2008 SCION XB Complaints

STEERING PROBLEM ON THE 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB WE BOUGHT A 2008 SCION XB THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING FINE UNTIL THIS SCARY PROBLEM TOOK PLACE. WE CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW PROBLEMATIC THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING CAN BE. WE ARE FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE SAFETY IS OUR MAIN CONCERN AND THE STEERING PROBLEM IS LIFE THREATENING. AS WE STARTED THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. IMMEDIATELY WE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. WE SPOKE WITH THEIR SERVICE MANAGER AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNKNOWN AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. WE ASKED FOR A PRICE ESTIMATE AND HE SAID THAT WITHOUT WARRANTY IT WILL BE PROXIMATELY $800.00. WE TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A VERY WELL EXPERIENCE MECHANIC. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT SHOULD BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IMAGINE SUCH PROBLEM TAKEN PLACE WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY!!!!!! IN ALL FAIRNESS IF THEY'VE DESIGNED SOMETHING THAT'S PRONE TO FAILURE, THE ULTIMATE PRICING SHOULD CLEARLY REFLECT THAT FACT. THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THE REPAIR DAMAGE BUT FOR EVERY INNOCENT LIVES THAT WERE LOST. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AT JUST OVER 38,000 MILES THE BRAKE, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND VSC LIGHTS ALL ILLUMINATED ON MY DASH. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT IS MOST LIKELY THE REAR SPEED SENSORS BUT ALSO REQUIRES HUNDRED OF DOLLARS WORTH OF OTHER PARTS TO REPLACE. I LOOKED ON MANY OF THE SCION XB FORUMS AND FOUND MANY MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR(FROM NEW) IT HAS BEEN A PAIN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND THE LOW WHEEL PRESSURE LIGHT GOES ON WHEN IT IS COLD OR WET OUT. SO MUCH FOR TOYOTA RELIABILITY. I OWNED A 1985 TOYOTA CELICA THAT HAD 185000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT DROVE IT FOR 3 YEARS AND PUT ON AN ADDITIONAL 100000 MILES MYSELF AND ALL I HAD TO REPLACE WAS AN ALTERNATOR BELT. SO WHY AM I HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH A CAR THAT IS 23 YEARS NEWER. I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE IGNITION COILS. SEEMS TO ME AS THOUGH ALL OF US THAT OWN THESES XB'S HAVE BEEN SUCKERED INTO BUYING LEMONS. *TR

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), VISIBILITY STABILE CONTROL (VSC) AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT, AND BRAKE INDICATORS REMAIN ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE REPAIR CENTER HAS ADVISED ME ON DIFFERENT REPAIRS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT. ONE REPAIR OPTION IS A FAULTY SENSOR IN ONE OF MY REAR WHEELS THAT NEEDS REPLACING. THE OTHER REPAIR WAS THAT THE WHEEL BEARING WAS BAD ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND THAT WHEN FIXED WOULD RE-SET THE SENSOR LIGHTS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THIS VEHICLE AND TOYOTA SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REPAIR THE SENSOR PROBLEM. I AN NOT SURE WHY THE BEARINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THIS TIME AT OVER $500.00/WHEEL. THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, CALIPERS AND OTHER BRAKE PARTS NEED FREQUENT REPLACEMENT AT A VERY HIGH COST. *TR

THE ABS, VSC AND BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. HAD TO PAY 110.00 TO HAVE DIAGNOSTICS RUN-THEY FOUND THAT THE R REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRE HAD FRAYED AND MALFUNCTIONED. I AM ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR BUT THE CONSULTANT AT TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT MY ABS, VSC WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS BAD. SO I HAVE TO PAY $ 1070.16 TO REPLACE THE R REAR HUB,BEARING, SENSOR AND HARNESS. I FEEL THIS IS POOR DESIGN AND FROM WHAT I SEE ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO POOR DESIGN-TOYOTA/SCION IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD RECALL FAULTY PARTS/DESIGN. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE PARKING BRAKE BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE. THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE ABS SENSOR CONNECTOR WAS FAULTY AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE PISTONS IN THE ENGINE WERE NOT RETAINING OIL AS IT SHOULD. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE PISTON ASSEMBLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE PART AND THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE LABOR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 02/03/12*LJ UPDATED 02/10/12

MY XB WAS BOUGHT ON APRIL 2008. 1.ON NOVEMBER 2009, THE VSC LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER FIXED IT BY REPLACING #3 IGNITION COIL. 2.ON DECEMBER 2009, THE VSC LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN, THIS TIME DEALER REPLACED #2 IGNITION COIL. 3. ON MARCH 2011, THE VSC LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN AND DEALER REPLACED #1 IGNITION COIL. 4. ON SEPTEMBER 2011, THE ELECTRIC STEERING LIGHT WAS ON AND STEERING WILL NOT TURN. THIS TIME I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE DEALER REPLACED "POWER STEERING ECM (COMPUTER) AND CHARGED ME $863.36 INCLUDING $75 RENTAL DURING REPAIR. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS 4 IGNITION COIL IN THE CAR, SO 3 OF 4 OF THEM FAILED WITHIN THE FIRST 3 YEARS. HE ALSO AGREED THAT THE STEERING PROBLEM IS LIFE THREATENING. HOWEVER HE SAID HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING AND IT WAS AN INDIVIDUAL CASE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER HAVING HIS VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE CHECK THE MECHANIC ADVISED HIM THAT THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND HE WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, ALL OF THE SERVICE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AND THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY DIED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 18 MONTHS THE CLUTCH PEDAL STICKS MAKING THE VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE. THE LINKAGE HAS BROKEN, OR ACCORDING TO TOYOTA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, DIRT HAS COLLECTED UNDERNEATH THE CABLE WHICH PREVENTS THE CLUTCH FROM ENGAGING PROPERLY. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED, BUT I DREAD IT OCCURRING IN TRAFFIC OR ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER THE FIRST OCCURRENCE, IT DID HAPPEN AFTER I LEFT THE FREEWAY FROM JUST HAVING IT REPAIRED. EVERY INCIDENT REQUIRES A VEHICLE TOW.