2004 Scion Xa Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2004 Scion Xa, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine423.5%
- Tires & wheels317.6%
- Electrical211.8%
- Airbags211.8%
- Other / unspecified211.8%
- Brakes15.9%
- Exterior lighting15.9%
- Driver assistance15.9%
- Body & structure15.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
I JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK I WAS HOME 30 MINUTES. MY SON TOLD ME MY CAR WAS CUTTING OFF AN ON. GRABBED MY KEYS WENT OUTSIDE AN MY WAS TURNING OFF AN ON ,STARTED MY CAR WITH THE KEYS IT STARTED UP, TURNED IT OFF IT CAME BACK ON AN IT WAS IDLING HARD THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE POPPED MY HOOD SMOKE FLOODING EVERYTHING RAN FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER COULDN'T FIND IT RAN FOR THE HOSE WET IT. IT'S THE WIRES FROM THE BATTERY DOWN TO UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. LEFT THE HOOD UP. CAME OUT 3 HOURS LATER THE FAN IS ON IN THE CAR! HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF COMPLETELY! !!!
ON MAY 28, 2005, WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER (TOYOTA OF DALLAS) IMMEDIATELY. BEFORE WE WENT MUCH DISTANCE, THE ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. WE CALLED THE DEALER, WHO WE ASKED TO SEND A WRECKER. THIS WAS DONE, AND THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FOLLOWING APPEARS ON THE DEALER'S WORK ORDER: 10835 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS 801013 .2 EG4017 .8 1.0 AS PER TSB EGO47-04 REFLASHED ECU AND CLEARED CODES T1-8A - T2-99" THE CAR SEEMS TO BE IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO ME, MY WIFE, OR ANYONE ELSE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TOYOTA MOTOR CORP MANUFACTURING OF THE 2004 SOLARA IS ABSURD. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR OR WARRANTY ANYTHING ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEMS, REPLACED MULTIPLE SETS OF TIRES, THE INTERIOR IS ALREADY FALLING APART AS THE REAR TAILLIGHT IS OUT AND THE FRONT HEADLIGHT AS WELL. TOYOTA REFUSES TO WARRANTY ANY PARTS SAYS ITS STATED IN THE NEW WARRANTY TERMS WHICH I WAS NEVER SHOWED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VHL BRAND NEW? THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS ALL RUSTED OUT FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILINGS AS WELL ON A 2004 CAR? WORST CAR EVER AND WORST MANUFACTURER EVER DEALT WITH. GOING TO GO BACK TO GM CORP THEY STAND BEHIND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. *NM
DT: 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE SPLIT. THE FRONT PASSENGER AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES WERE THE ONES AFFECTED. HE WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND THE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. AFTER TAKING IT OFF THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED A TWO INCH SPLIT BY THE SIDEWALL. THIS WAS ABOUT AN INCH IN THE TREAD DOWN TWO OR THREE INCHES ON THE SIDEWALL. THE REAR TIRE HAD THE SAME SPLIT. WHEN HE NOTICED IT HAD NOT GONE FLAT. TOYOTA MAINTAINED THAT THE CONSUMER RAN OVER SOMETHING. HE HAD TO ORDER AND REPLACE TWO NEW TIRES BY HIMSELF, HE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE SECOND TIRE OCCURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THESE ARE DUNLOP TIRES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I JUST GOT HOME FROM WORK I WAS HOME 30 MINUTES. MY SON TOLD ME MY CAR WAS CUTTING OFF AN ON. GRABBED MY KEYS WENT OUTSIDE AN MY WAS TURNING OFF AN ON ,STARTED MY CAR WITH THE KEYS IT STARTED UP, TURNED IT OFF IT CAME BACK ON AN IT WAS IDLING HARD THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM ENGINE POPPED MY HOOD SMOKE FLOODING EVERYTHING RAN FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER COULDN'T FIND IT RAN FOR THE HOSE WET IT. IT'S THE WIRES FROM THE BATTERY DOWN TO UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. LEFT THE HOOD UP. CAME OUT 3 HOURS LATER THE FAN IS ON IN THE CAR! HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OFF COMPLETELY! !!!
DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE CAR DECREASED IN SPEED TO ABOUT 20 MPH. CALLED THE DEALER, AND DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT. DID THAT, BUT ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS STAYED ON. THE CAR DROVE NORMAL FROM THAT POINT. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MOTHER IN LAW HIT A TREE GOING 50 MPH HITTING THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HER CAR INTO TREE, AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SHE SUFFERED MAJOR HEAD TRAUMA THAT LEAD TO HER DEATH. THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE HER PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR WAS BENT IN TO DRIVERS SIDE AND SHE SUFFERED BROKEN LIMBS ON RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY.
DRIVING HOME AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED. I WAS GOING APPROX. 40-45 MPH. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I REAR ENDED A OLDER CADILLAC, IN MY SCION XA, THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF!!
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
2004 SCION XA. DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MAT INTERFERES WITH GAS PEDAL. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES TO DATE. ONGOING PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS. *TR
DT: 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONSUMER STATES THE RUN FLAT TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FOUND ON OTHER WEB SITES. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE VEHICLE. ON ONE OF THE TIRES, THE CORE COULD BE SEEN. THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL TIRES FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. NONE OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THESE ARE DUNLOP TIRES, SP400TDSSCOTT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TODAY, FOR A LOUD NOISE SHE BELIEVED TO BE THE ROOF RACK. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TOYOTA MOTOR CORP MANUFACTURING OF THE 2004 SOLARA IS ABSURD. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR OR WARRANTY ANYTHING ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEMS, REPLACED MULTIPLE SETS OF TIRES, THE INTERIOR IS ALREADY FALLING APART AS THE REAR TAILLIGHT IS OUT AND THE FRONT HEADLIGHT AS WELL. TOYOTA REFUSES TO WARRANTY ANY PARTS SAYS ITS STATED IN THE NEW WARRANTY TERMS WHICH I WAS NEVER SHOWED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VHL BRAND NEW? THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS ALL RUSTED OUT FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILINGS AS WELL ON A 2004 CAR? WORST CAR EVER AND WORST MANUFACTURER EVER DEALT WITH. GOING TO GO BACK TO GM CORP THEY STAND BEHIND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
TOYOTA MOTOR CORP MANUFACTURING OF THE 2004 SOLARA IS ABSURD. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR OR WARRANTY ANYTHING ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEMS, REPLACED MULTIPLE SETS OF TIRES, THE INTERIOR IS ALREADY FALLING APART AS THE REAR TAILLIGHT IS OUT AND THE FRONT HEADLIGHT AS WELL. TOYOTA REFUSES TO WARRANTY ANY PARTS SAYS ITS STATED IN THE NEW WARRANTY TERMS WHICH I WAS NEVER SHOWED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VHL BRAND NEW? THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR IS ALL RUSTED OUT FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILINGS AS WELL ON A 2004 CAR? WORST CAR EVER AND WORST MANUFACTURER EVER DEALT WITH. GOING TO GO BACK TO GM CORP THEY STAND BEHIND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DURING A ROUTINE DRIVE HOME, I DROVE OVER RAIL ROAD TRACKS AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BREAK. I VERIFIED THAT THE FLOOR MAT WAS NOT STUCK ON THE PEDAL. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL PEGGING. I ALSO TRIED TO DEPRESS AND RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES AND THAT DID NOT STOP THE ACCELERATION. IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM CRASHING, I HAD TO KEEP MY FEET FIRMLY ON THE BREAK. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WAS OCCURRING FOR ABOUT A QUARTER MILE. I ATTEMPTED ONE FINAL CYCLE OF THE GAS PEDAL (DEPRESS AND RELEASE) AND THAT FINALLY STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MOTHER IN LAW HIT A TREE GOING 50 MPH HITTING THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HER CAR INTO TREE, AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SHE SUFFERED MAJOR HEAD TRAUMA THAT LEAD TO HER DEATH. THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE HER PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR WAS BENT IN TO DRIVERS SIDE AND SHE SUFFERED BROKEN LIMBS ON RIGHT SIDE OF HER BODY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .