The 2006 Lexus IS 350 has 9 recalls, the most serious being the Takata passenger-side airbag inflator, which can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
Three separate recalls cover this airbag inflator defect, with prior repair attempts not fully resolving the issue across the full range of affected vehicles. On the engine side, bolts securing the intake-side variable valve timing gear assembly can loosen, causing the housing and sprocket to separate and the engine to stall while driving. A separate engine recall involves valve springs that can degrade and break, leading to rough running or a sudden engine shutdown. Two fuel system recalls round out the engine compartment concerns: a fuel pressure sensor gasket can lose its seal and allow fuel to leak, and rubber diaphragms inside the fuel pulsation dampers can harden and crack over time, also leaking fuel with fire risk if an ignition source is nearby. The least severe recall involves wiper arm nuts that may not have been fully tightened at the factory, allowing the wiper arms to slip and stop clearing the windshield if heavy snow or debris loads the blades.
