2005 Lexus ES
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2005 Lexus ES. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
I have a better picture… ODI = 11773574 Please consider expanding the recall …
Description of Defect: The crankshaft pulley (harmonic balancer) experienced an adhesive bond failure between its inner hub and outer metal ring, mirroring the exact factory defect in NHTSA Campaign 11V539000 (Lexus Campaign BLG). The issue manifested directly following an air conditioning Freon recharge at a licensed automotive service facility. Restoring the correct system pressure introduced normal mechanical load back onto the compressor accessory drive belt. The defective factory adhesive could not withstand standard operating resistance, causing the outer ring of the pulley to immediately begin slipping against its internal torsional rubber damper. This resulted in a chronic, severe rotational squeak during startup and accessory engagement due to the structural failure of the pulley's vulcanized rubber layer. Why this needs federal review: NHTSA Campaign 11V539000 strictly cuts off coverage for the 2005 Lexus ES 330 at a production date of late March 2005. My vehicle was manufactured in May 2005—mere weeks outside the boundary—and features the identical 3.3L 3MZ-FE V6 powertrain and pulley assembly. The vehicle has only 82,750 miles and a meticulously documented 5-to-7-year service history showing proper maintenance. Because this component failed identically under standard operating loads, it is clearly the defective batch of adhesive extended past the manufacturer's assumed cutoff. The campaign must be expanded to cover later 2005 production dates.
Authorized dealership service department (Toyota West/Germain Automotive Group) performed structural repairs and released a vehicle back to me as safe. I operated this vehicle on public highways with my child. Upon subsequent inspection, the same dealership declared the vehicle a 'Total Loss' due to structural frame damage caused by their own technician. The dealership knowingly allowed a structurally compromised, unsafe vehicle to be driven off their lot without disclosing the safety risks.
FORMAL COMPLAINT: CONSUMER FRAUD & SAFETY VIOLATION Dealership: Germain Toyota West (Columbus, OH) Case Reference: #[XXX] To the Consumer Protection Division: I am filing a formal complaint regarding Theft by Deception, Gross Negligence, and Reckless Endangerment by this dealership. 1. THEFT & BILLING FRAUD On Oct 24, 2025, the dealership charged me $455.00 for labor to install rear sway bar links. I provided my own parts. The technician (Maciah Houpe) failed to install the parts but still charged me. He later admitted via text message: "I did not do your rear links... you didn't pay for rear links." The dealership has refused to refund this money despite the written confession. 2. PROPERTY DESTRUCTION During the attempted repair, the technician used excessive force and bent the vehicle's "wheel rod" (Tie Rod), destroying the steering geometry. The technician later admitted to a witness that he was fired for "bending the wheel rod" on my vehicle. 3. RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT (SAFETY VIOLATION) The dealership released the vehicle to my family on Oct 26, representing it as "safe." After a near-miss incident on [XXX] where the steering failed at highway speeds, Management admitted to my wife that they knew the vehicle "might be lucky to make it to the North Side" before failing. They knowingly released a vehicle with a critical safety defect onto a public highway. 4. RETALIATION When I contacted Toyota Corporate to complain, the technician texted me: "You blew up the spot coming through Toyota... they can't help you." The dealership then revoked a "cure offer" (towing/rental) purely as retaliation for my consumer complaint. ATTACHED EVIDENCE: Please see the attached "Master Case Brief" and "Exhibit A" (PDFs). These contain the full legal timeline and the Text Message Logs where the employee confesses to the theft and damage. I have served the dealership a Notice of Intent to Sue. I am requesting an immediate investigation into this franchise's billing fraud INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORM
[XXX] : “for parts it's $375. I'll drop the labor down to $80 for $455 total…”You: “Well I already have the sway bar links but yes that's fine bro. [XXX] : “Got it let me see if I can change the order real quick. [XXX] : “Got it changed 👍🏽”Screenshot that whole block.Text 2 – “Good to go” / work doneFind where he talks about finishing and testi [XXX] ah: “Got the rear brakes done, fighting the links right no [XXX] ah: “First ones out 👍🏽 should be [XXX] ciah: “Got it done, about to test drive and bring it up”Screenshot from “Got the rear brakes done” through “bring it up.”Text 3 – Apology and refund offerFind this [XXX] ciah: “XXX bro it was smooth when I test drove it. I can't do anything until 5 tomorrow. I'll send your money back too, I apologize about that.“I definitely got everything tight… If you can pull up at 5 tomorrow I'll check it over.”Screenshot that entire message.Text 4 – “Through me not Toyota / blew up the spot / arm and a leg”Find the long message from later:“At home, brother you did work through me not Toyota. They can't help you with anything…“You blew up the spot coming through Toyota. I can't even have your car in the shop now without you going through them first and charging you an arm and a leg.“I tried to do something nice for you… you ha [XXX] ‑old vehicle…” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
passenger dash airbag is coming apart at the seems.
