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All cars · Lexus RX

2006 Lexus RX.

The 2006 Lexus RX is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 33 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 44, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about tires, it has 1 recall, and it gets 18 to 27 mpg combined. The best Lexus RX year is 2014.

44Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 2.3× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2014 · Worst year 2004

Lexus RX
Photo shows a 2017 Lexus RX. RL GNZLZ from Chile, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Most common problemTires18% of owner complaintsRecalls1Free fix at any dealerBetter year to buy201410× fewer complaints than averageRepair notes from Lexus191Ask a seller if they were done
Owner complaints33first 3 years
Fuel economy18–27 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash testnot ratedNHTSA

How serious. Out of 253 owner complaints, owners reported:

20crashes
7injuries
2fires
2tows
191 repair notes from Lexus

Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.

Every Lexus RX year. 2006 is highlighted. Lower is better.

2000342.9× fewer complaints2001–few complaints2002–few complaints2003–few complaints20041701.7× the complaints2005–few complaints2006442.3× fewer complaints2007701.4× fewer complaints2008611.6× fewer complaints2009402.5× fewer complaints2010811.2× fewer complaints2011175.9× fewer complaints2012175.9× fewer complaints2013195.3× fewer complaints20141010× fewer complaints2015313.2× fewer complaints2016442.3× fewer complaints2017392.6× fewer complaints2018195.3× fewer complaints2019412.4× fewer complaints2020234.3× fewer complaints2021362.8× fewer complaints2022273.7× fewer complaints202350early read · 2× fewer complaints202459early read · 1.7× fewer complaints202533early read · 3× fewer complaints

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

tires18%
speed control15%
transmission & drivetrain15%
steering15%
brakes12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Lexus RX year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 71K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 43K to 110K miles on the car (202 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • electrical complaints mostly came at 68K–139K miles
  • body structure complaints mostly came at 50K–100K miles
  • speed control complaints mostly came at 18K–108K miles

Recalls 1

  • speed control 2011

    TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Lexus told dealers about

Lexus sent dealers 191 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Ig1 relay freezing
  • Rattle or buzz type noise coming from the driver's side instrument panel area
  • The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023
  • ClosedHybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall2011
  • ClosedUnintended and uncontrolled acceleration2010–2011

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningNot offered
Lane departure warningNot offered

Crash stars (older test): front — · side — · rollover —

Fuel cost and engines

About $2400–4400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.3L 6-cyl.

In owners' words

Dt*: the contact stated while driving the vehicle hesitated intermittently. The dealer determined it was the way the vehicle was driven and could find no problem.

2006 Lexus RX owner · NHTSA complaint 10159610
More owner reports

2006 Lexus rx400h revved and raced into another vehicle without warning.

NHTSA complaint 10170165

Quick answers

Is the 2006 Lexus RX reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 44; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Lexus RX year by this measure is 2014.

What are the most common 2006 Lexus RX problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are tires (18%), speed control (15%) and transmission & drivetrain (15%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2006 Lexus RX have?

1 safety recall (latest: speed control). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2006 Lexus RX get?

18 to 27 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

At what mileage do 2006 Lexus RX problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 43,800 and 110,400 miles. The middle report was at 71,600 miles, from 202 complaints.

Does the 2006 Lexus RX have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 15% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2006 Lexus RX cost in fuel a year?

About $2400 to $4400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2006 Lexus RX have?

3.3L 6-cyl.

What Lexus RX year is better than the 2006?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2011 and 2012.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data