SCION Complaints

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE NEARLY RAN INTO MY REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THERE IS ONLY ONE REVERSE LAMP AND IT IS ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR. PEOPLE APPROACHING THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE CANNOT SEE THIS LAMP; THEREFORE THEY DON'T KNOW THE VEHICLE IS REVERSING. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT MANY TIMES DUE TO OTHER VEHICLES NOT BEING AWARE OF MY REVERSING. THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF PEDESTRIANS WALKING BEHIND/NEAR THE MY VEHICLE AS THEY CANNOT SEE THE REVERSE LIGHT FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS NOT TOLD THIS VEHICLE HAD ONLY ONE REVERSE LIGHT WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AND COULD EASILY RESULT IN A PEDESTRIAN OR CHILD BEING HIT AS THEY MAY WALK BEHIND THE VEHICLE UNAWARE OF IT BEING IN REVERSE. *TR

EARLIER IN 2011 WHILE ACCESSING THE REAR OF MY CAR THROUGH THE HATCH DOOR, MY HATCH HANDLE SNAPPED OFF COMPLETELY. AFTER FURTHER LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC CLIPS BUILT INTO THE HANDLES BROKE. MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER IS AWARE OF THE "ISSUE" AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS A "DEFECT" WITH THIS SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL CAR. ON TOP OF THAT, I HAVE BOTH SEEN MANY BROKEN HATCH HANDLES WHILE ON THE ROAD, AND READ MANY OTHER INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO MINE ON SEVERAL NOTABLE SCION FORUMS ONLINE. OTHERS REPORT THAT THEIR TOYOTA DEALERS FIXED THE ISSUE, FREE PART, BUT STILL CHARGED UPWARDS OF $100 FOR LABOR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROBLEM GET FIXED BY TOYOTA AS IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY ONE OPERABLE REVERSE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

DRIVING ON AN ACCESS ROAD, A CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME AT LOW SPEED, AND I STEPPED ON BRAKES HARD AND THEY DID NOT WORK. HAVE HAD ACCELERATION PROBLEMS IN PAST AND REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL OF CRUISE CONTROL STICKING AND ACCELERATION AND ODOMETER GOING OUT AND DASHBOARD. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED PREMATURELY AND DID NOT INFLATE FULLY. SERVICE LIGHT STICKING PREVENTING INSPECTION UNTIL DEALERSHIP CAN ORDER PART RESULTING IN TWO TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS OF NO INSPECTION EVEN THOUGH PRESENTING DOCUMENTATION OF SEEKING INSPECTION AND FAILED. REPLACED PART ON SERVICE BULLETIN, REPLACED THREE WINDSHIELDS HAVING NOTHING HITTING IT BUT CRACKING ANYWAY,BACK TRUNK HANDLE BROKE,GLOVE COMPARTMENT BROKE,SEAT BELT PROBLEMS,CAR TOTAL LOSS BY INSURANCE COMPANY EVEN THOUGH FRONT HAD NO DAMAGE VISIBLE, SEVERE DAMAGE TO FRONT BUMPER UNDERNEATH=SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR ESTIMATE-NO TRANSPORTATION NOW-UNSAFE CAR , WAS LOYAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER BUT THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR FOUR SETS OF TIRES BEFORE FORTY THOUSAND MILES, FACTORY PUT WRONG SIZE ON CARE, PRIVATE TIRE COMPANY IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AND TIRE RIMS WERE DAMAGED. THIS WAS A RIP OFF CAR. BOUGHT NEW-NEVER AGAIN. *KB

TOOK MY CAR TO THE SHOP FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND FOUND OUT THAT MY CAR WAS LEAKING COOLANT OUT OF THREE HEAD BOLTS ON BACK OF ENGINE BLOCK. THEY WERE STRIPPED OUT BECAUSE OF TOYOTA IMPROPER DESIGN OF THE BLOCK. 4 1/2" HOLE WITH 4" BOLT WITH ONLY THE BOTTOM 1 1/2" THREADED WHICH IS ONLY AN INCH TO INCH THREAD. POUR DESIGN FOR AN ALUMINUM BLOCK FOR THAT TENSILE STRENGTH. ITS AN 06 SCION TC THEY WANTED 6000 TO REPLACE BLOCK. EVEN CALLED CORPORATE BUT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SINCE ITS OUTSIDE OF POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WHEN THEY KNOW ITS A KNOWN ISSUE. THEY EVEN ISSUED A TSB OUT IN 3/2/2011. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE I HAVE SEEN MANY CASES ON THIS ISSUE AND TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR PROBLEM AND THEIR POUR DESIGNS. SERVICE BULLETIN: S-SB-0004-11. *KB