Severe vibration from 30-70mph when acceleration, outboard boot split/slinging grease on left/right sides. CV axle has alot of movement. Right and Left axle shaft needs removed and replaced.
TL* the contact owns a 2005 lexus es350. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact was concerned that the transmission was defective. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
The headlight assembly degrades thereby causing the lights to appear extremely dim when driving at night. *tr
My passenger airbag compartment on front dash has been slowly been lifting and separating though the car has never been in an accident. IS the airbag going to implode one day on a passenger without us knowing? It IS looking scary but I see there IS no recall.
Just bought car today. Had new tires installed and they told me they put the car in park but ir started rolling. Had to restart in neutral and put in park again. When I left went to auto parts store and parked and turned vehicle off. As I was getting out realized car was rolling. I put foot on brake and car restarted without putting in neutral. Shifted to drive and back to park and it stopped this time.
Dashboard IS melting and making the glare difficult to drive. has been like this for some time. just now finding out other people have problems with this. it has large bumps on the melting dashboard. started doing this around may, 2012.
The front passenger airbag cover IS bulging and has separated along the seam nearest the windshield due to shrinkage of the dash. this may impact the deployment of the airbag and cause injury.
Airbag failed to deploy upon frontal collision, vehicle moving straight ahead on neighborhood street..
I was driving slowly up an aisle in a parking lot and spotted a shady place on my left just next to a car already parked. I moved in slowly at 90degree angle to set the car into the parking space with my foot already on the brake. I pressed down the brake further as the car was about to be at the right place. Suddenly, the car accelerated at what seemed full throttle into a brick retaining wall 9-10 feet in front of me. The car backed down in the parking space where it immobilized. the acceleration was sudden and uncontrolable. The airbags didn't go out. the shock against the wall resulted in the front of the car being damaged and a passenger I had in the front seat (we both had our belts on) got a compression fracture to the lower spine and has been bedridden ever since. *js
My vehicle accelerates periodically resulting in close-call accidents. there IS no warning sign of when this IS going to happen. I reported this to the dealership (heyward allen toyota) where I brought the used vehicle in 2008. one of the salesmen drove with me around the dealership and decided there was nothing wrong with the car. I learned 24-hours after the purchase that this vehicle was in an accident prior to me purchasing it which was not revealed. I am concerned that I am putting my life as well as others in danger. *tr
My wife entered an intersection and was struck by another vehicle in the drivers side door, by another vehicle traveling at 30 mph. the driver's door window exploded on impact and she was hit with flying glass in the face. the driver's door was bent inward approximately 12 inches from the force. we believe she hit her head on the b pillar, because she suffered a concussion and a jagged cut above her left eye. she also suffered a broken left rib in the accident. the vehicle was repaired following the accident. the mechanic who performed the repair noted that there was intrusion on the drivers door, that the lower rocker had been pushed in, and that due to pressure on the b pillar the rear door did not open properly after the accident. this vehicle IS equipped with side curtain airs bags which did not deploy during the accident. the owner's manual of the vehicle shows airbag sensors in all four doors of the car. given the direct hit on the drivers door and the resulting explosion of the drivers window, we feel the side airbags should have deployed, which would have lessened or eliminated the injuries my wife suffered. I informed toyota motor sales that I was unhappy with the airbag's failure to deploy, and was informed that since "the impact forces were not directed towards the b-pillar, deployment was not warranted". To me this indicates that there are not sensors in the doors as shown in the owner's manual. additionally, there were forces exerted to the b-pillar in the accident, as noted by the mechanical inspection. *tr
Driving south on florida turnpike, car suddenly accelerated --unable to steer it or slow it down--had to get off highway to avoid collision --turned wheel to right and slid across swale into thicket of trees want to get a used lexus to replace this be but am afraid of safety issues now. *tr
While driving in heavy traffic and traveling at a low speed, the car lurched forward and hit the car that was 6 feet in front of me. The sound of the engine was that of a spontaneous acceleration just like the incident we had on april 30, 2013. There was little or no damage to the car in front of me but the lexus sustained over $10,000. Worth of damage and has subsequently been considered a total loss. the incident on april 30 consisted of our crawling forward into a parking spot, suddenly the car spontaneously accelerated, went over the cement parking barrier and hit a car approximately 5 feet away. lexus looked at the black box after the 4/30 accident and determined that the car was safe to drive. *Tr
When I accelerate, the car hesitates and actually slows down before accelerating. this IS extremely dangerous when needing to avoid other cars or changing lanes or making turns. *js
Transmission hesitates and jerks at all times putting the driver in unsafe situations. There appears to be a endless list of complaints regarding this and lexus not taking any action to correct it on their own. I just received a recall notice for a pulley problem that may cause a belt to come off but their IS no recall issued for a dangerous transmission issue, seriously?? I hope someone forces them to take action soon since they don't appear to be concerned with customer safety or loyalty. *tr
