2005 Scion TC: complaints, problems and recalls

A YOUNGSTER WEIGHING 140 LBS. LEANED ON THE WINDSHIELD AND IT SHATTERED. IT HAS BEEN 5 DAYS, AND WHEN CONTACTING MANUFACTURER'S HEADQUARTERS, THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE A WINDSHIELD FOR FREE ON THE BASIS THAT THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM IT WAS DEFECTIVE AFTER THE FACT! IT BOTHERS ME TO THINK THAT A 'PERFECTLY GOOD, SAFE' WINDSHIELD CAN BE SHATTERED BY MERELY 'LEANING' ON IT! WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I CRASH? OR IF A PALM TREE BRANCH FALLS ON IT? I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO DIE OR GET INJURED TO FIND OUT! *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068288 at NHTSA ↗

ON AUGUST 17 @ ABOUT 4:30 P.M. IN THER AFTERNOON THE WHEELS ON MY SCION TC LOCKED UP GOING ABOUT 35 MPH ON THE HYPERION BRIDGE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN ON A SLIGHT TURN AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE AND THE REAR OF THE CAR FISHTAILED AND MY REAR RIGHT WHEEL HIT AND SCRAPED THE CURB. NOTHING YET HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO TOYOTA/SCION. IT HAS TAKEN THEM A WEEK TO EVEN GET BACK TO ME TO TELL ME THAT A FIELD ENGINEER WILL BE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP (TOYO…

Owner-reported narrative. 429 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088472 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX 70 MPH. I HAD THE SUN ROOF OPENED. WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD CRACK AND GLASS CAME POURING IN FROM THE SUNROOF OPENING. I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP BY MY HOUSE. THE FRONT PANEL THAT ANGLES UP WAS BROKEN ALL AROUND THE ENTIRE PIECE OF GLASS. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT SEE A POINT OF IMPACT WHERE SOMETHING MAY HAVE HIT. HE SAID HE COULD STILL HEAR IT CRACKING AS WE WERE STANDING THERE TALKING. HE SAID SINCE THERE WAS NO POINT OF IMPACT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. (I'VE ONLY HAD THE CA…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,980 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096059 at NHTSA ↗

TOOK FOOT OFF GAS TO SLOW DOWN WHEN APPROACHING CURVE. RAKED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN ENTERING CURVE AND VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW...FULLY ENGAGED BRAKE AND VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND KEPT ACCELERATING. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO AN EMBANKMENT WHICH CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THIS IS IS BRAND NEW SCION TC PURCHASED 09/01/04. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10096335 at NHTSA ↗

SCION ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMBINATION OF ACCESSORIES:1) AUTO-DIMMING MIRROR AND 2) SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS. WHEN THE MIRROR IS INSTALLED THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE WIRING OBSTRUCTS THE AIR BAGS. THEY CLAIM A TSB WILL BE ISSUED BUT CAN GIVE ME NO TIME LINE FOR THE ISSUE OF A NEW WIRING HARNESS. DEALERS WILL NOT EVEN PULL THE DRIVER'S "A" PILLAR TRIM TO SEE IF THE WIRING HAPPENS TO BE CORRECT. SO, WE JUST WAIT ... AND WAIT ... AND WAIT AND PRAY THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE AIRBAGS TO FUNCTION. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE "LI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10100506 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A SILVER SCION TC IN LATE JULY OF THIS YEAR, 2004. I NOTICED AFTER LESS THAN TWO MONTHS OF DRIVING ON REGULAR SUBURBAN ROADS THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE CHIPS ON THE FRONT OF MY HOOD. SINCE JULY, MORE AND MORE CHIPS HAVE FORMED AND BEGUN TO PEEL AND GET LARGER. EVEN THE BUMPER HAS CHIPPED BADLY AND THERE ARE SEVERAL CHIPS THAT ACTUALLY STICK OUT OF THE PAINT- AS IF THEY'RE BUBBLING. AFTER WAITING 2 MONTHS TO SEE THE "SCION" DISTRICT MANAGER, HE BLEW ME OFF AFTER 3 MINUTES OF BEING RUDE AND BARELY BOTHERING TO LOOK CLOSELY AT M…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10100701 at NHTSA ↗

THE REAR WINDOW DOES NOT HAVE A WIPER. WHEN IT RAINS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE REAR WINDOW. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER DURING HARD DOWNPOURS BECAUSE VISION BEHIND ME WAS AT 0.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10102571 at NHTSA ↗

I BOUGHT A 2005 SCION XA ON NOVEMBER 15, 2004. ON DECEMBER 20, 2004 THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE TIRE HAD 3,966 MILES ON IT. THE SIDE WALL BLEW . AS WE MY CHILDREN AND I PROCESSED TO CHANGE THE TIRE. THE JACK SLIDE SIDEWAYS, CAUSING THE CAR TO FALL. IT HURT MY 15 YEAR OLD SONS HAND, IF I HADNT SHOVED MY TIRE UNDER THE BODY OF THE CAR AND SCREAMED AT HIM, THE CAR WOULD HAVE LANDED ON HIM AND HIS LEG. WE REJACKED THE CAR BACK UP AND THE JACK STARTED SLIDING AGAIN. WE WERE IN A LEVEL GAS STATION PAVED…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,966 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104187 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-10-18 (October 18, 2005)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A GLASS WIND DEFLECTOR, THE DEFLECTOR, IF IMPACTED BY A PROJECTILE, SUCH AS ROAD DEBRIS, WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WIND DEFLECTOR IN THE UPWARD-TILTED POSITION AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS, MAY SHATTER AND SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME.

Consequence: PIECES OF THE WIND DEFLECTOR GLASS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME AND FALL UPON THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE LAMINATE TO THE WIND DEFLECTOR TO PREVENT PIECES OF GLASS FROM SEPARATING FROM THE WIND DEFLECTOR FRAME. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 27, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-866-707-2466.

Reported: 2006-04-03 (April 3, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE HEATING AGENTS NECESSARY FOR PROPER AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IN THIS CONDITION, THE EXPANSION FORCE OF THE GAS MAY BE INSUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY INFLATE THE AIR BAG WHEN THE SRS SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED DURING A CRASH.

Consequence: THIS MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT IN THE INVOLVED SEATING POSITION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Reported: 2006-10-26 (October 26, 2006)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE SIDE IMPACT SEAT-BOLSTER AND CURTAIN SIDE AIRBAGS MAY INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. THIS CONDITION CAN OCCUR IF THE DOOR FOR THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS CLOSED WITH A HIGH RATE OF FORCE WHILE THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION OR WITHIN 90 SECONDS OF TURNING THE IGNITION KEY FROM THE "ON" POSITION TO THE "OFF" POSITION.

Consequence: IF THE SIDE IMPACT SEAT-BOLSTER AND CURTAIN SIDE AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY, THEY COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY IF AN OCCUPANT IS SEATED ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS THE DOOR THAT IS CLOSED WITH A HIGH RATE OF FORCE. UNTIL THE REPAIR HAS BEEN PERFORMED, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A MINIMAL FORCE/SPEED BE USED TO CLOSE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS OR CLOSING THE DOORS AFTER 90 SECONDS HAVE ELAPSED FROM TURNING THE IGNITION KEY FROM THE "ON" TO THE "OFF" POSITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG SENSORS AND INSTALL A URETHANE PAD IN THE FRONT DOORS, IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-866-548-1851.

Reported: 2010-02-03 (February 3, 2010)

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.