Problems · NHTSA complaints

2006 Lexus RX330 problems

Owners filed 99 complaints about the 2006 Lexus RX330 with NHTSA between Jun 2006 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is structure (18).

Complaints
99
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure18
  2. Engine13
  3. Vehicle speed control13
  4. Electrical system13
  5. Steering13
  6. Exterior lighting9
  7. Service brakes8
  8. Engine and engine cooling8
  9. Fuel/propulsion system7
  10. Power train5
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)5
  12. Air bags3
  13. Visibility/wiper3
  14. Seats2

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20064
20070
20082
20093
20109
20116
201213
20134
201413
20155
201611
20173
20181
20193
20205
20212
20222
20235
20241
20255
20262

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

18 reports1 crash1 fire
“My car exploded- huge fire. I was not driving- it had been parked. The fire marshal indicated that it was an electrical problem located near the battery. There we no indicators of any issues. I only had liability on the car- so i am out of luck. but the NYFD inspected. It happened on Wednesday 9/29/21. Was inspected on 9/30.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2021Electrical system, Structure, EngineFire reportedODI 11435153

Engine

13 reports1 crash1 fire
“My vehicle runs hot after just five minutes and steam or smoke starts emitting from engine with a strange smell. It left me stranded on a narrow and busy highway where I felt unsafe”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 6, 2026EngineODI 11762434

Vehicle speed control

13 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“2006 Lexus RX 400h didn't stop even after breaks were applied, it did continue to move forward and slowly push another car for about 15 feet until another car hit a pile of dirt.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2025Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11666621

Electrical system

13 reports1 fire
“From what I have been reading on that year and model, there seems to be major issues with the invertors. Like many I was driving on the highway and the vehicle just quits. This put me and many others in a very dangerous situation and I could have been hit at high rates of speed. If as many people are having these issues, then Lexus needs to step up and recall this part before someone gets killed”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2025Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11648884

Steering

13 reports
“The power steering and hybrid system failed and vehicle completely stopped in middle of busy freeway with no prior warnings or issues before. The safety of my son and I, and others around me during the abrupt stop of the engine. I could not move out of way. The vehicle has been serviced for this exact issue during a recall campaign lasting from 2011 to 2014. Ten years later and it is still happening! There were NO warning lamps or messages or symptoms prior to this failure. It just passed vehicle inspections for the year”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 20, 2024Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 11631799

Exterior lighting

9 reports
“ON THE ABOVE DATE NOTICED HEADLIGHT OUT AND WATER IN DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP, REPLACED BULB HEADLAMP DRY OUT ON ITS OWN. ON 03/12/2013 BROUGHT MY LEXUS TO DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL ON MAT/ACCELERATION PROBLEM. SERVICE DEPT NOTICED HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED, I ADVISED THEM OF THE CONDENSATION IN HEADLAMP AND THEY STATED THAT TO FIX PROBLEM WOULD COST ABOUT 2 THOUSAND DOLLARS I ADVISED THEM THAT NOT TO FIX PROBLEM, AND IF THEY COULD NOTIFY LEXUS CORP ABOUT POSSIBLE GOOD WILL AND THEY STATED NO, CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2013Exterior lightingODI 10502549
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.