LexusSC4302006Overview/lexus/sc430/2006/base/

2006 Lexus SC430

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 SC430.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2006 Lexus SC430 is a passenger car equipped with an S6 automatic transmission. This model utilizes 5W-30 API engine oil with a 5.5-quart capacity and achieves an EPA fuel economy rating of 17/23/19 mpg. Within a model history spanning 2002 to 2010—which saw owner complaints peak at 52 in 2002 and reach a low of 5 in 2008—the 2006 year is relatively stable, recording three recalls and seven total owner complaints centered primarily on air bags.

Model year201020092008200720062005200420032002

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/23/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD3. 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 48 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified
Tire size245-40ZR18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD3
Engine air filter1780150060
Fuel filter233000A020
Spark plug9008091180
Battery2880050120
Front wiper blades8521253061 alt 852220R040
Serpentine belt99366H2230
Thermostat9091603100 alt 1634650010
Cabin air filter8713950030

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 23 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.4
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts181 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub213 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)750 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 Capacity4.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Residual Pressure21.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance3-100 Motor ohms
Engine Compression142-178 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure43 psi @ Idle, 43-85 psi @ 3000 rpm psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle77 ft-lbs / 87 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.26 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.26 in / 0.472 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.181 in / 0.413 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
13 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9 ft. lbs., Step 3: 12 ft. lbs.3 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
136 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9036 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; 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) · Driveshaft Flange Yoke (torque) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
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) · 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)

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 SC430 represents a significant inflection point in the model's lifecycle, marking the lowest complaint count (7) recorded up to that year—a dramatic drop from 52 complaints in 2002. Notably, both recalls and NHTSA investigations declined in 2006 (to 3 and 1, respectively), suggesting manufacturer refinements addressing earlier issues. The 2006 model year sits at the trough of the complaint curve before a slight rise in 2007 (18 complaints), indicating this cohort may benefit from corrected production issues. The primary complaint area remains Air Bags (5 of 7 total), with only one crash-related complaint and zero fire reports. However, TSBs rose to 104, implying ongoing technical service bulletins for dealer fixes rather than widespread safety defects. Given the reduced complaint volume, fewer recalls, and fewer open investigations compared to prior years, the 2006 SC430 appears to be a favorable model year within this generation, balancing relative reliability with the classic hardtop convertible design.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
104
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Air Bags5
Electrical System1
Air Bags,Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V741000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/10/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 104 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 SC430. 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 SC430 take?

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

Does the 2006 SC430 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the SC430 get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined mpg.