Most common 2006 Lexus ES330 problems
Share of the 64 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Lexus ES330 complaints by model year
Best ES330 years: 2004, 2006. Years to avoid: 2005. Compare all years →
What 2006 Lexus ES330 owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 21 →
My wife was driving the car to pick-up our granddaughter from school on 10-22-2018. She made a full stop at the corner and took her foot off the brake and started to make a right turn. When she started to press on the gas pedal lightly, the engine revved up to full throttle and the car accelerated and lunged uncontrollably forward. Her steering wheel was locked. Because of this acceleration, she hit the car in front with great force and severely damaging our front end and the car bumper in front of her. She was getting get in line to wait for the school children to let out. Had her the car accelerated out of control when children were crossing the street, it would have been a great catastrophe and dead children. Something must be done to alert the public. Another sudden acceleration occurred when I was driving the car about 2 years ago. …
When approaching 4-way stop, brakes failed and car accelerated. Changed lanes to miss 3 cars in front. Car continued to accelerate; brakes did not work. Went on sidewalk to miss another car. Went over cross street & onto median, hit signs and small trees, car continued accelerating, went over other side of cross street, up on grass, hitting signs and small trees, hit brick wall holding shell station sign. Car stopped. Air bags deployed in median. Car was totaled, even sun roof broken, all tires flat. Driver & passengers experienced cuts and severe bruises. Witness said brake lights were on but car continued to gain speed. Accident not caused by floor mat. My car did not have them. There's a problem with the electronic throttle control associated with the cruise control system & computer that controls the engine speed in the Lexus es and is models. …
Air bags
My dashboard has severe cracks all around the airbag. That is the only area on my dashboard with cracks. My concern is that my airbag May explode and injure me or my passengers. I took my vehicle to the dealership and was informed by servicemen that the dashboard needed to be changed. They gave me the number to Lexus. So, I contacted them on April 27, 2015 and again on May 11, 2015 and filed 2 incident reports to no avail, they finally contacted me on May 14, 2015 to inform me there is nothing they can do for me. So that is why I'm filing this vehicle safety complaint it shouldn't matter when I purchased my vehicle as much as that vehicle cost I should never have a problem with the dashboard cracking around the airbag. I want my vehicle dashboard repaired for my safety and the safety of my passengers.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Lexus ES330. While the contact was driving approximately 5-10 MPH, an unexpected increase in acceleration occurred causing the vehicle to travel over the curbside and crash into a house. The damaged exterior siding of the house exposed an enormous hole the width of the vehicle which extended through the interior wall. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed of the incident with no personal injury. The entire front end of the vehicle sustained damages. The cause of failure had not been determined at the time of the complaint. The vehicle was taken to a collision center where the contact was awaiting further diagnostic of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Transmission & drivetrain
When turning into a parking space on a private parking lot, the vehicle speed up and brakes did not stop it. The vehicle jumped a curb and continued until it hit two trees that stopped it. Damage was estimated at $9000.
On 9/27/2007, my car (Lexus ES330) went out of control due to sudden acceleration in a parking lot of a shopping center in glenview, il, and crashed with cars parked nearby. This car incident was reported to the car dealer, but I was told there was no problem with the car. The cost of repair was very high.
2006 Lexus ES330 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Lexus ES330 a good car?
Based on 64 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 ES330 rates average: 17% fewer complaints than a typical year of the ES330 at the same age. It is one of the best ES330 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Lexus ES330?
The speed control & acceleration — 21 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the air bags (19) and transmission & drivetrain (10).
How many recalls does the 2006 Lexus ES330 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2006 Lexus ES330. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Lexus ES330?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005. See the full Lexus ES330 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Lexus ES330 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 32,000 miles; 59% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.