2013 Scion FR-S: complaints, problems and recalls

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 ↗

THIS IS BASICALLY WHY I AM CONCERNED: I FOUND THAT IF YOU GO TO LOCK/UNLOCK YOUR CAR WITH A TOYOTA/SCION SMART KEY WHILE SOMEONE WITHIN RANGE OF YOUR CAR HOLDS THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON THEIR TOYOTA/SCION SMART KEY, YOUR CAR WILL NOT RESPOND TO YOUR OWN KEY. THEIR SIGNAL BASICALLY JUST INTERFERES WITH YOUR SIGNAL CAUSING THE CAR TO DO NOTHING. IF YOU WALK AWAY W/O NOTICING, YOUR CAR WILL BE COMPLETELY DEFENSELESS. NO LOCK. NO ALARM. IN MY TEST, I HELD MY KEY BUTTON ABOUT 60 FEET AWAY FROM MY DADS CAR AND IT INTERFERED WITH HIS KEY CAUSING HIS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10510175 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 ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION FR-S. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT CANNOT BE ADJUSTED AND IT WAS RUBBING ACROSS HIS NECK. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS SIX FEET TALL AND THAT AFFECTED ANYONE SIX FEET OR TALLER VS. SOMEONE WHO WAS SHORTER THAN HIM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 215. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10520102 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 ↗

CPSC: I13B0068A. 2013 SCION. CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING IN CRUISE CONTROL IT FAILED CAUSING HIM TO USE HIS EMERGENCY BRAKES. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE HIT THE BRAKE, TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL, IT DID NOT RELEASE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10554503 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 ↗

Reported: 2012-06-05 (June 5, 2012)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2013 SCION FR-S VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MARCH 22, 2012, THROUGH MAY 14, 2012. THE OWNER’S MANUAL CONTAINS AN INACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. OTHER PORTIONS OF THE OWNER’S MANUAL, DESCRIBING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM, REQUIRE CLARIFICATION. AS SUCH, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 208, “OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.”

Consequence: IF A USER READS AND FOLLOWS INACCURATE OWNER’S MANUAL INFORMATION, THIS COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO A FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT UNDER CERTAIN CRASH CONDITIONS.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND WILL MAIL CORRECTED INSERTS FOR THE OWNER’S MANUALS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 3, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-866-707-2466.

Reported: 2013-04-09 (April 9, 2013)

Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

Reported: 2016-02-10 (February 10, 2016)

Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured March 13, 2012, to January 14, 2016 and equipped an automatic transmission and ignition key. Vehicles with a push-to-start button are not affected. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible to remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the "Park" position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the transmission is not in the "Park" position, the vehicle could roll away increasing the risk of a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition key/transmission interlock wiring connections, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0E.

Reported: 2018-11-01 (November 1, 2018)

Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.

Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.