2006 Lexus Rx350 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Lexus Rx350 passed 79.6% of its 1,940 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.3% fail rate), the 2006 Rx350 comes out 6.9pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.8%) and lighting & signalling (8.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 95 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 21.3% versus 10.4%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.8% | 209 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 170 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 127 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.4% | 124 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.1% | 80 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 48 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 95 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 92 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 74 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 70 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 55 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 43 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 37.8% | 734 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 28.7% | 556 |
| 3 | Brakes | 27.8% | 539 |
| 4 | Tyres | 24.4% | 474 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.9% | 231 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.6% | 225 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 106 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 411 | 17.0% |
| 90-120k | 652 | 20.9% |
| 120-150k | 519 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 239 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 463 | 18.6% |
| 2022 | 439 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 397 | 21.2% |
| 2024 | 351 | 21.6% |
| 2025 | 290 | 21.0% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Rx350
On a 2006 Rx350, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (10.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (8.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (6.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2006 Lexus Rx350s pass their MOT?
79.6% of the 1,940 2006 Lexus Rx350 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Lexus Rx350?
Brakes, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.8%).
Does the 2006 Rx350 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.4% in the 30-60k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,940 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.