WHILE DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, WHICH ARE EVERYWHERE IN SOUTH CENTRAL IL, MY DRIVER SIDE-CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE ROAD IS ONE WHICH I'VE DRIVEN HUNDREDS OF TIMES WITH NO PROBLEMS. THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERS REGIONAL MANAGER TOLD ME THAT I HAD DAMAGED THE CAR BY STRIKING A"POTHOLE" AND THAT "POTHOLE" CAUSED THE SIDE-CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I HAD JUST HAD NEW TIRES INSTALLED THE WEEK BEFORE, SO I RETURNED TO THE TIRE SHOP AND INDEED MY RIMS WERE SLIGHTLY BENT, BUT, THEY WERE STILL PERFECTLY IN BALANCE. TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THESE "BENT RIMS", ALTHOUGH THEY ARE STILL PERFECTLY BALANCED, CAUSED MY SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG TO GO OFF.I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE IN THIS DATABASE FOR THE 08 SCION TC. THE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE HAS WENT ROUGE ON ME SEVERAL TIMES( UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND SOMETIMES A DELAY IN ACCELERATION).SLIGHT BUMPS SUCH AS "SLOW-DOWN" STRIPS UNSETTLE THE CAR GREATLY ALSO. THE STOCK TIRES CAME APART IN LESS THAN 30K MILES. FINALLY, THE THROTTLE IS HAIR-TRIGGER OFF THE LINE WHICH MAKES FOR NIGHTMARISH WINTER DRIVING. THIS WILL BE MY LAST TOYOTA. *KB

VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A LONG STRAIGHT ROAD AT 55MPH. SUDDENLY THE STEERING PULLED RIGHT AND LOCKED. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED BACK LEFT. IT ALL HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND QUICKLY. THIS ROAD HAS POWER POLES ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE. SINCE THE STEERING COULD NOT BE CORRECTED, THE CAR WENT HEAD ON INTO A POWER POLE. THE TOP OF THE POWER POLE BROKE OFF AND FELL TO THE GROUND, LANDING A FOOT AWAY FROM THE CAR, WITH 5 DOWNED POWER LINES LAYING ALL OVER THE GROUND. MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS DRIVING COULD NOT BREATHE DUE TO THE FUMES INSIDE THE CAR, AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE DOOR OPEN AFTER SEVERAL TRIES. FORTUNATELY AS SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR SHE DID NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE LIVE POWER LINES. THE POWER POLE ENDED UP ALMOST TO THE WINDSHIELD. IT WAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT. THE MOTOR BROKE IN HALF, AND THE CAR WAS A COMPLETE LOSS. IT IS A MIRACLE MY DAUGHTER SURVIVED THIS CRASH, INCLUDING THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT, THE POLE FALLING NEXT TO THE CAR, NOT ON THE CAR, AND THE FACT SHE DIDN'T TOUCH THE LIVE POWER LINES WHEN SHE HOBBLED OUT OF THE CAR. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE, AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL CAR. THE OTHER INCIDENTS DIDN'T CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. MY DAUGHTER ACCIDENT WAS NEAR FATAL. WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS ALREADY MADE FOR THE SAME THING, SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS. THE NEXT ACCIDENT WITH THIS CAUSE MAY CAUSE SOME SOMEONE TO LOSE THEIR LIFE. TOYOTA HAS THIS PROBLEM ON ANOTHER MODEL SO IT SHOULD NOT BE A SURPRISE THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SCION TC. SHE DID NOT SUFFER MAJOR INJURIES, BUT DOES HAVE INJURIES TO HER ELBOW, AND BOTH FEET. SHE WAS BRUISED FROM HEAD TO TOE. SHE IS NOW OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR AND USES CRUTCHES TO GET AROUND. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE HER TO BE ABLE TO WALK FULLY AND CORRECTLY AGAIN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON THE WAY TO WORK THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT INTO IDLE. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY, LUCKILY I WAS ON THE ROAD IN THE EARLY MORNING WHEN TRAFFIC WAS SPARSE. UPON CONSULTING MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THEY STATED IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS COMMON IN THIS MOTOR. I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS ISSUE AND REALLY THINK IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

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

FAILURE TO HIT UNLOCK MULTIPLE TIMES ON KEYLESS REMOTE WHEN ACCESSING REAR HATCHBACK TRUNK WILL PUT UNDUE STRESS ON THE POORLY DESIGNED ENTRY POINT. EVEN WITH USING THE UNLOCK FEATURE WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS ARE UNLOCKED THE TRUNK LID REMAINS LOCKED. SINCE THIS IS SUCH A POOR DESIGN IT HAS BROKEN AND THE ONLY WAY TO REPLACE IS 800 REPAIR BILL FOR NEW PART AND HAVE IT PAINTED. I HAVE TO POINT OUT THAT THE HATCHBACK IS OPENED AND ACCESED BY AN ELECTRIC PRESSURE POINT WITH KEYLESS ENTRY ONLY, SINCE THIS IS A PLASTIC PART AND IS VERY WEAK, IT ONLY TAKES A FEW VISITS TO THE CAR WASH OR DEALER TO HAVE SOMEONE ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK WITH THE CAR UNLOCKED TO WRENCH ON THIS PART AND CAUSE IT TO FAIL. MOST MODERN VEHICLES HAVE A TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON, OR KEYED ENTRY WHICH WOULD PREVENT THIS OBVIOUS AND COMMON FAILURE, ITS COMMON BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL SCION TC'S WITH THIS PART HANGIN FROM THE HATCHBACK AND BLOCKING VIEW OF THE VEHICLES LICENSE PLATE, WHICH IN MOST STATES IS AN OFFENSE AND A SAFETY VIOLATION.