RoadVitals

2008 Scion Tc Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
86
Latest Feb 19, 2025
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
17
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 4, 2007

What this page shows

Our database holds 86 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Scion Tc. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 86 · page 1 of 4

Engine
Filed Feb 19, 2025

Burning oil bad

NHTSA ID
11643818
Incident
Nov 18, 2024
Filed Jul 8, 2019

SUNROOF / MOONROOF EXPLOSION. DRIVING 50 MPH ON FREEWAY AND WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT WAS MY MOONROOF EXPLODING. NOTHING HIT THE VEHICLE, IT JUST EXPLODED ON ITS OWN.

NHTSA ID
11230085
Incident
Jul 8, 2019
Mileage
155,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 4, 2019

ENGINE CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL . HAVE TO REFILL THE OIL IN MY ENGINE ABOUT TWO TIMES IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES.

NHTSA ID
11217977
Incident
Jan 4, 2019
Mileage
94,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Mar 26, 2019

2008 - SCION - TOYOTA - BURNING OIL, BURNING A QUART OF OIL IN LESS THAN EVERY 800 MILES. CAR IS UP TO DATE WITH ALL MAINTENANCE. MECHANIC REFERRED US TO DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA ISSUED A TSB - 'SOME 2006 ' 2011 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2AZ-FE ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PISTON ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN CHANGED TO MINIMIZE OIL CONSUMPTION.' AND THAT 'P030# (CYLINDER # MISFIRE DETECTED) DTC MAY ALSO BE SET AS A RESULT OF OIL CONSUMPTION.' HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO EVEN TEST OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. SAYING WE ONLY HAD UNTIL AUG 2017. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF SUCH ISSUES, NO LETTERS OR ANYTHING WERE SENT TO US. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN REGISTERED AND OUR OWNER INFO HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO TOYOTA. SO NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
11191640
Incident
Mar 26, 2019
Mileage
100,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 15, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, EVEN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN SAFETY CAMPAIGN THAT EXPIRED IN JUNE OF 2015. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN JUNE OF 2015 AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE NOTICE WAS PROBABLY MAILED TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CONTACT CONTESTED THAT THIS WAS NOT HIS FAULT. THE MANUFACTURER PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD RESEARCH THE MATTER, BUT THEY STILL WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. WHEN THE CONTACT WENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE'S OIL CHANGED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, HE WAS DENIED SERVICE BECAUSE THE VALVE GASKET COVER EXPLODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. AS A RESULT, OIL SPILLED ALL OVER THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

NHTSA ID
11180302
Incident
Jun 1, 2016
Mileage
87,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Dec 28, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. MY FRONT TIRES WEARING FAST. WHEN I TOOK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE & ALIGNMENT, I WAS INFORMED THAT MY CAR HAS A ROW BAR THAT IS RUSTED AND FROZEN AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE IT ($2,000 ESTIMATED). WHEN I DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN, THE CAR FLAILS ALL OVER THE LANE. I HAD TO STOP AND LET CARS PASS ME, I COULD ONLY DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS AND I HAD TO PULL OVER 4 TIMES BEFORE GETTING HOME SAFELY. I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. VERY SCARED AND DANGEROUS. I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ON WET ROADS. ALSO, I'M HAVING TO BUY NEW TIRES EVERY 20,000 MILES IT SEEMS AND I'VE REGULARLY HAD THEM ROTATED. LAST TIME THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T ROTATE THEM BECAUSE THE ROD WAS FROZEN AND IT'S ONLY THE TC MODEL THAT HAS THIS PARTICULAR ROD.

NHTSA ID
11163889
Incident
Dec 21, 2018
Mileage
101,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 31, 2018

PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER 2 MONTHS AGO. CAR RUNS LIKE A CHAMP. RECENTLY HAD TO ADD A QUART AND A HALF OF OIL THEN CHANGED THE OIL SATURDAY AND YESTERDAY THE CAR WAS 2 QUARTS LOW AGAIN. HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT EXCESSIVE OIL USE ON THESE VEHICLES, SAME YEAR YET TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, WHY? WHEN READING COMPLAINTS, APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, DEFECT, WITH THE 08 TC IN WHICH INVOLVES THE PISTON RINGS. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID
11123648
Incident
Aug 30, 2018
Mileage
172,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 14, 2018

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND THIS IS THE SECOND ENGINE THAT HAS BLOWN IN MY CAR. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE PISTONS BLEW UP MY ENGINE AND NOW HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THE PISTONS IN THE SECOND MOTOR. I CALLED SCION CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH CAMILLE AND SHE BASICALLY TOLD ME I AM STUCK WITH THIS BAD MOTOR THAT I JUST HAD PUT IN ON APRIL 7, 2017.

