U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Scion TC problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

29 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

29,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 21 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 29 complaints (20.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	6	20.7%
Transmission and shifting	3	10.3%
Engine operation	1	3.4%
Electrical and battery issues	1	3.4%
Steering behavior	1	3.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Exterior Lighting

Service Brakes

Power Train

Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

Air Bags

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Structure:Body

Exterior Lighting: 6; Service Brakes: 4; Power Train: 3; Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly: 3; Air Bags: 2; Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Structure:Body: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2023

2025

2011: 6; 2012: 5; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2023: 1; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10425093 · 2011-09-12 (September 12, 2011)

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON HIGHWAY 160 TOWARD MY HOME, WHEN A BUCK (DEER), RAN OUT INTO THE ROAD. I SWERVED TO MISS IT AND THEN HIT A TREE HEAD ON. I HIT THE BRAKES AT AROUND 45 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR COLLIDED INTO THE TREE HEAD ON. THE FORCE FROM THE CRASH MADE ME HIT MY HEAD AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL TWO TIMES. MY HEAD, NECK, AND BACK HURT INSTANTLY. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. I HAVE WITNESSES WHO STOPPED AND CALLED 911. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, AND POLICE GOT TO THE WRECK THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT D…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,112 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425093 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10451234 · 2012-03-12 (March 12, 2012)

THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 7:00AM ON 2/6/12 ON THE 215 S. GOING AROUND 75MPH. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FLOORED ALL THE WAY DOWN AS IF SOMEONE HAD THEIR FOOT ON IT. I PANICKED AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO BUT PRESS THE BRAKES. AS I PRESSED THE BRAKES THE CAR JERKED ME AROUND. I NOTICED CARS IN FRONT OF ME STARTING TO SLOW DOWN AS I WAS ENTERING TRAFFIC. BY THAT TIME MY CAR WAS GOING 100MPH ON ITS OWN BECAUSE I HAD REMOVED MY FEET FROM THE PETALS. I LAST MINUTE REACTED AND PUT MY FOOT UNDER THE PETAL AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10451234 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10465163 · 2012-07-11 (July 11, 2012)

MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION. INCLUDING SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN REVERSE, ROLLING BACKWARDS AT STOP LIGHTS/SIGNS, BUCKING/SURGING AT LOW SPEED, GEAR SLIPPAGE, EXCESSIVE & UNPREDICTABLE ENGINE BRAKING, HESITATION TO SHIFT, HESITATION & ROUGH SHIFTING UPON RE-ACCELERATION, & SHIFTER STICKING IN PARK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10465163 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10496806 · 2013-02-08 (February 8, 2013)

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON CONSTANT ALONG WITH MY ABS LIGHT. MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HASN'T BEEN DOING RIGHT LIKE IT SHOULD BE DOING. ITS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OR MY ENGINE IS MISSING. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 49,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10496806 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11143012 · 2018-10-26 (October 26, 2018)

WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED ON AND THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED A VERY LOUD NOISE IS HEARD FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. WHEN CLUTCH IS ENGAGED THE NOISE GOES AWAY. CAR HAS 90K THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED ALONG WITH THROW OFF CLUTCH BEARING, BUT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR A VERY LOUD WHINING NOISE IS HEARD AND TODAY THE CAR ALMOST STALLED TWICE AND IT FELT LIKE THE GEARS WERE GETTING STUCK AND THE CLUTCH WAS NOT RELEASING.

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11143012 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10614816 · 2014-07-20 (July 20, 2014)

I CONSTANTLY HAVE PEOPLE STOPPING ME TO TELL ME THAT I HAVE A BACK UP LIGHT OUT. WHEN I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BACK UP LIGHT, I FOUND THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE TWO LENSES, THERE IS ONLY ONE BACK UP LIGHT. THEREFORE, IF ONE BURNS OUT, I HAVE NO BACK UP LIGHTS. IT IS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE BACKING UP AT NIGHT. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IN JAPAN, THEY ONLY USE ONE BACK UP LIGHT AND ON THE 2011 MODELS THEY ONLY CAME WITH ONE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON MANY LEVELS AND WE, AS CAR OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10614816 at NHTSA ↗