2006 Lexus RX330 problems
Owners have filed 87 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Lexus RX330. Body & structure is the most reported problem area, at 17% of complaints. Next are cruise control (14%) and engine (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 87 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Body & structure 17% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 61,000 miles 70 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 7 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 8 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 19 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 12 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 70 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 61,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 2 injuries reported.
It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Transmission has a hard time selecting a gear between 2nd and 3rd. It starts to go into 3rd gear then jumps out for a second and then slams back into 3rd. Usually when lightly accelerating. Very noticeable. I have taken it into the dealer 4 times and was told I may just need a new transmission!! It only has 108,000 miles on it. I have never heard of this problem with a lexus! That and the rear differential was diagnosed as bad as well! It's like the entire drive train is garbage!!
At approximately 4 in afternoon, I had come to a complete stop in front of my townhouse. My foot was still on the brake from stopping (I was just about to put it in park and take out key and unfastened seat belt) when it lurched forward and started to accelerate. I tried to steer and pump the brakes but nothing worked. It was totally out of my control. The car lunged forward going over the side walk and into my front porch, directly hitting my wrought iron bannister.
Dashboard has slowly started to melt becoming increasingly smooth, sticky and glary, severely obstructing vision from sun reflection.
Came to a stop with my wheels slightly turned to the left. I turned my car off, and took my key out of the ignition. When I tried to restart my car with the key in the ignition, it would not turn on. I called the dealer in bellevue and they said that it might be just stuck so turn the wheel hard to the left and see if that would relieve the pressure and the key might turn. No luck wiggled and wiggled and all it did was lock my steering in that place so now the wheel would only turn about a inch.