What breaks most · 1995 to 2012 model years
Lexus GS problems by year
Owners have filed 61 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lexus GS across model years 1995 to 2012. Three years stand out: 2006 for engine complaints, 2007 for exterior lighting complaints and 2008 for fuel system complaints. The quietest years are 1996, 1998 and 2002.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2007, 2008
- Fewest complaints: 1996, 1998, 2002
- Complaints on file
- 611995 to 2012, all trims
- Worst year
- 200623 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 50 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 98kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 14Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Suspension (1) | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Body and structure (2) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Suspension (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Engine (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 23 | 0 | 6 | Engine (6) | |
| 10 | 1 | 2 | Exterior lighting (3) | |
| 8 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | Steering (1) | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) |
What fails on the 2006 Lexus GS
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 26% |
6 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 26% |
6 | 0 | Shop all exterior lighting parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 13% |
3 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 9% |
2 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Vehicle idling rough when coming to a stop. Consuming oil at high rate. Car has actually stopped running while driving. I have been attempting to have this issue resolved with the dealer and lexus since the vehicle was purchased.
-
Heard pop from engine lost power. Was able to drive off highway at 10 miles per hour or less with engine banging. Made it to my mechanic who said that the engine rocker arm in cylinder 3 broke.lexus was no help, as my 5 year engine warrant expired.
-
Smell of gas in the main cabin all of the sudden when driving on a city street. Upon exiting car, smell of gas coming from engine compartment.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Lexus GS years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2007, 2008 carry the most filings on the Lexus GS. The 2006 alone has 23 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Lexus GS problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 6 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lexus GS problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lexus GS complaints that include mileage is about 98,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.