2006 Lexus RX Hybrid Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RX Hybrid years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 154 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid. That is the most of any RX Hybrid model year in the database (22 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (29 complaints, 19%), typically at around 94,800 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 8 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 154owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 29 | 19% | 94,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 12% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 11% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 11% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 10% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 16 | 10% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 13 | 8% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 13 | 8% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 7% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 6% | 134,414 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 6% | 19,562 | — | — |
| Engine | 8 | 5% | 110,250 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 5% | 97,900 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 5% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 5% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 135,741 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 117,871 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1% | 46,100 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 1 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 Lexus RX Hybrid recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from june 1, 2004 through march 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine. The amount of adhesive agent applied between the outer ring and the torsional rubber damper (inner ring) in the crankshaft pulley may be inadequate. If the adhesive is insufficient, there is a possibility that the outer ring may become misaligned and it may not properly rotate with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the battery discharge indicator light.
Risk: In some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in a loss of power steering and a sudden increase in steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the u.s. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during early january 2012. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Electrical system
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 highlander hybrid and lexus rx400h passenger cars manufactured from february 16, 2005, through august 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module may contain inadequately soldered transistors that during high-load driving, may be damaged by heat caused by the large current. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
Risk: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota/lexus mailed an interim owner notification on july 19, 2011 to advise owners of this recall and the fact that they will receive a future notice when parts become available to complete repairs. Toyota dealers will inspect the hybrid inverter production number to determine whether the inverter contains suspect transistors and replace the module free of charge. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal and interfere with the accelerator pedal arm.
Risk: If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with the accelerator pedal rod.
Risk: This condition may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on july 24, 2006, and should be completed by early september 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Hybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall (PE11005) — opened Feb 15, 2011, closed Jul 20, 2011, led to recall 11V342000.
- Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration (RQ10003) — opened Feb 16, 2010, closed Mar 1, 2011, led to recall 11V112000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. Additionally, the vehicle failed to shift into park(P). The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made…
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. There were several warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to…
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that the vehicle would emit abnormal sounds long after the vehicle was parked. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stood on the brake and the vehicle finally…
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the "All-Wheel Drive and Hybrid System Failure" warning messages were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with inverter assembly failure. The vehicle was not repaired and…
The contact owns a 2006 Lexus RX400H. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard without proper braking functionality. The contact stated that the ABS, traction control, service brakes, and several other unknown warning lights were…
Other Lexus RX Hybrid years
← 2005 RX Hybrid · 2007 RX Hybrid →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 RX Hybrid | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 RX Hybrid | 1 | 3 |
| 2023 RX Hybrid | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 RX Hybrid | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 RX Hybrid | 2 | 1 |
| 2019 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2017 RX Hybrid | 10 | 0 |
| 2016 RX Hybrid | 7 | 2 |
| 2015 RX Hybrid | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 RX Hybrid | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 RX Hybrid | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 RX Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 RX Hybrid | 12 | 0 |
| 2010 RX Hybrid | 8 | 1 |
| 2008 RX Hybrid | 57 | 1 |
| 2007 RX Hybrid | 59 | 3 |
| 2006 | 154 | 5 |
| 2005 RX Hybrid | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 RX Hybrid | 0 | 1 |
See all Lexus RX Hybrid problems by year, every Lexus model, or the Lexus VIN decoder.
Similar Lexus models
Embed this 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid?
Owners most often report electrical system, service brakes, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RX Hybrid model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.