2013 Scion FR-S problems and owner complaints

MY NEW CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR THE PAST MONTH (4 TIMES). THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THE CAR DOES NOT ALSO SEEM TO BE ABLE TO HOLD AN IDLE SPEED. WHEN MY FOOT HAS THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY DEPRESSED AND MY OTHER FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE IDLE JUST GOES FROM 500 TO 1000 AND BACK DOWN TO 500 AND THE CAR SHUDDERS AND ALMOST STALLS. THERE SEEMS TO BE OTHER SCION OWNERS OF THIS NEW CAR THAT ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE (THERE ARE INTERNET POST ON WEB FORUMS DATING BACK TO JUNE…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,494 miles reported. Look up ODI 10474058 at NHTSA ↗

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT BEFORE PROBLEMS PERSIST AND MAKE THINGS WORSE. MY BRAND NEW SCION FRS, WHAT I WAS REASSURED BY MY DEALER WAS RELIABLE DEPENDABLE MAKE AND MODEL. GIVEN THE TRUST HE HAD GAINED PRIOR TO THE SALE I BELIEVED EVERY WORD HE SAID DOWN TO HIS OVER MARKET ASKING PRICE PITCH. I BOUGHT IT ALL AND THE CAR. A FEW WEEKS LATER I NOTICE A CHIRPPING THAT I THOUGHT TO BE THE BELT. IT HAD BEEN RAINING CONSTANTLY SO I ASSUMED THE BELT WAS MOIST AND AT TIMES WITH CONDENSATION. IN DRY CONDITIONS THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND I BECAME CONCERNED, S…

Owner-reported narrative. 550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10582857 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS INTENDED TO REPORT A PROBLEM, NOT A ONE-TIME INCIDENT. THE SHIFT KNOB OF MY FR-S IS LOOSE ENOUGH TO ROTATE WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ON ONLINE FORUMS DEDICATED TO THIS VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO PARTIAL MISALLOCATION OF FORCE FROM THE OPERATOR'S INTENDED SHIFTING DIRECTION INTO UNWANTED ROTATION OF THE GEAR KNOB. MISSING A GEAR, OR DELAYING OR CONFUSING THE ACTION MECHANICALLY CAN BE A HAZARD. FOR EXAMPLE, IT CAN BE CRITICAL TO MAKE A FAST AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 24,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10550481 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF SMELLING BURNT OIL IN THE CABIN, I DISCOVERED A SERIOUS OIL LEAK ON THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAS A BLOCK OFF PLATE ON THE RIGHT REAR CAMSHAFT AREA. IT IS A STAMPED STEEL PLATE HELD ON WITH THREE BOLTS AND SEALED WITH RTV. THE OIL WAS LEAKING AROUND THE BOTTOM BOLT AND DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. SCION DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL THEY COULD DO WAS RE-APPLY THE SEALANT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. THEY ALSO COMMENTED THAT IT WOULD FAIL AGAIN IN THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN. I ORDERED AN AFTERMAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 33,130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10681817 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AND EASILY TURNS LEFT, ALMOST ON ITS OWN. WHERE AS TURNING IT TO THE RIGHT IS TIGHT AND MORE DIFFICULT. THIS MAKES DRIVING VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY ON WINDY DAYS. I'VE READ ABOUT IT HERE AND THERE ONLINE WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHATS HAPPENING AND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS ISSUE. ONE PERSON STATED THAT THE STEERING SENSOR NEEDED ALIGNMENT.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10959890 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2013 SCION FRS CURRENTLY HAVE 18K MILES AND RANDOMLY LOSING POWER TO STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ALREADY AND TWO TO THOSE WAS ALMOST AN ACCIDENT. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHEN I WAS TURNING, ONCE WHEN I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT, AND ONCE WHEN I WAS IDLING. POWER STEERING INDICATOR LIGHTS WILL COME ON AND 1-2 SECONDS AFTER THAT, YOU WOULD LOSE POWER. SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON WILL MAKE IT TEMPORARY GO AWAY. CHECKED MANY FORUMS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM BUT HAS NO RECALL IN THE US. BUT THERE IS ONE IN …

Owner-reported narrative. 17,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11013598 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER LEAVING A RESIDENCE, GETTING ONTO THE FREEWAY WITH NO ISSUES FOR ABOUT 1/4 MILE, SUDDENLY UPON GETTING ABOUT TO 50 MPH, I FELT A SHIMMY. I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. BUT I WAS SMELLING A BURNING SMELL PRETTY QUICKLY. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM A POLLUTED SEMI TRUCK. BUT IT GOT STRONGER. SO, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE FIRST EXIT ANOTHER 1/4 MILE UP. I TURNED ON HAZARDS AND SLOWED TO 40 AND EXITED. UPON STOPPING I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND INSPECTED FIRST THE ENGINE, SEEING NO SMOKE AROUND IT. I THEN INSPECTED THE TIRES. ALL GOOD. SO I OPTED FOR A …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10513321 at NHTSA ↗

MY DIRECT INJECTOR COLLAR ENDED UP DAMAGED/MISSING COMPLETELY, ORIGINALLY RESULTING IN A VIOLENT "FIRECRACKER" POPPING SOUND UNDER MODERATE THROTTLE ACCELERATION, DUE TO THE ECU WITH FAULTY PROGRAMMING. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME WITHIN A MONTH OF THIS HAPPENING TO BOTH DIRECT INJECTORS. THIS ISSUE IS CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK/MISFIRE FROM THE INJECTOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN EXTREMELY LEAN, WHICH CAN LEAD TO ACCELERATED ENGINE WARE AND (WORST CASE SCENARIO) ENGINE DETONATION AND HAS HAPPENED TO ANOTHER PERSON ALREADY. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515107 at NHTSA ↗

12/2019 I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE VALVE SPRING REPLACEMENT ON MY 2013 FRS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS (12/20/2019 - 1/10/2020) UPON PICKING IT UP FROM DEALERSHIP AFTER RECALL REPAIRS IT WAS MAKING SQUEALING NOISE I THEN IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO AGGRESSIVELY DENIED ALL RESPONSIBILITY. ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY. AND NOW IT WILL NOT START. NOTE: ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL IS STILL WORKING, BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ARE GOOD. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 88,353 miles reported. Look up ODI 11327350 at NHTSA ↗

It is my belief that the valve spring on the engine broke, even after the recall work had been done. I was getting out of my car and heard, what sounded like, metal under tension popping really loudly. After that the engine made a rattling noise. In hindsight I should have known something was wrong, but I had an oil change at the dealer in 2 days and thought they would hear it. After the oil change they didn't say anything so I felt it was ok. On my way home from work the following day, less than 40 miles after the oil change, the car suddenly …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11492687 at NHTSA ↗