2004 Lexus RX330 Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 65about this part
- Share
- 23%of 287 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 10,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 65 complaints about the brakes of the 2004 Lexus RX330, 23% of the 287 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 10,000 miles. 10 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“2 to 3 years prior to this accident I was coming to a stop light and the brakes did not work, but only for a few seconds. I reported this to my husband and he took it to several mechanics but did not find anything wrong with the vehicle, my husband has owned a auto parts store for 40 years and knows a few qualified mechanics. …”
NHTSA complaint #10310902, filed 2010-02, 81,649 miles“Brakes failed! After starting my car and putting it into reverse to back out of the driveway, I found I had no brakes ...the car started moving despite my foot being on the brake pedal. I had to use the emergency brake to stop. After stopping the car, I observed the break pedal is all the way to the floor. The car has been towed to the dealership!”
NHTSA complaint #10104515, filed 2004-12, 13,383 miles“At freeway speeds, applied brakes, and car shook severly, steering wheel shook and moved about 4 inches, left and right. I pulled off freeway. Thinking I had a flat. No flat. Rotors were red hot. I let it cool, checked the emergency brake, it was off. No warning lights were on in the dash. Lexus replaced rotors, brake pads per some bulletin: tsib br004-04 43512-48081 t-1 9b t-2 13.”
NHTSA complaint #10116645, filed 2005-04, 12,901 miles“Someone needs to listen! I have a 2004 Lexus RX330. It's had trouble from day one, and I got nowhere! They have done 5 updates on the computer. Now it only seems to have trouble at 20 MPH, instead of 40-50 and 65-80, of lurching, hesitating, then taking off like a bat out of hell. It's had a bulletin on the front brakes, and shimmied all over the road. I have paper work on all of this and more. You, the ntsb, can take the car and go thru it, I'll give you the repair records. I've called the toyota headquarters in 04 or 05 begging them to help me. …”
NHTSA complaint #10313417, filed 2010-02, 200 miles“Article in nytimes re RX330; problem with brake booster known months ago. We had a # of scary, almost serious episodes with this issue. No one told us, even though they knew! It was very hard to stop the car and pedal required significant effort. Problem always happened just after starting the car at the beginning of the drive. Our car was at dealer for one month, while we awaited parts to repair. Dealer replaced vacuum brake booster and have not had any problems since.”
NHTSA complaint #10111816, filed 2005-02, 5,000 milesRelated recalls
- 04V558000Nov 22, 2004Certain passenger vehicles may be equipped with an improperly designed brake light switch. A silicon oxide build-up occurs on the contacts inside the brake…Covers: Lexus RX330 2004, Toyota Prius 2004
Related service bulletins
- 10205319Feb 21, 2013Brake Pedal Force Gauge SST for Parking Brake Inspection.
- 10133849Feb 21, 2013A new Special Service Tool (SST 09709-00002) has been introduced to aid in the inspection procedure for certain vehicles equipped with a floor pedal-type parking brake system…
- 10042964Sep 26, 2011Lexus: information pertaining to the renotification of non completed safety recall to owners regarding the brake master cylinder cup's rubber seal on certain vehicles.
- 10033089Jun 26, 2009Lexus: some vehicles may exhibit a rattle or buzz type noise coming from the driver's side instrument panel area. The noise can be duplicated when lightly acceleration and then…
- 10018856Dec 22, 2005Tire pressure warning system light on.
Brakes: other model years
Other parts of the 2004 Lexus RX330
69 complaintsBody and structure
34 complaintsVehicle speed control
34 complaintsExterior lighting
22 complaintsAir bags
21 complaintsOther or unknown
20 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
20 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsSteering
9 complaintsSuspension
8 complaintsElectrical system
7 complaintsEquipment
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 Lexus RX330
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology