What breaks most · 2005 to 2019 model years
Lexus RX Hybrid problems by year
Owners have filed 294 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Lexus RX Hybrid across model years 2005 to 2019. One year stands out: 2006 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2012, 2005 and 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2006
- Fewest complaints: 2012, 2005, 2014
- Complaints on file
- 2942005 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006146 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 511 fires · 25 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 60kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 13Across 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 | 0 | 1 | Air bags (2) | |
| 146 | 15 | 5 | Electrical system (27) | |
| 57 | 10 | 3 | Speed control and throttle (11) | |
| 52 | 18 | 1 | Speed control and throttle (19) | |
| 8 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | Wipers and visibility (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (3) | |
| 4 | 2 | 2 | Brakes (2) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) |
What fails on the 2006 Lexus RX Hybrid
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 18% |
27 | 1 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 12% |
17 | 9 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 12% |
17 | 2 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 11% |
16 | 3 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 11% |
16 | 2 | Shop all brakes parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 10% |
15 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (electric)Brake sensors and controls | 9% |
13 | 1 | Shop all brakes (electric) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 8% |
11 | 0 | Shop all steering 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.
-
Check hybrid system lights came on and the vehicle failed to start. This is the second occurrence. The inverter was replaced following the first occurrence in 2011. The vehicle was moving during the first occurrence.
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 RX Hybrid years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006 carries the most filings on the Lexus RX Hybrid. The 2006 alone has 146 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Lexus RX Hybrid problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 27 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Lexus RX Hybrid problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Lexus RX Hybrid complaints that include mileage is about 60,000 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.