SCION Complaints

I WONDER IF THE SCION XB WINDSHIELD IS TOO THIN. I'VE HAD MY XB ONLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AND HAVE HAD TWO BROKEN WINDSHIELDS AND EACH OCCURRED ON PAVED ROADS. PRIOR TO THAT I'D ONLY HAD ONE BROKEN WINDSHIELD IN 45 YEARS OF DRIVING. *JB

DRIVING STRAIGHT AT APPROX 40 MPH STEERING WHEEL PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT. UNABLE TO TURN IT BACK AND LOST CONTROL OF CAR TOTALED. CRASHED INTO A TREE. *JB SAW NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT ANOTHER ACCIDENT WITH SAME DESCRIPTION AND FATALITY IN MIAMI HERALD ON 9/9/07. THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MECHANICAL FAILURE - THIS SHOULD BE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT COINCIDENCE BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE IS INJURED OR KILLED. UPDATED 12/12/07

LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS ON THE 2008 SCION XB DO NOT PROJECT OUT FAR ENOUGH FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A CLEARLY DEFINED LINE ABOUT 75 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE WHERE THE LIGHT ENDS AND THE DARK BEGINS DURING NIGHT DRIVING. THE SOLUTION ACCORDING TO TOYOTA/SCION WAS TO PURCHASE FOG LAMPS AS AUXILIARY LIGHTING THEY DO HELP AS DO THE HIGH BEAMS. HOWEVER THE SO CALLED "HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS W/ PROJECTOR LOW BEAMS' DO NOT DO EXACTLY THAT PROJECT ENOUGH LIGHT. I CAN NOT GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW DANGEROUS THE SITUATION IS WHEN YOU CAN ONLY USE THE LOW BEAMS. THEY CLAIM THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO THE MAXIMUM. AND ARE DESIGNED AS URBAN LIGHTS SO AS TO NOT BE INTRUSIVE TO OPPOSING DRIVERS OR PEDESTRIANS. I HOWEVER LIVE IN A VERY RURAL AREA AND THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR RURAL DRIVING. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY BOTH BEAMS POINTING DOWN AND TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA/SCION NEEDS TO RESOLVE, OR BE FORCED TO RESOLVE. I SUSPECT AS THE DAYS GET SHORTER MORE OWNERS LIKE ME WILL DISCOVER HOW POORLY THE LOW BEAMS PERFORM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES, INJURIES OR DEATHS UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMETHING I DON'T. *TR

1) THIS IS NOT A FAILURE DUE TO AN EVENT BUT A DESIGN FLAW ON THE SCION TC WITH ELECTRONIC THROTTLE "DRIVE-BY-WIRE". THE THROTTLE RESPONSE IS DELAYED BY 1/2 TO 1 FULL SECOND UPON LAYING FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. 2) AS A RESULT OF THIS DESIGN FLAW, THE CAR IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE THE CAR REACTS TOO SLOWLY IN COUNTERACTING ANY HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITION ONE MAY FACE. WHEN THE SITUATION CALLS FOR ACCELERATION, THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE DRIVER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR BEGINS TO REACT 1/2 TO 1 SECOND LATER WHICH CAN BE CRUCIAL TIME WASTED TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE LAG IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. FOR INSTANCE, I WAS FORCED TO APPLY MY BRAKES ABRUPTLY DUE TO THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY SAW THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME APPROACH ME AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL PACE BECAUSE THE DRIVER REACTED LATE. I WAS FORCED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR SLIGHTLY TO MAKE MORE ROOM FOR THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME TO BRAKE AND THEREFORE REDUCING THE IMPACT OF OUR CARS OR TO AVOID IT COMPLETELY. HOWEVER, THIS WAS UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE MY CAR DID NOT RESPOND FAST ENOUGH TO MY ACCELERATION. LUCKILY, MY REAR BUMPER SUFFERED NO VISIBLE DAMAGES. *JB

