2005 Lexus ES330 Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026

31Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints

22%Of all 141 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL46 · 32.6%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION31 · 22%

AIR BAGS17 · 12.1%

POWER TRAIN10 · 7.1%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING7 · 5%

Share of the 141 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2005 Lexus ES330 overview page.

What owners report

“TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY ROUGH, UP-SHIFT AND DOWN-SHIFT SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW. DOCUMENTED/REPORTED PROBLEM AT EVERY SERVICE CHECK. WAS TOLD SOFTWARE HAD BEEN 'ADJUSTED/RESET' AND THAT…”NHTSA complaint 10417197 — filed 08/05/2011

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES-330. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY JERK. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO…”NHTSA complaint 10347806 — filed 08/06/2010

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LEXUS ES330 SEDAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED INTERMITTENTLY INTO A LOWER GEAR AND BEGAN TO…”NHTSA complaint 10342693 — filed 07/12/2010

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Lexus ES330 have power train:automatic transmission problems?

Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2005 Lexus ES330: 31 of 141 complaints on file (22%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2005 Lexus ES330 have in total?

141 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 34 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 18 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.