Most common 2004 Lexus RX330 problems
Share of the 287 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus RX330 complaints by model year
Best RX330 years: 2007, 2006. Years to avoid: 2004, 2005. Compare all years →
2004 Lexus RX330 recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 Lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 Lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the U.S. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 Lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover May lean toward the…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover May lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with the accelerator pedal rod.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on July 24, 2006, and should be completed by early September 2006.
Seat belts › Rear/other
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." the anchor bolt for the rear, left-hand side seat belt buckle directly behind the driver's seat does not have sufficient strength.
Remedy: Dealers will replace free of charge the rear, left-hand side seat belt buckle anchor bolt with an improved one. The recall began on February 3, 2006. Owners May contact Lexus at 800-255-3987.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Certain passenger vehicles May be equipped with an improperly designed brake light switch. A silicon oxide build-up occurs on the contacts inside the brake light switch, which can make it inoperable.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake light switch. The recall began during December 2004. Owners should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2004 Lexus RX330:
Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration
On February 16, 2010, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened RQ10-003 to determine whether the scope of prior Toyota recalls relating to potential unintended acceleration were sufficiently broad, including, among others, Toyota recalls 07E-082, 09V-388, 10V-017, and 10V-023.NHTSA also requested information regarding potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.I.
Vacuum brake booster failure
On February 10, 2005, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation to investigate alleged loss of brake power-assist in certain 2004 model year (my) Lexus rx330 vehicles built through approximately June 30, 2004.the subject vehicles were manufactured at Toyota motor manufacturing Canada, inc.?s cambridge, ontario assembly plant and were equipped with vacuum brake booster assemblies…
What 2004 Lexus RX330 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 69 →
My wife had pulled routinely out of our driveway on a clear morning with no obstructions on the road, she turned out of the driveway onto our private road and SUV then suddenly and violently accelerated out of control, rocketing her into a tree and stone wall. The air/knee bags and active seat belt restraint were deployed, saving my wife's life. The investigation by the Lexus front office in torrance revealed that vehicle was performing according to specs. I had noticed a revving noise on day one of purchase and mentioned it to the salesman who said he would look into it. With no further information the dealer suggested mentioning the problem at the 1000 mile check-up. Nothing abnormal was detected, though my complaint was recorded (April '04). The revving noise continued intermittently but without incident until June 30, 2004, the date of the crash. …
My 2004 Lexus RX330 AWD has a problem with the transmission "hanging" on the 2-3 upshift. The car hesitates then roughly shifts into the next gear. It has never shifted as smoothly in any gear as other Lexus and Toyota products I driven. I went to the dealer and the dealer reprogrammed the engine management control. The net result has been that the engine shifts at a higher RPM than it did before, but is still not smooth. The hesitation between gears was less frequent for a week or two after the reprogram, but has now returned and there is an increasing lag or hesitation in shifting in the 2-3 and 3-4 upshift. Last week as I was merging into expressway traffic, I pushed down the throttle and nothing happened. It almost seemed as though the engine died. I released the throttle, pushed again and the transmission engaged a lower gear and accelerated. …
Brakes all 65 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Lexus RX330. While backing up the vehicle in the driveway at a low rate of speed, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and crashed into the garage and house. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. During the incident, the vehicle failed to immediately stop while depressing the brake pedal. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 119,000.
On January 17, 2005 I was involved in an automobile accident in my 2004 Lexus RX330. This accident occurred less than 1 mile from my home, on my own street, 1-2 minutes after leaving my home. It had snowed the night before and the roadway was still snow/ice covered, it was a frigid morning. I was traveling approximately 15 miles per hour and the vehicle brakes failed to engage. I attempted to push the brake petal to the floor without result. The anti-lock brakes did not function. The damage to this vehicle exceeded $8000. Days after the damage to the vehicle was fixed my husband took the vehicle to the Lexus of towson dealership to have the braking mechanism looked at. During the drive to the dealership (in similar, snow covered/frigid conditions) my husband was able to reproduce this problem, again just after leaving our home. …
Body & structure all 34 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Lexus RX330. The contact stated that the dashboard experienced melting and cracking. Also, several sections of the dashboard separated and fell off. In addition, while driving, a glare from the sunlight was present on the melted dashboard, which caused a visibility hazard. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer( Lexus of cool springs, 1636 westgate cir, brentwood, tn) were both notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Lexus RX330. The contact stated that while inspecting the interior of the vehicle, he noticed that the dashboard on the driver's and passenger's side air bag enclosure area was cracked. Pohanka Lexus (13909 lee jackson memorial highway, chantilly, va 20151, [phone]) was informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.
2004 Lexus RX330 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Lexus RX330 a good car?
Based on 287 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 RX330 rates avoid: 4.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the RX330 at the same age. It is one of the RX330 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Lexus RX330?
The transmission & drivetrain — 69 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the brakes (65) and body & structure (34).
How many recalls does the 2004 Lexus RX330 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2004 Lexus RX330, the most recent from November 9, 2011 (engine and engine cooling). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus RX330?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004 and 2005. See the full Lexus RX330 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Lexus RX330 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 56% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.