CAR: 2005 SCION TC PURCHASED: MCGEE TOYOTA OF HANOVER, MA IN MAY 2007. -EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILING 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. -THE DEALERSHIP MISDIAGNOSING THE WHEEL BEARING (2-3 TIMES, FINALLY FIXING IT). -WE'VE BEEN TO MCGEE TOYOTA PROBABLY 5+ TIMES NOW, AND WOBURN TOYOTA TWICE, ALL FOR PROBLEMS WITH A 2005 SCION TC. ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES WAS WHEN MY WIFE BOUGHT THE CAR, SHE BOUGHT A TOYOTA EXTENDED WARRANTY. WE NOTICED A FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE THAT THE WEATHER STRIPPING WAS DRY-ROTTING, AND WOBURN TOYOTA SAID THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE IT SINCE IT WASN'T A FACTORY WINDSHIELD. WE WERE ORIGINALLY TOLD BY MCGEE TOYOTA THAT WE COULD TAKE THIS CAR TO ANY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THE WARRANTY WOULD BE VALID. WHY WERE WE NOT TOLD BY MCGEE TOYOTA WHEN SHE BOUGHT THE CAR, THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN REPLACED? MR MURPHY SAID HE WOULD DO ANYTHING IN HIS POWER TO MAKE US HAPPY. MR MURPHY SAID HE WOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES ON THE CAR (BECAUSE WE ALSO NOTICED THERE WERE 3 DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE CAR), AS WELL AS REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD FOR US. WE PICKED THE CAR UP YESTERDAY, TO FIND HER SEATS LEANED BACK (IT LOOKED LIKE SOME TEENAGE KIDS JUST GOT DONE JOY-RIDING), TWO BUBBLES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEW(ANOTHER AFTERMARKET WINDSHIELD, WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ? AGAIN!) WINDSHIELD, A LOUD SQUEAL COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHEN REVVED, AND THE CLUTCH MAKING A VERY LOUD AND NOTICEABLE SQUEAK WHEN DEPRESSED. IT SEEMS THAT WHEN WE BRING THE CAR IN FOR SOMETHING, WE LEAVE WITH 2-3 MORE PROBLEMS. WHEN ADDRESSED BY A MANAGER, IT COMES TO NO AVAIL. I ATTEMPTED TO TALK WITH A MANAGER ABOUT THOSE ISSUES, AND WHEN I REFUSED TO SHAKE HIS HAND, WE WERE ASKED TO LEAVE! THERE ARE MANY MORE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, WHICH ARE TOO MANY TO LIST IN THIS INITIAL COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA SCION XB. HE STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO CRACKS AND STRESS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THERE A DESIGNED FLAW WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DESIGN FLAW AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 30,200 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1500. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AROUND THE CLOCK BURNED OUT FOR NO REASON. THE CAR IS NOT PUT TOGETHER WELL EVERYTHING SOUNDS AS IF THE FRAME WILL SEPARATE FROM THE CAR. THE CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, IF IS REALLY LOUD AN SHAKES THE CAR REALLY BAD. THE ABS IN THE CAR RESPONDS PREMATURELY WHICH IT IS REALLY LOUD. THE SEAT BELTS IN THE CAR DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE SEAT HOOK IN THE CAR AND IT PREMATURE TIGHTS WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT SO YOU HAVE TO UNBUCKLE AN RE-BUCKLE OFTEN IN THE CAR. THE ENGINE FAN TIMING IS OFF AS IF IT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO AND IT IS EXTREMELY LOUD. *JB

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD 5 TIMES ON MY 2006 SCION XB WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 2006, I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT THIS IS THE MOST REPLACED GLASS WINDSHIELD FROM OUR LOCAL SAFELITE GLASS DEALER, SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND OUT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH ISSUE, THIS APPEARS TO BE NATIONWIDE. ALTHOUGH TOYOTA/SCION WILL NEVER ADMIT TO A DESIGN FLAW I AM WONDERING WHAT IF ANYTHING IS BEING DOME TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT BEEN INJURED YET, I AM SURE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WILL FAIL COMPLETELY. *JB

JUNE 19, 2007 I NOTICED THAT MY MUFFLER WAS LOUDER THAN USUAL AND NOTICED THAT THE TIP OF MY MUFFLER WAS MISSING. I OWN A SCION 2005 XB RELEASE SERIES 2.0 VEHICLE. THERE WERE 2500 OF THESE CARS MANUFACTURED AND THEY HAVE A SPECIAL DC SPORT EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE DEALER INITIALLY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. UPON LOOKING AT THE WEB SITE ENTITLED SCIONLIFE.COM, I FOUND A FORUM THAT CONTAINED MANY SCION XB RELEASE SERIES 2.0 OWNERS WHOSE MUFFLER TIPS HAD COME APART. I PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION TO THE DEALER. THE NOISE INSIDE MY VEHICLE CAN BE OPPRESSIVE WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL. JULY 6, 2007 THE DEALER STATES THAT HE IS ORDERING A MUFFLER AND THAT IT WILL BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. AS OF JULY 19, THE PART IS STILL ON ORDER. AFTER SEEING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MUFFLER ON THESE VEHICLES, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE MUFFLER AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED BY A FLYING MUFFLER TIP. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THESE MUFFLERS WITH A SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE EXHAUST SYSTEM. *TR

I OWN A 2006 SCION XB. THERE SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S FLAW ON THE WINDSHIELD DESIGN. LESS THAN 8 MONTHS THERE WAS A CRACK ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I THEN HAD TO REPLACED IT WITH A BRAND NEW FRONT WINDSHIELD. ABOUT A WEEK LATER A NEW CRACK APPEARED, THERE WAS NO ROCKS THAT HAD HIT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. IT JUST SLOWLY STARTED TO CRACK FROM THE DRIVER'S EDGE FRAME AND SLOWING INCREASED IN LENGTH. TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD TWICE IN 8 MONTHS WAS NOT REGULAR. I SEARCHED ONLINE FORUMS AROUND, AND IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TOYOTA SCION WINDSHIELD DEFECTS. I THINK SCION SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CRACKED WINDSHIELDS THAT OCCRURED WITH THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK