out and it was operating as designed. Problem continued. Complained at 15000 checkup (9/28/05). Performed at this checkup per invoice: eg5017 26 99 .9 perform tsb tc004-03. Recalibrate ECM engine and transmission. The problem is better but still exists. Have noticed via internet research that this is a widespread problem with the lexus es. Spoke today (11/28/05) with a service representative at my dealership and he acknowledges that this is a big problem they are dealing with and there appears to be no one good fix for it.

Filed Nov 17, 2005 · Transmission · 12,000 miles · NC

We have a 2004 lexus es330 with 22,000 miles. We have been having problems with hesitation, hard shifts and missed gears for the last 10,000 miles. The dealer replaced the computer module at 16,000 miles and the car is a little better but not much. I took it back in for the problem at 21,000 miles and the dealer acknowledged that there was a problem with the car, but they did not know how to fix it. The dealer told me that lexus told them that they were having trouble with a number of the es cars after the module was changed but they did not know how to tell the dealer to fix it. I have spoken with lexus and their representative again acknowledged that there was a problem with the shifting in the es. Although both the dealership and the manufacturer have both admitted that there is a problem I have been unable to get them to even attempt to do anything about it. We have had this problem for over 1/3 of the time that we have had the car and now I have to wait 2 more weeks for a lexus rep to come into town to "talk to me". The lexus people told me they were going to look into my complaints and call me back in a couple of days and 10 days later I still had not heard from them. Not only do I find the problem very annoying I am very concerned that the hesitation problem could lead to an accident, and I am quite sure that the erratic shifting will lead to premature transmission failure.

Filed Sep 7, 2005 · Transmission · 100 miles · CA

Transmission problems with my 2004 es330 I am becoming very concerned with my new 2004 lexus. I have had it in the service center four (4) times now with the same transmission problem. The service center keeps telling me that there is no problem with the transmission and that it is the way I drive... My 1999 lexus did not have this problem and I am perplexed on why I am being told it is me and not the car. This last service call on august 22nd I was told to use a higher grade of gasoline. I have now gone through a tank of the high grade gas and my transmission is still slipping. I notice it when I slow to negotiate a turn, when I am driving between 15 and 20 miles per hour, also now when I am merging into traffic either slow or from a stop the car hesitates and then lurches forward with a kick.. I am beginning to be afraid to drive this car not knowing what will happen next. I have 3 children that need to be shuttled around every day and I am concerned for their safety as well.. I want to take it back to the service center but the feeling I am getting is that they think I am crazy. This is due to they say there is no problem with the transmission. Also, I don't need extra horse power with the higher grade of gas, the lexus has plenty of power... Can someone please help me in this matter? This transmission is junk... I have had my husband drive the car and he concurs that the transmission does slip and he feels it must be some type of modulator that is not getting the fluid to the torque converter or something like that.. I have less than 15,000 miles on my car and with this problem it feels like I am driving a car with 150,000 miles on it... I don't feel comfortable nor safe driving this car... Please help... I have called lexus 2 days after the purchase of my car when I first felt the irregular shifting patterns.. Thinking it would get better I waited until my 1000 mile service check to bring it up a again.. It seems to be getting worse.

Filed Aug 17, 2005 · Transmission · 50 miles · CA

The car hesitates when the gas pedal is depressed and then it lurches into gear. It has also pulled to the left since we bought it despites numerous repair attempts. We are currently enaged in a lemon lawsuit regarding this issue.