One problem related to transmission noise has been reported for the 2005 Lexus RX330. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Bought this car used 3/2011. On 10/26/14 while driving down the interstate the car began making a whining noise & then completely stopped. Would only go forward a few feet, backward a few feet & then nothing. Had the car towed & discovered that transmission was bad. Already had to replace a transmission in 2002 rx300 & knew that year model was notorious for bad trans but had researched this year model & trans probs did not seem to be an issue. After diagnosis I researched the service records online & discovered the transmission had already been replaced in this same car on 10/26/2010 at 102k miles. (how ironic - 4 years to the date the transmission is out again!) I purchased the car with 103k miles approx 5 months after the trans was replaced. My car now has 196,625k miles & the transmission is bad again. Spoke with nalley Lexus & was informed that they had replaced the trans in 2010 with a brand new transmission. Now at approx 94k miles the trans is bad again??? this does not seem normal! I feel like there should be some reimbursement for me having to replace the trans in the same car again! something is making the transmission go out. As expensive as these cars are - you would think the parts - especially the transmission - would hold up better.