YearToAvoid

2006 Lexus IS 350 Engine Problems

NHTSA has 18 owner complaints about engine problems in the 2006 Lexus IS 350, 19% of all 93 complaints for this model year. That is the highest engine complaint count among 15 IS 350 model years. These complaints report 2 crashes and 1 injury. Median mileage at failure: 90,000 miles.

Engine complaints
18
19% of 93
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
90,000 mi
Related recalls
2

When 2006 Lexus IS 350 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 11, 2010, latest Jul 19, 2019.

2006 Lexus IS 350 engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Mar 2010Jan 2011Apr 2014Apr 2015Apr 2017Feb 2019
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2010 to Jul 2019; peak Mar 2010 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2006 Lexus IS 350

  1. NHTSA 13V395000Sep 4, 2013Engine101,584 vehicles

    Engine

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Lexus GS350 vehicles manufactured June 19, 2006, through July 12, 2011; and model year 2006-2011 Lexus IS350 vehicles manufactured May 27, 2005, through July 13, 2011; and model year 2010-2011 Lexus IS350c vehicles manufactured November 25, 2009, through July 19, 2011. These vehicles, equipped with the 2GR-FSE engine, use bolts to secure the housing and sprocket of the Variable-Valve Timing (VVT) system gear assembly. These bolts could become loose due to abnormal impacts generated within the gear assembly immediately after a cold start-up.

    Risk: The loose bolts could cause the VVT gear housing and sprocket to separate and result in the engine stopping while the vehicle is being driven, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and Lexus dealers will replace the VVT unit free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

  2. NHTSA 10V309000Jul 6, 2010Engine138,874 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2008 lexus passenger cars manufactured from august 26, 2005 through august 4, 2008. Micro-foreign objects in the material of the valve spring may degrade the strength of the valve spring, possibly causing the spring to break.

    Risk: The engine could fail and stop suddenly while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on september 2, 2010. Owners may contact lexus at 1-800-255-3987.

Engine complaints by IS 350 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200618 (19%)
  2. 200713 (25%)
  3. 20086 (20%)
  4. 20091 (33%)
  5. 20101 (13%)
  6. 20112 (40%)
  7. 20120 (0%)
  8. 20130 (0%)
  9. 20140 (0%)
  10. 20150 (0%)
  11. 20161 (50%)
  12. 20170 (0%)
  13. 20180 (0%)
  14. 20190 (0%)
  15. 20200 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Lexus IS 350 have engine problems?
NHTSA has 18 owner complaints about the engine in the 2006 Lexus IS 350, 19% of all complaints for this model year, including 2 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 90,000 miles.
Which Lexus IS 350 year has the most engine complaints?
The 2006 Lexus IS 350 has the most engine complaints (18), compared with 18 for the 2006.
Is there a engine recall for the 2006 Lexus IS 350?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2006 Lexus IS 350 concern the engine: 13V395000 and 10V309000.

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.