2006 Lexus GS: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 44 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is visibility/wiper (21% of complaints); the 2007 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jan 2011
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“6.The crash involved complex vehicle systems that may have been manipulated using advanced techniques. I have it documented as a PDF files, can email anytime...”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2024
“I have been facing transmission issues that require the vehicle to shift up to move even at low speeds, with the transmission shifting either hard or smoothly, and often unnecessarily to a higher gear. This issue is rare but occurs frequently. I think this is a factory defect because I have been seeing lots of YouTube videos where they mention that the transition in these cars feels jerky, sluggish, etc.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2024
“Front windshield is loose and vibrates/flutters when driving. The car has not been in an accident and has no apparent rust. It has been garaged and is available for inspection. There are no warning indicators. My concern is that the windshield could unseat or break while driving. Self inspection shows the windshield is loose when gentle pressure is applied from both internal top sides of window. A possible related issue is damage to rearview mirror where mirror coating is damaged to the point where it is unusable.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“ECM is not functioning properly it is a safety as the car when downshifting jumps and it can be easy to lose control of the vehicle. I've taken it to a few people and there was a service bulletin and recall for the ECM but not on my VIN number it has not been inspected there are no check engine lights on the vehicle but ir continues to very hard shift from 2nd to 1st.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Oct 2023
“My Lexus GS430 has a fuel rail leak that is leaking into the engine bay and has a strong smell of fuel into the cabin of the car. It is especially strong in the cabin when the heat or air conditioning is utilized. It is extremely dangerous and after researching I have found that it a problem with several of the Lexus lines of cars built around the 2006-2008 models.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jan 2022
“Car is consuming excessive amounts of oil. A quart every 200 miles or so. Also even after doing an oil change the car is not leaking the oil but burning it. Please enforce The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (originally enacted in 1966 and now recodified as 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301). Contacted lexus but the car is out of warranty. The car is burning too much oil leading to more pollutants.”Owner report · Engine · Dec 2021
“I was hit head on and all the other airbags went off except for my steering wheel airbag. I broke my nose and ripped of part of my lip and needed over 30 stitches. I also job have painful scaring on my face. I was wearing my seat belt as well. The insurance company has the vehicle now so I don't know if it's available for inspection I don't know if it's been inspected by anyone. I didn't see any specific warning lights connected to the steering wheel or airbag system Although there were lights for the tire sensors.”Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · Nov 2021
“I am having transmission problem along with ecu problems. Car has rough down shifting problems when in motion . After doing research many lexus gs models have those common issues.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2021
“Car wouldn't start. Had it diagnosed and found out my fuel pressure sensor had melted and was leaking fuel had it replaced bug still smell gas in and around car. Car was under recalm for same issue years back and was serviced at the dealership. So I don't see how im liable for repairs if it was a problem when the car came off the assembly line”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2021
“The steering wheel locked up while coming off the highway. I had to pull over to side of the road and eventually have the car towed. The steering wheel is still locked this day. I can't turn it left or right. I could have gotten into a accident with the sudden lost of power steering to my vehicle”Owner report · Steering · Aug 2020
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 AND LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, HIGH STRESS AREAS MAY HAVE BEEN CREATED IN TWO SPECIFIC FUEL PIPES LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COMBINED WITH OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS THE PRESENCE OF CORROSIVE AGENTS IN FUEL, A CRACK MAY FORM OVER TIME LEADING TO FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE FUEL LINE(S).
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO INVOLVED FUEL LINES WITH NEWLY DESIGNED LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 15, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 LEXUS IS AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 LEXUS GS VEHICLES. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TIGHTENING OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR CONNECTED TO AN ENGINE FUEL DELIVERY PIPE WITH NICKEL PHOSPHORUS PLATING, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT, OVER TIME, THE PRESSURE SENSOR COULD LOOSEN. IF LOOSENING OCCURS, FUEL COULD LEAK PAST A GASKET USED IN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE PIPE AND THROUGH THE THREADED PORTION OF THE SENSOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE THREADED PORTION OF THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR AND IF A FUEL LEAK IS NOT CONFIRMED, DEALERS WILL FURTHER TIGHTEN THE FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. IF A FUEL LEAK IS CONFIRMED, THE GASKET BETWEEN THE SENSOR AND THE FUEL DELIVER PIPE WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, AND THE SENSOR WILL BE TIGHTENED WITH THE PROPER TORQUE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 214,570 MY 2006-2008 LEXUS IS, MY 2006-2007 GS AND MY 2007-2008 LS PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM FUEL DELIVERY PIPES (FUEL RAILS). ETHANOL FUELS WITH A LOW MOISTURE CONTENT WILL CORRODE THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF THE FUEL RAILS. AS THIS CONDITION PROGRESSES, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL DELIVERY PIPES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING FEBRUARY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA/LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION FORCE OF THE GAS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY INFLATE THE AIR BAG WHEN THE SRS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED DURING A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS (BOTH DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER) BECOME LOCKED, THEY MAY NOT RELEASE DUE TO A COMPONENT OF THE EMERGENCY LOCKING SYSTEM. IF THE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED IN THIS CONDITION, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY FASTEN THE SEAT BELT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
How other years compare
Check your exact GS by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Lexus GS reliable?
NHTSA has 44 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2006 Lexus GS. The most complained-about area is visibility/wiper (21% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2006 Lexus GS problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 110,500 miles or less.
Does the 2006 Lexus GS have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.