LexusIS2502006Overview/lexus/is250/2006/base/

2006 Lexus IS250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 IS250.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2006 Lexus IS250 is a passenger car equipped with a 6.6-quart engine using 5W-30 API oil and paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, achieving EPA fuel economy of 21/29/24 mpg across city, highway, and combined driving. This model year carries 16 recalls with 425 total owner complaints logged, with structure-related issues emerging as the most frequently reported concern. Over the subsequent model years from 2011 to 2015, complaint volume ranged from a peak of 49 in 2011 to a low of 13 in 2013, suggesting that while early examples faced notable teething issues, later iterations of the IS platform achieved considerably improved reliability trajectories.

Model year201520142013201220112010200920082006

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9672335028. 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 24 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP245-45VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9672335028 alt 9030179006
Engine air filter1780131110
Fuel filter2330031140
Spark plug9091901249
Battery2880054232
Front wiper blades8522253071 alt 8521253081
Serpentine belt99367K1550
Thermostat1632631050 alt 1603131020
Cabin air filter8713907010 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 29 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume88 cu ft
Cargo volume11 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 6.6 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-85 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0-30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.6
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.8
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-85 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.4 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.6 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts184 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0-30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub214 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 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 Capacity.88-1.01 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.11 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Engine Compression142-199 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure11.6 @ Idle, 55.5 psi @ 6000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.010 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.014 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 18 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58 ft-lbs / 40 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.393 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.393 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.984 in / 0.335 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
128 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9028 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 every 60,000 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) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
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 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 2006 Lexus IS250 shows concentrated federal complaint activity in Structure (88), Air Bags (66), Visibility/Wiper (27), and Engine (27) categories, with 18 crash-related and 8 fire-related complaints reported for the model year. The available federal record spans only 20112015, revealing a later-generation trend where total complaints fluctuate between 13 and 49, recalls drop from four to zero by 2014, investigations hold at one annually, and TSBs climb from 248 to 285 before dipping to 232. Because the dataset begins five years after the target year, no direct year-over-year comparison for 2006 is possible, and the data does not specify root causes for the leading complaint categories. The 2006 model year falls outside the documented federal trend arc, making it impossible to assess whether its complaint profile reflects an early-generation peak or an outlier. Buyers should treat the 2006 as a distinct data point requiring independent inspection, particularly for structural integrity and restraint system function, rather than a year validated by a clear improvement trajectory.

16
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
225
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
425
Owner complaints
18 involved a crash · 8 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 425 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure88
Air Bags66
Visibility/Wiper27
Engine27
Unknown Or Other20
Steering18
Structure,Visibility/Wiper17
Vehicle Speed Control15

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 225 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 IS250. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

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 IS250 take?

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

Does the 2006 IS250 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 16 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the IS250 get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.