2008 Scion TC

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 86 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 3 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
65,000 milesMedian miles at failure

75 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine21
000
Structure › Body11
000
Air Bags8
704
Unknown or Other5
000
Visibility4
000
Structure4
000
Vehicle Speed Control3
300
Service Brakes3
101
Latches/Locks/Linkages3
000
Electrical System3
010

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Other › Labels10V036000
Filed Feb 3, 2010153,418 vehiclesSoutheast Toyota Distributors, Llc

Defect. SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.

Equipment › Other › Labels10V035000
Filed Feb 3, 2010271,417 vehiclesGulf States Toyota, Inc.

Defect. GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Risk. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.

Equipment › Other › Labels09V223000
Filed Jun 15, 200927,080 vehiclesToyota Motor North America, Inc.

Defect. TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."

Risk. INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2025OH

Burning oil bad

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 8, 2019155,000 milesCA

SUNROOF / MOONROOF EXPLOSION. DRIVING 50 MPH ON FREEWAY AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT WAS MY MOONROOF EXPLODING. NOTHING HIT THE VEHICLE, IT JUST EXPLODED ON ITS OWN.

Engine
Filed Jun 4, 201994,000 milesNY

ENGINE CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL . HAVE TO REFILL THE OIL IN MY ENGINE ABOUT TWO TIMES IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 26, 2019100,000 milesCA

2008 - SCION - TOYOTA - BURNING OIL, BURNING A QUART OF OIL IN LESS THAN EVERY 800 MILES. CAR IS UP TO DATE WITH ALL MAINTENANCE. MECHANIC REFERRED US TO DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB - 'SOME 2006 ' 2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PISTON ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN CHANGED TO MINIMIZE OIL CONSUMPTION.' AND THAT 'P030# (CYLINDER # MISFIRE DETECTED) DTC MAY ALSO BE SET AS A RESULT OF OIL CONSUMPTION.' HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO EVEN TEST OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. SAYING WE ONLY HAD UNTIL AUG 2017. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF SUCH ISSUES, NO LETTERS OR ANYTHING WERE SENT TO US. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN REGISTERED AND OUR OWNER INFO HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO TOYOTA. SO NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.

Engine
Filed Feb 15, 201987,000 milesIL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, EVEN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN SAFETY CAMPAIGN THAT EXPIRED IN JUNE OF 2015. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN JUNE OF 2015 AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE NOTICE WAS PROBABLY MAILED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CONTACT CONTESTED THAT THIS WAS NOT HIS FAULT. THE MANUFACTURER PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH THE MATTER, BUT THEY STILL WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. WHEN THE CONTACT WENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE'S OIL CHANGED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, HE WAS DENIED SERVICE BECAUSE THE VALVE GASKET COVER EXPLODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. AS A RESULT, OIL SPILLED ALL OVER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

Suspension
Filed Dec 28, 2018101,000 milesCA

TAKATA RECALL. MY FRONT TIRES WEARING FAST. WHEN I TOOK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE & ALIGNMENT, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR HAS A ROW BAR THAT IS RUSTED AND FROZEN AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE IT ($2,000 ESTIMATED). WHEN I DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN, THE CAR FLAILS ALL OVER THE LANE. I HAD TO STOP AND LET CARS PASS ME, I COULD ONLY DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS AND I HAD TO PULL OVER 4 TIMES BEFORE GETTING HOME SAFELY. I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. VERY SCARED AND DANGEROUS. I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ON WET ROADS. ALSO, I'M HAVING TO BUY NEW TIRES EVERY 20,000 MILES IT SEEMS AND I'VE REGULARLY HAD THEM ROTATED. LAST TIME THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T ROTATE THEM BECAUSE THE ROD WAS FROZEN AND IT'S ONLY THE TC MODEL THAT HAS THIS PARTICULAR ROD.

Engine
Filed Aug 31, 2018172,000 milesIN

PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER 2 MONTHS AGO. CAR RUNS LIKE A CHAMP. RECENTLY HAD TO ADD A QUART AND A HALF OF OIL THEN CHANGED THE OIL SATURDAY AND YESTERDAY THE CAR WAS 2 QUARTS LOW AGAIN. HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT EXCESSIVE OIL USE ON THESE VEHICLES, SAME YEAR YET TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, WHY? WHEN READING COMPLAINTS, APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, DEFECT, WITH THE 08 TC IN WHICH INVOLVES THE PISTON RINGS. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE REPAIRS.

Engine
Filed Aug 14, 2018190,000 milesVA

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THIS IS THE SECOND ENGINE THAT HAS BLOWN IN MY CAR. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE PISTONS BLEW UP MY ENGINE AND NOW HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE PISTONS IN THE SECOND MOTOR. I CALLED SCION CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH CAMILLE AND SHE BASICALLY TOLD ME I AM STUCK WITH THIS BAD MOTOR THAT I JUST HAD PUT IN ON APRIL 7, 2017.

Engine
Filed Apr 13, 201899,000 milesCA

EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. BURNS MORE THAN TWO QUART OF OIL IN LESS THAN 1800 MILES.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Feb 24, 2018135,000 milesWA

THIS VEHICLE WAS JUST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, REAR-ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS DEMOLISHED, THE RADIATOR AND EVERYTHING CRUSHED AND SLAMMED BACK, FLUIDS LEAKING FROM EVERYTHING, EVEN BUCKLED THE PASSENGER DOOR, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THIS VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID NOT DEPLOY.