I received a safty recall notice from lexus indicating my engine crankshft pulley may loose and cause loss of power steering. I called lexus and they said I had to take the vehicle to a lexus dealer. Since there isn't a lexus dealer in my hometown they informed me that the closest dealers were at least 150 miles from my home. I bought the car at a local used car dealership that IS no longer in business. I asked if they could certify my local toyota dealer to do the inspection and they said no. if this defect IS on my vehicle it would be unsafe to drive 150 miles to get to their certified dealer. If there IS an accident on my way to the inspection who IS liable? They will be. I want them to accomodate me by certifying the local toyota dealer to do an inspection for me. *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 lexus es350. While driving at 2 mph, the vehicle began to rev, suddenly accelerated and hit a cement wall. Both the contact and passenger sustained bruises and there was front end damage. The contact called the dealership but the dealer stated that they would take no responsibility for the failure. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired at the time of the complaint. Failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 07/26/10. *Lj updated 08/09/10*jb
On nov. 6, 2007 I was the last vehicle in a four car pile-up. The honda in front of me was totaled and my 2005 lexus es330 had over $10,000 in damage. My concern IS that the air bags did not deploy. With such significant damage I was sure they would have protected me but they did not. I am concerned there may be a problem and I will not be protected in the future. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 lexus es330. the contact's wife blacked out while driving and crashed into another vehicle. the air bags failed to deploy and his wife was injured. the vehicle was destroyed and a police report was filed. an investigation was performed by lexus and he received a letter stating that they do not have to provide him with any of the crash information. the vehicle went 70 feet across five traffic lanes and landed perpendicularly to a pole. the current and failure mileages were 18,000. updated 12-12-07. *kb
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
In a letter dated july 8, 2005, and after experiencing two incidents (and one crash) where he alleges his model year (my) 2002 camry accelerated without driver input, mr. Jordan ziprin petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration?s (nhtsa) office of defects investigation (odi) to commence a proceeding to determine the existence of a defect within the etc system in my 2002 to 2005 toyota and lexus vehicles, or to reopen a prior investigation preliminary evaluation (pe) 04-021.in a letter dated august 18, 2005, mr. Ziprin amended his petition to include allegations of interrelated brake and acceleration problems that allegedly result in inappropriate and uncontrollable vehicle accelerations.the 1172 vehicle owner questionnaire reports cited by the petitioner involve 4 lexus and 15 toyota models defining a population of 7 million vehicles.the reports typically alleged a defect in the brake system, the throttle control system, or a combination of both systems.in its review of the reports, odi a) failed to find evidence to support the existence of a brake related defect in the cited models, and b) determined that many cited products were not equipped with etc.accordingly, odi restricted its analysis to the 432 petitioner reports involving my 2002 to 2005 camry, solara, and ES models (all equipped with etc) that alleged an abnormal throttle control event (see the january 3, 2006 federal register notice for further details).about 40% of the 432 reports involve a driveability concern where the operator intentionally applies the throttle pedal, in expectation that the vehicle will accelerate, and then experiences a delay or hesitation in vehicle response.these reports involve vehicle response to intentional driver commands which odi considers unrelated to the allegations raised by the petitioner.therefore, the reports do not provide support for the investigation requested.about 20% of the reports involve incidents where operators allege vehicle acceleration without driver input and an inability of the brake system to control the vehicle when applied.neither the reports, nor the interviews conducted by odi, identified any vehicle-based cause to explain the incidents or disclosed evidence to support that a failure of the brake or throttle control system had occurred.because these reports do not indicate a distinct safety defect for investigation, the reports do not provide support for the investigation requested by the petitionerthe remaining reports (~ 40%, similar to the petitioner?s and those of pe04-021) typically describe incidents where a vehicle IS being maneuvered at slow speed in a close quarter situation at which point the operator alleges that the vehicle accelerates without driver input and crashes.in the aftermath, operators are unsure of whether the brakes were applied or not, sometimes stating there was insufficient time to use the brake; a crash occurred and the operator believes an uncommanded acceleration caused it.in spite of the effort expended during pe04-021 and during this analysis, odi has not identified any vehicle-based cause to explain the reports, or uncovered any evidence to indicate that a throttle control system failure occurred.therefore, the reports have ambiguous significance and do not constitute a basis on which any further investigative action IS warranted.based on the analysis conducted, it IS unlikely that the nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of a safety related defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.consequently, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources t
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.