RoadVitals

2006 Lexus IS 350

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
93
Latest Jul 19, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
8
Latest Oct 17, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
1 currently open
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
5
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 93 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Lexus IS 350, most frequently naming the body & structure, visibility and airbags categories. 8 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 181 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

8 campaigns cover this model year

View all 8

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V741000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Oct 17, 2019
928,220 units potentially affected
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012 Lexus IS250 and IS350 and 2010-2015 Lexus IS250C and IS350C vehicles. These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0A, J0B, and J0C. Lexus' numbers for this recall are JLI, JLJ, and JLK.
Toyota Motor Engineering & ManufacturingManufacturer number J0A, J0B, J0C, JLIView on NHTSA.gov
18V432000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

Jun 26, 2018
114,998 units potentially affected
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 and GS450h, 2006-2013 Lexus IS350 and 2010-2014 Lexus IS350C vehicles, equipped with 3.5L V6 2GR-FSE gasoline engines. The diaphragms in the fuel pulsation dampers may harden over time and develop cracks, possibly causing a fuel leak.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery pipe with a new pipe that has improved pulsation dampers, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2018. Owners may contact Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is JLF.
Toyota Motor Engineering & ManufacturingManufacturer number JLFView on NHTSA.gov
17V006000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jan 9, 2017
577,875 units potentially affected
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).
Toyota Motor Engineering & ManufacturingView on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA21002OpenEngineering Analysis

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 93
Engine
Filed Jul 19, 2019

MY 2006 LEXUS IS 350 IS USING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2006 AND IT GETS IT'S REGULAR OIL CHANGES, I HAVE TO ADD A QUART OF OIL AROUND AROUND 600 MILLES DRIVEN. IT CURRENTLY HAS 189,000 MILES, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. I LOOKED UP THE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET AND IT SAID TO GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND REPORT IT.

NHTSA ID
11233298
Incident
May 31, 2011
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 10, 2019

DOOR INTERIOR QUARTER PANEL MELTS WHEN IT GETS HOT IN THE DAY TIME.

NHTSA ID
11230614
Incident
Mar 6, 2019
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jul 2, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON JUNE 11, 2019 I WAS DRIVING ON REGULAR SPEED LIMIT OF ROAD 55MPH AND SUDDENLY DEER AND FOX CAME, SO I TRY TO AVOID THEM AND HIT THE BRAKE AND ABS BRAKE DIDN'T WORK HIT THE FOX AND CAR STABILITY CONTROL DIDN'T WORK AND CAR FLIP 5TIMES AND HIT THE DEER AS WELL, BUT NONE OF MY CAR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AFTER FLIPPING AND HITTING.

NHTSA ID
11229010
Incident
Jun 11, 2019
Airbags
Filed May 10, 2019

AIR BAG LIGHT GOES ON AND THAN OFF

NHTSA ID
11206847
Incident
Mar 21, 2019
Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2019

OIL CONSUMPTION. VEHICLE HAS NO LEAKS AND NEEDS 1QUART OF OIL ADDED EVERY 2K MILES. CAR HAS 150K AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. IT USES VALVOLINE 5W-30 FULL SYNTHETIC OIL AND GETS CHANGED EVERY 4-5K MILES OF OIL USAGE. I'VE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA/LEXUS IS NOT WILLING TO HELP OUT WITH THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11182575
Incident
Feb 1, 2018
Body & structure
Filed Jan 16, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS 350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED AND THE AIR BAGS WERE VISIBLE. THE DASHBOARD WAS ALSO MELTED AND STICKY DUE TO THE SUN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF WESTMINSTER (LOCATED AT 13590 BEACH BLVD, WESTMINSTER, CA 92683, (714) 702-1849) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,588.

NHTSA ID
11170430
Incident
May 8, 2018
Mileage
154,588 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LEXUS IS 350. DUE TO THE GLARE OF THE SUN, THE DASHBOARD MELTED AND BECOME VERY STICKY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LEXUS OF WESTMINSTER (LOCATED AT 13590 BEACH BLVD, WESTMINSTER, CA 92683, (714) 702-1869), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID
11156898
Incident
May 9, 2017
Mileage
150,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Sep 5, 2018

WIRING HARNESS DEFECT RENDERS SRS/SEATBELT PRETENSION SYSTEM INOPERABLE. LEXUS REFUSES TO REPLACE WIRING HARNESS WITHOUT CHARGING $3,000. THE ISSUE IS LISTED UNDER A TSB BY LEXUS AND WAS KNOWN TO THEM.

NHTSA ID
11124573
Incident
Aug 1, 2018
Mileage
93,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

22LE02 - Takata

AIR BAGS

CSP: On July 30, 2018, a settlement of claims for Economic Loss related to Takata airbag inflators was approved for full implementation. The settlement includes Lexus?s agreement to provide a Customer Support Program (?CSP?) for 2002-2019 model year (MY) vehicles originally equipped with certain Takata airbag inflators or repaired under a recall with Takata airbag inflators to provide coverage for repairs of the airbag inflator contained in the airbag module. This CSP letter is to help clarify how to administer this coverage in accordance with the settlement. This is NOT a recall or a campaign, but is provided to reassure owners that Lexus stands behind the reliability of our vehicles

Takata CSP Cover

AIR BAGS

CSP: Takata CSP Coverage Job Aid - published 7.28.2022

Safety Recall 22

EQUIPMENT

Lexus Safety Recall and Service Campaign - Technician Certification Requirements 4.13.2022

L-SB-0006-22

EQUIPMENT

TSB: This Service Bulletin includes procedures to replace damaged or loose front carpet floor retainer(s) without replacing the carpet assembly. Follow the Repair Procedure in this bulletin to replace the loose or damaged carpet floor retainer(s).

L-SB-0004-22

AIR BAGS

TSB: Some 2005 ? 2022 model year 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 purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This service bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle prior to an odor remediation being performed, as well as contact information for an approved vendor who will arrange the remediation, and instructions on how to prepare the interior of the vehicle for reassembly once the remediation has been completed. Refer to all model and model year specific Repair Manuals and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) website for the most up-to-date safety and precautionary guidelines. This service bulletin is to provide a general overview and direction for the odor remediation process.

Lexus PRO19-02 -

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; TIRES; WHEELS

POL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all brands of ground and spare tires currently in use by Lexus. This information must be kept near the point of vehicle sale and be available to any customer that requests it. Customers can find this information on the Owner?s section of Lexus.com. Dealers can locate a copy of this guide on the Claims Processing & Resource Center in Dealer Daily as well.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Lexus IS 350 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024000—
2023000—
2022000—
2021000—
2020100—
2019120—
2018011—
2017101—
2016201—
2015411—
2014141141.5
2013031—
2012251—
2011571—
2010881—
2009381—
2008308159.3
2007538151.7
2006Viewing938152.5

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.