Transmission Noise Problems of Lexus RX330

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.

See all problems of the 2005 Lexus RX330 🔎.

I bought my Lexus in 2007. It is a 2004 RX Lexus 330 it had 31,000 miles when bought. Since I had the car my radiator was broken and the Lexus dealership repaired it under warranty. Before this I remember stopping to the dealership because felt the car was stalling and was told that nothing wrong its just I have to be consistent the way I drive with speed. Now in 2010 I'm experiencing the same problem with the car stalling or lagging with the rpm and a little noise coming from the transmission. I really think they should recall this or do something about it because I read alot of reviews that this is happening and the car doesnt even have that many miles. I spent alot of money on this car and they should take this problems in consideration really.

See all problems of the 2004 Lexus RX330 🔎.

On several occasions, I get a lot of hesitation in the transmission during high speed driving on the freeway and also driving in the city. There has been times when I try to accelerate and the transmission struggles to increase in speed and chokes up but it doesn't cut off. I've noticed that when I drive on the freeway at speeds of 55 or 60 and try to increase the acceleration, the vehicle will not accelerate when you press on the gas pedal. It will take 5-10 seconds to think about increasing and then it revvs up in rpms and then just kicks in. You can hear the engine making all of hesitation noise and also seeing the hesitation on the rpm and speedometer reading. I've taken this issue into the dealership several times and they told me that is operating per the design specifications and that it is not out of specs. They then tell me that there is an update to the transmission software so they supposedly update it to operate better. I have never seen a difference after the update.

Around 11,000 miles my 2004 Rx330 started having a thumping sound that occurred intermittently while decelerating especially around 29 mph and then again around 19 mph. I took it to the dealer and they informed me that it was my trans cooler line assembly and oil cooler hose which were replaced and the problem was resolved for about one week that was back in oct. 2004. I have taken the vehicle back about 4 more times for the thumping noise that continues to occur intermittently and now they tell me the noise is normal and that the vehicle is operating as designed. I questioned how can it be considered abnormal back in October but now that the thumping noise can't be fixed they consider it a design flaw. They apparently upgraded it and that should have eliminated the noise but if it didn't there is nothing else to do because this is how the vehicle was designed. . . I fear everyday that this thumping noise is only the beginning of what is yet to follow as I read all the other transmission problems that have been occuring and some have exhibited the thump sound. . . Lexus needs to fix the problems and not just put a band-aid on each one that occurs until the next major incident . . . Take this vehicles off the road if so many consumers are putting their life in jeopardy driving a vehicle that was apparently not manufactured properly and should not be considered safe to drive.