NHTSA ID
11119925
Incident
Aug 10, 2018
Mileage
190,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 13, 2018

EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. BURNS MORE THAN TWO QUART OF OIL IN LESS THAN 1800 MILES.

NHTSA ID
11084957
Incident
Aug 15, 2017
Mileage
99,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 24, 2018
Crash reported

THIS VEHICLE WAS JUST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, REAR-ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS DEMOLISHED, THE RADIATOR AND EVERYTHING CRUSHED AND SLAMMED BACK, FLUIDS LEAKING FROM EVERYTHING, EVEN BUCKLED THE PASSENGER DOOR, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THIS VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE OFFICERS ON THE SCENE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID
11074675
Incident
Feb 24, 2018
Mileage
135,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 19, 2018

HIGH CONSUMPTION OF ENGINE OIL. I AM HAVING TO ADD ABOUT A QUART EVERY 1000 MILES OR SO. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD I WAS 2 WEEKS PAST THE DEADLINE OF 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WENT INTO SERVICE. THE CAR IS WELL UNDER THE 150,000 MILES COVERAGE PERIOD AT ONLY 90,000 MILES. TOYOTA'S POSITION WAS FIRM ON THE 2 WEEK OVERAGE PERIOD. THIS JUST DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT. THIS CAR'S ENGINE COULD LOCK UP DUE TO LACK OF OIL AND CAUSE ME TO WRECK NOT TO MENTION THE UNNECESSARY AMOUNT OF AIR POLLUTION THIS IS CAUSING

NHTSA ID
11063662
Incident
Sep 26, 2017
Engine
Filed Dec 24, 2017

RAPID OIL CONSUMPTION. OVER 4 QUARTS IN <2,000 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 147,000 ODO

NHTSA ID
11056258
Incident
Oct 27, 2017
Mileage
147,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 17, 2017

ON SEP 24TH, 2017, I WAS MERGING ONTO THE SOUTH 710 FREEWAY FROM MISSION BOULEVARD IN ALHAMBRA, CA AROUND 7 PM WHEN MY CLOSED SUNROOF SHATTERED. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE ROOF IN THE FADING LIGHT OF SUNSET. THERE WERE NO TREES, BIRDS OR OVERHEAD BRIDGES WHERE THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND APPEARED TO BE NO OBJECTS THAT APPEARED TO HAVE HIT THE CAR OR EMBEDDED IN THE SUNROOF GLASS. I CLEANED SOME OF THE LOOSE GLASS AND CAREFULLY ROLLED BACK ONTO THE 710 FREEWAY WAY TO DRIVE UP THE FREEWAY TO GET HOME AND CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY

NHTSA ID
11047088
Incident
Sep 24, 2017
Mileage
147,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Aug 26, 2017

MY ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, BUT INSTEAD OF GETTING A SCION THEY GOT A COROLLA ENGINE, SO NOW MY CAR DRINKS TOO MUCH GAS. THE BRAKES STOPPED BEING STOP CLOSE TO ON THE DIME AFTER THEY FIXED THE ENGINE, AND REPLACED THE TIRES. WHEN THEY CHANGED THE TIRES THEY USED IMPACT STUDS/BOLTS. EVERY TIME I USE CRUISE CONTROL IT GOES FASTER A LITTLE NO MATTER IF IT'S UP OR DOWN HILL. I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN TO SLOW IT DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11019843
Incident
Jun 5, 2017
Electrical
Filed May 29, 2017
Fire reported

CENTER CONSOLE BURST INTO FLAMES CAUSING AN INTERNAL FIRE, WHILE STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID
10992062
Incident
May 29, 2017
Mileage
114,000 mi
Filed Mar 12, 2017

