2006 Lexus GS: complaints, problems and recalls

THE VEHICLE LOST THE POWER ON THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ON. AFTER TOWING THE VEHICLE TO NEAR BY AUTO REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WERE OFF; HOWEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS 90 DEGREE OFF THE CENTER PLUS WARNING LIGHTS INCLUDING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AFS LIGHT (BLINKING), TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WERE ALL ON. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DETECT OR CORRECT THIS PROBLEM SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LEXUS DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DETECT WHAT CAUSED THE WHEEL TO TURNED AND LIGHTS…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,316 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452678 at NHTSA ↗

HEADLAMP (AFS) DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. RIGHT HEADLAMP SUPPOSED TO BE AUTO LEVELING DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND FACES TO THE GROUND. ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THEY DID. (AFS) HAS NEVER WORKED AND RIGHT HEADLAMP FALLS AND FACES TO THE GROUND AND WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP HOW TO FIX IT MY SELF. HEADLAMPS ALSO WOULD TURN OFF AT NIGHT AND NOT WORK AND WAS ON A TRIP AND HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THEY WANTED TO TURN BACK ON AGAIN. THE HEADLAMP STILL TODAY DOES NOT FACE AT NORMAL DEGREE AND CANNOT SEE ON THE RI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10488640 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. I'VE REPLACED THE LAMPS AND THIS WONT FIX THE PROBLEM. I CANT BELIEVE LEXUS IS LETTING THIS CONTINUE WITH SUCH A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE OF HAVING NON WORKING HEADLIGHTS. THEY GO ON AND OFF AT ALL TIMES. I'VE GOT KIDS AND IM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE ANY TIME CLOSE TO NIGHT FALL WITH THEM IN THE CAR. I NOTICE THEY ARE ON THEN 5 MINUTES LATER THEY FLICKER OFF. I TURN THE SWITCH ON AND OFF AND THEY STAY ON FOR A BIT THEN TURN OFF AGAIN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND IT LOOKS LIKE ITS AFFECTING MAN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10494686 at NHTSA ↗

PLEASE BE ADVISED I SMELL A STRONG FUEL ODOR COMING IN THE CAR COMPARTMENT AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WENT TO LEXUS DEALERSHIP THEY STATEMENT WAS IT IS A CRACK IN THE FUEL GASKET. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561010 at NHTSA ↗

MY VEHICLE HEAD LIGHT FLICKERS ON AND OFF. WHEN IT FLICKERS OUT, IF YOU TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON, IT TURNS THE LIGHT BACK ON. THE LIGHT MAY STAY ON OR FLICKER BACK OUT WITHOUT KNOWING. I HAD THE LIGHT BULB REPLACED, COSTING $275.00 THINKING THAT WAS THE ISSUE. WEEKS LATER, I WAS NOTIFIED BY A RANDOM PERSON THE SAME LIGHT WAS OUT. AGAIN, TURNING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF, ALLOWED THE LIGHT TO TURN ON, BUT LATER FLICKERING OUT AND ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO LEXUS, THEY FIRST SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE LIGHT BULB WAS BURNING OUT, BUT LATER…

Owner-reported narrative. 115,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567878 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A LEXUS GS300 2006. THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SHUTTING OFF, TURNING OFF INTERMITTENTLY. IT IS USUALLY THE RIGHT SIDE BUT ALSO HAPPENS ON THE LEFT SIDE. YOU CAN FIX THE PROBLEM BY TURNING THE ON OFF SWITCH. HOWEVER IT WILL CONTINUE TO SHUT OFF RANDOMLY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER A YEAR AND LEXUS DEALERSHIP SAYS TO REPLACE JUST THE BULB. THE BULB IS FINE, SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED AS WELL. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 126,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578197 at NHTSA ↗

HEADLIGHT RANDOMLY GOES OFF WITHOUT WARNING. MANY OWNERS OF THIS MAKE YEAR AND MODEL HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. COST 1,500.00 TO FIX

Owner-reported narrative. 118,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583338 at NHTSA ↗

REAR VIEW FAILURE TO HOLD UP IT HAS DARK SPOTS AND SCRATCHES INSIDE OF THE MIRROR CAUSING LACK OF VISIBILITY. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND DO NOT WANT TO BE. I'VE REPORTED THIS TO LEXUS AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT OR REPLACE DETERIORATING MIRROR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10606229 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION FORCE OF THE GAS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY INFLATE THE AIR BAG WHEN THE SRS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED DURING A CRASH.

Consequence: THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2006-04-13 (April 13, 2006)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS (BOTH DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER) BECOME LOCKED, THEY MAY NOT RELEASE DUE TO A COMPONENT OF THE EMERGENCY LOCKING SYSTEM. IF THE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN THIS CONDITION, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY FASTEN THE SEAT BELT.

Consequence: AN OCCUPANT NOT PROPERLY WEARING A SEAT BELT MAY HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY DURING A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2007-11-28 (November 28, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, HIGH STRESS AREAS MAY HAVE BEEN CREATED IN TWO SPECIFIC FUEL PIPES LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COMBINED WITH OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS THE PRESENCE OF CORROSIVE AGENTS IN FUEL, A CRACK MAY FORM OVER TIME LEADING TO FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE FUEL LINE(S).

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO INVOLVED FUEL LINES WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2009-01-16 (January 16, 2009)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 214,570 MY 2006-2008 LEXUS IS, MY 2006-2007 GS AND MY 2007-2008 LS PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM FUEL DELIVERY PIPES (FUEL RAILS). ETHANOL FUELS WITH A LOW MOISTURE CONTENT WILL CORRODE THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF THE FUEL RAILS. AS THIS CONDITION PROGRESSES, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE.

Consequence: OVER TIME, THE CORROSION MAY CREATE A PINHOLE RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL DELIVERY PIPES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA/LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2010-10-21 (October 21, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Consequence: A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 AND LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2011-01-26 (January 26, 2011)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 LEXUS IS AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 LEXUS GS VEHICLES. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR CONNECTED TO AN ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE WITH NICKEL PHOSPHORUS PLATING, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, OVER TIME, THE PRESSURE SENSOR COULD LOOSEN. IF LOOSENING OCCURS, FUEL COULD LEAK PAST A GASKET USED IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE PIPE AND THROUGH THE THREADED PORTION OF THE SENSOR.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE THREADED PORTION OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR AND IF A FUEL LEAK IS NOT CONFIRMED, DEALERS WILL FURTHER TIGHTEN THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. IF A FUEL LEAK IS CONFIRMED, THE GASKET BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE FUEL DELIVER PIPE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, AND THE SENSOR WILL BE TIGHTENED WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.