LexusES3302006Overview/lexus/es330/2006/base/

2006 Lexus ES330

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 ES330.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2006 Lexus ES330 is a passenger car fitted with a five-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated at 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, with maintenance specifications calling for 5W-30 API oil in a five-quart capacity. Within the model’s 2004–2010 complaint history, the 2006 model year records 79 owner complaints—markedly fewer than the 199 logged for 2005—while carrying zero recalls despite air bags constituting the top reported concern. That complaint volume positions the year between the troublesome 2005 peak and the single-digit counts seen by 2010, indicating a transitional phase in the generation’s reliability arc.

Model year200620052004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnRELAYOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-55VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1
Engine air filter17801YZZ01
Fuel filter233000A020 alt 232170C010
Spark plug9008091180
Battery2880064132
Front wiper blades852220R040 alt 8521253061
Serpentine belt9091602579 alt 9008091212
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter8713906030

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 27 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.7
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs12 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts162 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts60.5 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs10MM

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)900 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10-1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief12-16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Engine Compression107-142 PSI. 15 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure43 psi @ Idle, 36-7878 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle46 ft-lbs / 79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.025 in / 0.413 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across the 2004–2010 federal record for this generation, the 2006 Lexus ES330 represents a distinct inflection point where reported complaints drop by more than half compared to the prior two years, falling from 199 complaints in 2005 to just 79 in 2006. Concurrently, the federal record shows zero recalls and zero investigations for the 2006 model year, a marked improvement from the two recalls and one investigation documented in both 2004 and 2005. However, the target year's top complaint areas remain Air Bags (23 complaints) and Vehicle Speed Control (13 complaints), categories that also correlate with the 18 crash complaints and 1 fire complaint logged for this model year. The provided data does not specify the root causes for these specific 2006 issues. Ultimately, because it falls at the beginning of the generation's downward trend in federal complaints and eliminates the recalls of its predecessors, the 2006 model is a relatively good year to buy, though prospective owners should specifically verify the integrity of the airbag and vehicle speed control systems.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
75
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
79
Owner complaints
18 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 79 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags23
Vehicle Speed Control13
Power Train7
Unknown Or Other4
Steering4
Air Bags,Vehicle Speed Control3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Exterior Lighting3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 75 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
L-SB-0030-24 Rev22025-12-15StructureSome 2005 – 2026 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-24 Rev12024-07-29StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
L-SB-0030-242024-06-21StructureSome 2005 – 2024 Lexus vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific ES330. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2006 ES330 take?

5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2006 ES330 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the ES330 get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.