Engine
Filed Jan 19, 2018OH

HIGH CONSUMPTION OF ENGINE OIL. I AM HAVING TO ADD ABOUT A QUART EVERY 1000 MILES OR SO. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD I WAS 2 WEEKS PAST THE DEADLINE OF 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WENT INTO SERVICE. THE CAR IS WELL UNDER THE 150,000 MILES COVERAGE PERIOD AT ONLY 90,000 MILES. TOYOTA'S POSITION WAS FIRM ON THE 2 WEEK OVERAGE PERIOD. THIS JUST DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. THIS CAR'S ENGINE COULD LOCK UP DUE TO LACK OF OIL AND CAUSE ME TO WRECK NOT TO MENTION THE UNNECESSARY AMOUNT OF AIR POLLUTION THIS IS CAUSING

Engine
Filed Dec 24, 2017147,000 milesCA

RAPID OIL CONSUMPTION. OVER 4 QUARTS IN <2,000 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 147,000 ODO

Visibility/Wiper
Filed Nov 17, 2017147,000 milesCA

ON SEP 24TH, 2017, I WAS MERGING ONTO THE SOUTH 710 FREEWAY FROM MISSION BOULEVARD IN ALHAMBRA, CA AROUND 7 PM WHEN MY CLOSED SUNROOF SHATTERED. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE ROOF IN THE FADING LIGHT OF SUNSET. THERE WERE NO TREES, BIRDS OR OVERHEAD BRIDGES WHERE THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND APPEARED TO BE NO OBJECTS THAT APPEARED TO HAVE HIT THE CAR OR EMBEDDED IN THE SUNROOF GLASS. I CLEANED SOME OF THE LOOSE GLASS AND CAREFULLY ROLLED BACK ONTO THE 710 FREEWAY WAY TO DRIVE UP THE FREEWAY TO GET HOME AND CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 26, 2017NC

MY ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT INSTEAD OF GETTING A SCION THEY GOT A COROLLA ENGINE, SO NOW MY CAR DRINKS TOO MUCH GAS. THE BRAKES STOPPED BEING STOP CLOSE TO ON THE DIME AFTER THEY FIXED THE ENGINE, AND REPLACED THE TIRES. WHEN THEY CHANGED THE TIRES THEY USED IMPACT STUDS/BOLTS. EVERY TIME I USE CRUISE CONTROL IT GOES FASTER A LITTLE NO MATTER IF IT'S UP OR DOWN HILL. I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN TO SLOW IT DOWN.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed May 29, 2017114,000 milesCO

CENTER CONSOLE BURST INTO FLAMES CAUSING AN INTERNAL FIRE, WHILE STATIONARY.

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 12, 2017176,000 milesCA

AT AROUND 35000 MILES I NOTICED MY CAR STARTED BURNING OIL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL SO I BEGAN USING THICKER OIL. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. MY CAR NOW HAS 185000 MILES AND I'M USING 10W40 OIL WITH OIL STABILIZER AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I'VE HAD TWO OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS DONE ON MY CAR AND, ACCORDING TO THEIR TESTING STANDARDS, IT HAS PASSED BOTH TIMES. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS ONGOING AND HAS OF COURSE WORSENED. IT'S TO THE POINT THAT MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR AND I HAD TO ADD 2 QUARTS OF OIL AFTER ONLY 3500 MILES. TOYOTA HAS SIMPLY LEFT ME IN THE DARK WITH THIS PROBLEM AS I WAS HOPING TO HAVE THIS VEHICLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

Engine
Filed Jan 19, 2017CA

I JUST WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAVE INDICATED THAT MY CAR BURNS OIL 2 TO 3X'S FASTER THAN NORMAL. I WAS MADE AWARE (FOR THE 1ST TIME) OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT TOYOTA ISSUED. HOWEVER, MY CAR NOW HAS 150,737 MILES AND DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE WARRANTY WORK. HERE'S THE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS MY CAR NO LONGER QUALIFIES. HTTP://MEDIA.FIXED-OPS.COM/TOY_CAMPAIGNS/ZE7-DLRLTR.PDF PLEASE HELP!

Air BagsCrash
Filed Jan 11, 2017156,000 milesAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 SCION TC. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

Engine
Filed Oct 17, 2016138,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN, THE ENGINE WOULD CONSUME OIL AND OVERHEAT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

Engine
Filed Sep 7, 2016130,000 milesMA

CAR WAS TESTED FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST THEY WERE DOING AND IT SUPPOSEDLY PASSED, BUT THEN AS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE MOTOR COMPLETELY BLEW DUE TO THE LACK OF OIL. I'D EVEN BEEN ADDING OIL TO MY CAR DAILY.

20 of 86 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20166300Routine
201522300Routine
201420110Routine
20139100Routine
20128200Routine
201129110Routine
201020200Routine
200960311Fatalities reported
2008 — this page86321Fatalities reported
2007117269Fatalities reported
2006161535Fatalities reported
2005155432Fatalities reported

Compare every TC year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Feb 3, 2010. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.