2006 Lexus IS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
143 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 83 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Structure is the most frequently named component, appearing in 33 of 143 complaints (23.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 7.7% |
| Braking behavior | 10 | 7.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 5.6% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 5.6% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Structure | 33 |
| Air Bags | 26 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 26 |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 |
| Engine | 16 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Structure:Body | 8 |
Structure: 33; Air Bags: 26; Visibility/Wiper: 26; Unknown Or Other: 24; Engine: 16; Electrical System: 8; Steering: 8; Structure:Body: 8
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 26 |
| 150,000 and above | 10 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 10
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 60 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 43 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2012: 2; 2013: 5; 2014: 43; 2015: 5; 2016: 16; 2017: 8; 2018: 4; 2019: 10; 2020: 14; 2021: 7; 2022: 10; 2023: 7; 2024: 5; 2025: 3; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Structure leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10582852 · 2014-04-15 (April 15, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS250. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED WHICH LOCATED A FAILURE CODE IN THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS. THE AIR BAG HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000. UPDATED 06/05/2014*LJ UPDATED 06/09/2014 *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 47,378 miles reported. Look up ODI 10582852 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10595561 · 2014-06-02 (June 2, 2014)
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON MY VEHICLE TURNED ON. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO LEXUS FOR A RECALL I HAD THEM CHECK WHY THE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY TOLD ME THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2546. THEY ALSO SAID THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE THAT LEXUS IS WELL AWARE OF AND ISSUED A TSB FOR IT IN 2008 BUT WOULD ONLY COVER THE REPAIR UNDER THE INITIAL WARRANTY PERIOD BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO MAKE A RECALL. WELL NOW 6 YEARS AFTER THEY ISSUED THE TSB I'M SURE THERE HAS TO BE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS …
Owner-reported narrative. 146,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595561 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10453366 · 2012-03-28 (March 28, 2012)
MY WIFE'S IS 250 WAS TAKEN IN FOR IT'S 40,000 MI. OIL CHANGE. SHE RECEIVED A CALL THAT THE REAR BRAKES NEEDED NEW ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS. I CALLED AN WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AT ALL BECAUSE THE CALIPERS WERE FROZEN. I WAS ALSO TOLD STRANGELY ENOUGH THAT THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND HAD A RIDGE ON THEM AND COULD NOT BE MACHINED DESPITE THE CALIPERS BEING FROZEN. ONE PROBABLE CAUSE I WAS TOLD WAS BECAUSE THE CAR HAD LOW MILES ON IT. IT GETS DRIVEN EVERY DAY ABOUT 20-30 MILES. ACCORDING TO THEM MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AROUND IN…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453366 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10486670 · 2012-12-01 (December 1, 2012)
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS SEIZED, NEEDED REPLACEMENT. EXCESS RUST, MATERIAL APPEARS DEFECTIVE. ALSO CAUSE OF REAR BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486670 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246143 · 2019-08-23 (August 23, 2019)
MY 2006 LEXUS IS250 SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING ONE DAY, WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. RED P/S LIGHT SHOWED UP ON DASHBOARD, SO I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURN THE ENGINE OFF, AND TURN IT BACK ON TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THIS STOPPED WORKING. P/S LIGHT SOMETIMES ALSO TURNS ON WHILE I'M ON THE FREEWAY, AND I HAVE TO MAN-HANDLE THE STEERING WHEEL TO PULL OVER. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION TWICE. THEN, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE ECM. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11246143 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11279373 · 2019-11-11 (November 11, 2019)
I WAS DRIVING BACK TO LOS ANGELES FROM A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO, HALF WAY TO LOS ANGELES. MY TRANSMISSION BREAKS DOWN . I WAS GOING AT ABOUT 90+MPH , SO I IMMEDIATELY HAD TO GET TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY , IT WAS DEFINITELY DANGEROUS AND THE OUTCOME COULD OF BEEN WORSE.
Owner-reported narrative. 116,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11279373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10680937 · 2015-02-03 (February 3, 2015)
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED BY A COUPLE OF ISSUES LEXUS REFUSES TO FIX. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH 84K ON THE ODOMETER AND LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THAT ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARISE. THE STEERING IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ASAP. DRIVING ANYTHING OVER 50 MPH THE STEERING STARTS TO BECOME NOTCHY AT THE CENTER AND AT TIMES DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE STEERING WHEEL WHINES AS I TURN ALMOST AS IF SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO BREAK. LEXUS QUOTED ME $3000 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I WOULD LOVE TO REP…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10680937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10854914 · 2016-04-11 (April 11, 2016)
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING LOCKED UP OUT OF THE BLUE WHILE DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS. ALMOST SEEMED AS IF STEERING WAS FIGHTING TO TURN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE OF THE DIRECTION I WAS TURNING.
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10854914 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10650852 · 2014-10-28 (October 28, 2014)
MY VEHICLE STALLED AT A RED LIGHT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY CAME BACK WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF MASSIVE CARBON BUILD UP. THEY ADVISED THAT I REACH OUT TO LEXUS CORPORATE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ANY SUPPORT I COULD RECEIVE. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH, LEXUS CORPORATE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE CAR COULD NOT PRODUCE ANY OF THE NECESSARY TROUBLE CODES TO QUALIFY FOR THEIR CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM SURROUNDING THIS ISSUE. AFTER MUCH HESITATION, I AGREED TO PAY $700 TO HAVE THE TOP CL…
Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650852 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10761030 · 2015-09-02 (September 2, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BOLT USED TO SECURE THE HOUSING AND SPROCKET OF THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V395000 (ENGINE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL; HOWEVE…
Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10761030 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081143 · 2018-03-23 (March 23, 2018)
FUEL FUMES NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER HOOD AFTER VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. MECHANIC CONFIRMS FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL RAIL NEAR PRESSURE SENSOR. MECHANIC WARNED OF FIRE CONCERN WITH ACTIVE FUEL LEAK. RECALL ELF PERFORMED ON VEHICLE IN 2015 THAT SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED LEAK BUT NOW FUEL LEAK IS PRESENT.
Owner-reported narrative. 158,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081143 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11354201 · 2020-09-10 (September 10, 2020)
VEHICLE JUST TURNED OVER 100,000 MILES. 6-2020 UPON A MORNING START, THE VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE STARTING UP ALMOST AS IF IT HAD FUEL STARVATION. I CRANKED THE VEHICLE UP A FEW MORE TIMES IT WAS OK IT TURNED ON. UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE ACCELERATION , VERY HAD SPUTTERING FROM AND TO STOP LIGHTS THIS WAS FROM MY COMMUTE TO WORK. THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME UNPREDICTABLE, SOME DAYS IT WOULD ACT LIKE THAT SOME DAYS IT WOULDN'T. THIS STARTED TO BOTHER ME AS I RARELY WORRY ABOUT SITUATIONS UNLESS THEY'RE DANGEROUS. LATE 6-2020 ON MY …
Owner-reported narrative. 101,161 miles reported. Look up ODI 11354201 at NHTSA ↗