2009 Scion XB problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
140 owner complaints analyzed
10 distinct recall campaigns
75,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 71 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 73 of 140 complaints (52.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 23 | 16.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 4.3% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 2.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 73 |
| Engine | 24 |
| Electrical System | 9 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 |
| Service Brakes | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 |
Air Bags: 73; Engine: 24; Electrical System: 9; Vehicle Speed Control: 9; Service Brakes: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6; Unknown Or Other: 6; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 13 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 7
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 69 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 6 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 20 |
| 2017 | 55 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
2008: 1; 2009: 6; 2010: 14; 2011: 1; 2012: 6; 2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 9; 2016: 20; 2017: 55; 2018: 9; 2019: 7; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2024: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 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 10285911 · 2009-10-01 (October 1, 2009)
I PURCHASED MY 2009 SCION XD ON DECEMBER 30, 2008. ON JANUARY 4, 2009, MY BRAKES FROZE UP AND I WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE FROZEN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR 5 DAYS EARLIER, MARKQUART TOYOTA IN EAU CLAIRE WI, AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING HE COULD DO BECAUSE IT WASN'T A FACTORY DEFECT. I COULDN'T GO TO WORK THAT DAY AND MY STEP FATHER, A RETIRED MECHANIC HAD TO TAKE OFF MY TIRES AND THAW MY BRAKES WITH A HAIR DRYER... THEN 10 MON…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285911 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10295243 · 2009-12-10 (December 10, 2009)
THE (TOYOTA) SCION XB HAS THE SAME ACCELERATOR PROBLEM, I PUT IN A FLOOR MAT ON TOP OF THE ISSUED FLOOR MAT AND IT HAS GOTTEN STUCK 2 OR 3 TIMES ON THE ACCELERATOR, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE STRONG ENOUGH TO GET INTO PARK AND STOP THE VEHICLE, THE WORSE CASE I DROVE OVER THE ISLAND IN MY PARKING LOT. I HAVE SINCE REMOVED THE EXTRA FLOOR MAT AND HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE. I KNOW IT'S LATE NOTICE BUT I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS SITE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10295243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10500616 · 2013-02-27 (February 27, 2013)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, SHE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND APPROXIMATELY SEVEN HUNDRED FEET LATER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT SHE MUST HAVE ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED BUT THE DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE V…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10500616 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10863097 · 2016-05-04 (May 4, 2016)
MARCH 15 MY SCION XB SPONTANEOUSLY ERUPTED IN FLAMES, WE ON OUR WAY HOME AT THE INTERSECTION OF UNION TPKE AND PARSONS BLVD IN QUEENS NY, WE WERE STOPPED FOR CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT SMOKE, WE PULLED INTO A KFC/PIZZA HUT PARKING LOT, , WITHIN MINUTES FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ONE OF THE FIRE FIGHTERS THOUGHT IT WAS ELECTRICAL
Owner-reported narrative. 34,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10863097 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10311716 · 2010-02-18 (February 18, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SCION XB. WHENEVER THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE OVER 50 MPH HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY SWAY FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OCCASIONALLY VEER INTO ANOTHER LANE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A CLANKING SOUND WHENEVER THE VEHICLE TRAVELED OVER A ROUGH TERRAIN. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AFTER A COLD START THE BRAKES MADE A GRINDING NOISE FOR THE FIRST 5 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR EACH FAILURE, HOWEVER THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NO…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311716 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10475659 · 2012-09-17 (September 17, 2012)
VEHICLE DRIVEN BY DAUGHTER. 45 MPH ROAD. TWO (2) VEHICLES IN FRONT OF HER. 1ST VEHICLE MADE AN ABRUPT RIGHT TURN, CAUSING VEHICLE #2 TO ABRUPTLY DECREASE (BRAKING) SPEED, WHICH CAUSE VEHICLE #3 (SCION) DRIVER TO REACT QUICKLY AND BRAKE. DURING BRAKING, ALL FOUR (4) WHEELS LOCKED AND VEHICLE SKIDDED STRAIGHT FORWARD. ANGLE OF SKID SHOWS BOTH WHEELS SIDES WERE STRAIGHT WITH AN APPROXIMATE TWO (2) TO THREE (3) DEGREE ANGLE OFFSET TO THE RIGHT; MAY BE DUE FROM CURVATURE OF THE ROAD. BOTH SKID MARKS WERE COMPLETELY SOLID AND BOTH TRACKS WERE I…
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10475659 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10295267 · 2009-12-10 (December 10, 2009)
ON 12/08/09 I TOOK MY 09 SCION XD (YOUR FORM DOES NOT HAVE XD OPTION) INTO HOSELTON FOR THE RECALL REGARDING THE BRAKING SYSTEM. TWO DAYS LATER (12/10/09), I AM DRIVING HOME AND APPROACHING A TURN OFF OF ROUTE 104 TRAVELLING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR (A 55 MPH ROAD) WHEN. I HAD SLOWED DOWN FROM A TOP SPEED OF 45 MPH, BLOWING SNOW AND TRAFFIC WAS SLOW. I GO TO HIT MY BRAKES - I HAVE NO BRAKES, THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. I PUMP THE BRAKES A EVENTUALLY GET A ROUGH (DA,DA,DA) GRAB, THIS COMBINED WITH DOWN SHIFTING ALLOWS ME TO TAKE MY TURN. …
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11133394 · 2018-10-04 (October 4, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SCION XB. WHILE IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED BELL ROAD TOYOTA AT [phone removed] (LOCATED AT 2020 W BELL RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85023) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS N…
Owner-reported narrative. 114,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11133394 at NHTSA ↗