2006 Lexus RX Hybrid problems & reliability
154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (8 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 29 | 19% |
| Service Brakes → | 19 | 12% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 17 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 17 | 11% |
| Power Train → | 16 | 10% |
| Structure → | 16 | 10% |
| Hybrid Propulsion System → | 13 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Electric → | 13 | 8% |
| Steering → | 11 | 7% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) → | 10 | 6% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 76,000 miles (middle 50% between 45,550 and 116,138 miles), based on 131 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 aware of the…”
Power Train · filed Mar 6, 2023
“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 determine the cause…”
Hybrid Propulsion System · filed Jan 4, 2023
“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 responded. The brake…”
Service Brakes, Air · filed Aug 2, 2022
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds
Defect Petition DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
- Hybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall
Preliminary Evaluation PE11005 · opened Feb 15, 2011 · closed Jul 20, 2011 · led to recall 11V342000
- Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration
Recall Query RQ10003 · opened Feb 16, 2010 · closed Mar 1, 2011 · led to recall 11V115000
Technical service bulletins
155 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid. The 10 most recent:
Some 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 15, 2025
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 21, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty smell is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
L-SB-0030-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 21, 2024
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
L-SB-0023-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
L-SB-0024-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal…
L-SB-0022-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
Lexus vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow the…
L-SB-0021-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can…
L-SB-0020-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 19, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 76,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.