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2005 Lexus RX330: headlights failing or too dim

31 of the 165 complaints about the 2005 Lexus RX330 describe headlights failing or too dim.

owner complaints
31
of this car's complaints
19%
typical repair cost reported
$1,600
typical mileage
78,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 3 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Headlights failing or too dim by model year

What owners say

Filed Jan 21, 2016 · Lights · 109,000 miles · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated that the headlights seized without warning. The failure was persisent. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire headlight assembly failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

Filed Jan 15, 2015 · Lights · 100,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the headlight dimmer created poor visibility. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The dealer stated that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 03/24/15*lj updated 9/18/2017

Filed Sep 8, 2014 · Lights · 190,000 miles · OH

Passenger side headlight fixture leaks and low beam light stopped working.

Filed Jul 24, 2014 · Lights, Steering · 162,557 miles · SC

Leaking power steering rack assembly. Seems to be a very common problem with these rx330's. Advised I need a new rack & pinion assembly. Lexus needs a recall for this issue, too many complaints! Also told need to replace headlight ballist!

Filed Jun 10, 2014 · Lights · 140,000 miles · MI

I will add my complaint to previous reporter. I have had to replace the headlamp 2 times due to water in the assembly of the headlamp. The right side headlight failed. There is moisture under the glass which shorted out the light. Online I have seen hundreds of complaints about this happening to the same model lexus. The repair for this headlight runs over $1,500. Lexus corporation refuses to take responsibility for an obvious design flaw. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Dec 3, 2013 · Lights · 117,000 miles · VA

The right side headlight failed. There is moisture under the glass which shorted out the light. Online I have seen hundreds of complaints about this happening to the same model lexus. The repair for this headlight runs over $1,500. Lexus corporation refuses to take responsibility for an obvious design flaw.

Filed Nov 8, 2013 · Lights · 40,000 miles · TN

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated that there was condensation on the driver's side headlight. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the technician stated that the headlight would have to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000. ..updated 12-26-13

Filed Mar 25, 2012 · Lights · 630,000 miles · CA

Drivers side headlamp got water inside the housing causing the hid headlight to short out. Housing seems to be fully sealed.

Filed Sep 28, 2011 · Lights · CA

Water routinely collects inside of both headlights whenever I wash the car or when raining. Light failure due to water inside of the headlights is reported by many other rx330 owners on various internet forums. I'm very afraid that lights might fail when driving at night. This is a safety issue. Lexus refuses to recognize the problem and to issue a recall since so many cars are affected. Local dealer admitted that there is a widespread problem. Please help.

Filed Aug 22, 2011 · Lights · 80,000 miles · CA

Condensation buildup has formed from the interior of the driver/passenger headlights. This is due to a manufacturer design flaw of the headlight seal which allows water to penetrate the headlight housing. Water damage has caused the lowbeam lights to fail. Lexus has quoted over $1400 for replacements, and fails to acknowledge their design flaw. Impacted visibility while driving will lead to an accident.

Filed Jun 15, 2011 · Lights · 89,000 miles · FL

I own a 2005 lexus rx 330. I have been having a problem with the condensation build up within the headlight for about 6 months. I went to the lexus dealer to find out the problem they charged a $110.00 service charge to tell me that I need to replace my headlight assembly. The cost to replace is about $2,200. This is a disgrace. My headlight does not work at all. I have not been able to drive my vehicle at night for sometime now. I contacted lexus customer care and explained to them that this seems to be a major problem and they should have done a recall on this vehicle. The response from lexus is that they would review my case and someone would call me back with a decision. Someone did call me back offering to pay 25% of the total bill of 2,200 from the lexus dealership. I was livid. Lexus sells defective vehicles and expects customers to pay the repairs. I don't know what this world is coming to, but this is ridiculous. The mileage failure was 89,000. I will never by lexus again.

Filed May 31, 2011 · Lights · 6,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lexus rx330. The contact stated that water was entering into the driver side headlight. The dealer was contacted and they advised him that the failure was normal and referred the contact to the owners manual. The headlight eventually failed completely after nothing was done to repair the failure. The vehicle was inspected a second time by the dealer and they advised him that the entire unit would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that they will review the case and contact him at a later date. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 2005 Lexus RX330 headlights

Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2005 Lexus RX330?

31 of 165 owner complaints about the 2005 Lexus RX330 (19%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2005.

How much does it cost to fix headlights failing or too dim on the 2005 Lexus RX330?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,600 (median of 11 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2005 Lexus RX330?

There are 0 recalls and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2005 Lexus RX330

Sudden acceleration 7No deployment 5

All model years of the Lexus RX330

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