AT AROUND 35000 MILES I NOTICED MY CAR STARTED BURNING OIL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL SO I BEGAN USING THICKER OIL. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. MY CAR NOW HAS 185000 MILES AND I'M USING 10W40 OIL WITH OIL STABILIZER AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I'VE HAD TWO OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS DONE ON MY CAR AND, ACCORDING TO THEIR TESTING STANDARDS, IT HAS PASSED BOTH TIMES. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE IS ONGOING AND HAS OF COURSE WORSENED. IT'S TO THE POINT THAT MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR AND I HAD TO ADD 2 QUARTS OF OIL AFTER ONLY 3500 MILES. TOYOTA HAS SIMPLY LEFT ME IN THE DARK WITH THIS PROBLEM AS I WAS HOPING TO HAVE THIS VEHICLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

NHTSA ID
10960198
Incident
Sep 14, 2016
Mileage
176,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 19, 2017

I JUST WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAVE INDICATED THAT MY CAR BURNS OIL 2 TO 3X'S FASTER THAN NORMAL. I WAS MADE AWARE (FOR THE 1ST TIME) OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT TOYOTA ISSUED. HOWEVER, MY CAR NOW HAS 150,737 MILES AND DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE WARRANTY WORK. HERE'S THE DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS MY CAR NO LONGER QUALIFIES. HTTP://MEDIA.FIXED-OPS.COM/TOY_CAMPAIGNS/ZE7-DLRLTR.PDF PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ID
10946568
Incident
Jan 6, 2017
Airbags
Filed Jan 11, 2017
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 SCION TC. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID
10944424
Incident
Jan 6, 2017
Mileage
156,000 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 17, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN, THE ENGINE WOULD CONSUME OIL AND OVERHEAT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ID
10916516
Incident
Jun 10, 2009
Mileage
138,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 7, 2016

CAR WAS TESTED FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST THEY WERE DOING AND IT SUPPOSEDLY PASSED, BUT THEN AS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE MOTOR COMPLETELY BLEW DUE TO THE LACK OF OIL. I'D EVEN BEEN ADDING OIL TO MY CAR DAILY.

NHTSA ID
10904295
Incident
Aug 26, 2016
Mileage
130,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 23, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

NHTSA ID
10897948
Incident
Aug 22, 2016
Mileage
113,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed May 3, 2016
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION TC. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE SPUN INTO THE GRASS AND STALLED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID
10862856
Incident
Nov 15, 2015
Mileage
140,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 14, 2016

THE FIRST IS ISSUE IS THE OIL CONSUMPTION IT CONSUME ALMOST 1Q IN 2K WHICH IS NOT WHAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE HAPPENING. I ONLY HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 2 YEARS AND THE ENGINE BLEW WITH NO WARNING NO OIL LIGHT ON NOTHING.

NHTSA ID
10855528
Incident
Jan 18, 2016
Mileage
86,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 29, 2016

WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING, PASSENGER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR. THE AIRBAG CURTAIN AND SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. TOYOTA KEPT THE CAR FOR 65 DAYS. THE LETTER SENT TO ME STATED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THEY WERE SORRY FOR THE MISHAP.

NHTSA ID
10852170
Incident
Dec 25, 2015
Mileage
85,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteeringSuspension
Filed Jan 16, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR I HAVE FELT AS IF I WAS GOING TO BE SLUNG INTO TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE ,HIGHWAYS, CITY ROADS , COUNTRY ROADS, AND DEFINITELY IN MOST CURVES. IT'S LIKE THE CAR HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN GOING WHERE IT WANTS AT LOW SPEEDS YOU CAN'T FEEL OR SEE IT TO MUCH BUT AFTER AROUND 35 TO 40 IS WHEN IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE I FEEL THAT I GOT I WILL TRADE FOR SOME THIS HAS RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE TO BE TOTALED OUT. AS I WAS GOING AROUND A TURN ONE DAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED HARDER INTO THE TURN SO I TRIED TO ADJUST BUT IT SENT ME INTO A FISHTAIL AND BEFORE I COULD GET OFF THE ROAD I IMPACTED WITH ANOTHER CAR WHICH DEPLOYED SEVEN AIRBAGS.

NHTSA ID
10820602
Incident
Oct 15, 2015
Mileage
160,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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