Brandon93

I purchased a 2003 ES 300 about a week ago...only 65k miles! Love the car and I rarely notice any hesitation problems. My Mom bought a 2005 ES 330 new (she has since traded it in for a 2013 ES 350) and that 2005 had horrible hesitation issues. We took it to the Lexus dealer for a regional service advisor to have a look. They said they couldn't find anything wrong and just flashed the ECU. I think the hesitation problems started in 2004 when Lexus introduced the ES 330 (3.3L engine vs. 3.0L for ES 300). The horsepower to torque ratio was way off. The ES 330 had 225hp and 240 Ibs-ft of torque @3600rpm as oppose to the ES 300's 210hp and 220 Ibs-ft of torque. From what I was told, the gap between HP and torque caused the car to kind of "jult" as if it was ready to take off and race when you accelerate from about 5mph. Also I was told it is the drive by wire throttle system that causes the issues. In 2006, Lexus adjusted the power of the ES 330 to 218hp and 236 Ibs-ft of torque possibly due to all of the complaints. I don't think it did much, but once the 3.5L engine was introduced in 2007 for the ES 350, the hesitation was no more. Bottom line is there really is no "fix" as to what you can do to get rid of the hesitation. I remember a service advisor telling me that instead of rolling through a stop sign at 5mph, actually stop so the computers/throttle can reset and there will be no hesitation. Or, you can always roll through the stop sign at 5mph and give it a few seconds then accelerate that should work, too. The car as a whole out weighs the hesitation issue I really like it.

I purchased a 2003 ES 300 about a week ago...only 65k miles! Love the car and I rarely notice any hesitation problems. My Mom bought a 2005 ES 330 new (she has since traded it in for a 2013 ES 350) and that 2005 had horrible hesitation issues. We took it to the Lexus dealer for a regional service advisor to have a look. They said they couldn't find anything wrong and just flashed the ECU. I think the hesitation problems started in 2004 when Lexus introduced the ES 330 (3.3L engine vs. 3.0L for ES 300). The horsepower to torque ratio was way off. The ES 330 had 225hp and 240 Ibs-ft of torque @3600rpm as oppose to the ES 300's 210hp and 220 Ibs-ft of torque. From what I was told, the gap between HP and torque caused the car to kind of "jult" as if it was ready to take off and race when you accelerate from about 5mph. Also I was told it is the drive by wire throttle system that causes the issues. In 2006, Lexus adjusted the power of the ES 330 to 218hp and 236 Ibs-ft of torque possibly due to all of the complaints. I don't think it did much, but once the 3.5L engine was introduced in 2007 for the ES 350, the hesitation was no more. Bottom line is there really is no "fix" as to what you can do to get rid of the hesitation. I remember a service advisor telling me that instead of rolling through a stop sign at 5mph, actually stop so the computers/throttle can reset and there will be no hesitation. Or, you can always roll through the stop sign at 5mph and give it a few seconds then accelerate that should work, too. The car as a whole out weighs the hesitation issue I really like it.