YearToAvoid

2006 Lexus GX470 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

25/100

#4 most-complained of 5 GX470 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2006 Lexus GX470 has 28 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 25 out of 100 — #4 highest of 5 GX470 model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (8 complaints, 29% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes and 1 injury.

Complaints
28
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15
14 city / 18 hwy

Top 2006 Lexus GX470 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags8 (29%)
  2. Structure & Body8 (29%)
  3. Other5 (18%)
  4. Engine4 (14%)
  5. Seat Belts3 (11%)
  6. Brakes2 (7%)
  7. Electrical System2 (7%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain2 (7%)
  9. Fuel System1 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers1 (4%)
2006 Lexus GX470 complaints: complaints filed per month3Aug 2006Apr 2007Apr 2011Feb 2015Dec 2016Dec 2018Jun 2019
36 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2006 to Jun 2019; peak Apr 2015 (3).

2006 Lexus GX470 recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V065000Feb 5, 2016Airbags320,409 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470, 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia, 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently.

    Risk: If the side curtain-shield-air bags deploy unexpectedly, it can increase the risk of occupant injury.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

2006 Lexus GX470 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
18 MPG
Combined
15 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other GX470 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020052006200720082009
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid10030115
2006Good2528115
2007Caution5027015
2008Avoid7513015

All Lexus GX470 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Lexus GX470 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Lexus GX470 ranks #4 of 5 among GX470 model years (Complaint Index 25/100, verdict: Good). It has 28 complaints and 1 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Lexus GX470?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (8 complaints), structure & body (8 complaints), and engine (4 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 81,000 miles.
Does the 2006 Lexus GX470 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2006 Lexus GX470, most recently reported 2016, covering airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Lexus GX470?
EPA rates the 2006 Lexus GX470 at 15 MPG combined (14 city / 18 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,300. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.