RoadVitals

2005 Scion Xb Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints 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.
24
Latest Oct 3, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
26%
of 92 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Scion Xb submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Oct 3, 2018

REAR SUB FRAME WHERE THE REAR AXLE MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE RUST OUT. ALSO SIDE ROCKERS ROT OUT DUE TO POOR DRAINAGE OF PLASTIC SIDE SKIRTS

NHTSA ID
11133034
Incident
May 8, 2018
Mileage
120,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Sep 28, 2018

THE HANDLE TO THE HATCH BROKE OFF SO MANY TIMES AFTER PROPERLY BEING REPAIRED WE INSTALLED A STRAP HANDLE TO THE HATCH SO THAT WE ONLY NEED TO TOUCH THE BUTTON AND PULL THE STRAP. THE DAMAGED HANDLE WOULD PREVENT THE HATCH FROM SHUTTING PROPERLY. THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS WILL SUDDENLY BLOW FUSES AND MECHANICS CAN NOT FIND OUT WHY. THIS LEAVES YOU SUDDENLY WITH NO TAIL LIGHTS WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN BEING PULLED OVER MANY TIMES AND A FEW TICKETS. I HAVE TAKEN TO KEEPING THE REPAIR TICKET WITH ME TO AVOID TICKETS AT DAWN AND DUSK. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AND CAN NOT SEEM TO FIND WHY THE FUSE IS BLOWING. THIS BEGAN HAPPENING BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT HAD FIXED MANY TIMES. LAST TIME IT OCCURRED WAS 2 MONTHS AGO.

NHTSA ID
11132065
Incident
Aug 13, 2018
Mileage
1 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed May 3, 2018

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS WORK SPORADICALLY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST 7 YEARS. SOMETIMES THE DOOR LOCK WON'T UNLOCK MANUALLY EITHER. THE WINDOWS SEEM LIKE THEY RUN OUT OF POWER AND THE BACK PASSENGER ONE STOPPED GOING DOWN.

NHTSA ID
11091561
Incident
May 1, 2011
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes
Filed Aug 30, 2017
Crash reported1 injury reported

ACCIDENT INVOLVED ON HWY TRAVELING 65 -70 MILES, RAINY CONDITIONS, CAR WAS IN MOTION AND SKIDDED A UNKNOWN LENGTH, HITTING THE REAR END OF A STOPPED VEHICLE ON FREEWAY, AND 3X LARGER IN SIZE THAN THE SCION. THE AIR BAG ON DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER HAS SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE NECK, SPINE,LEGS AND CHEST. THERE WAS NOT A PASSENGER. THE SCION HAS BEEN DEEMED TOTALED AT A LOSS. THE INJURIES SUSTAINED WERE DUE TO NOT BEING PROTECTED FROM THE AIRBAG.

NHTSA ID
11020701
Incident
Aug 25, 2017
Mileage
154,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 2, 2016

05 XB TRUNK RELEASE HANDLE BROKE LOOSE. IT WAS ATTACHED BY 2 SMALL STUDS THAT WERE FRICTION FITTED TO THE HANDLE, THE TRUNK IS TOO HEAVY FOR THIS HANDLE. POWER DOOR LOCK FOR DRIVER AND BOTH REAR ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. REAR PASSENGER WINDOW IS NOT FUNCTIONING.

NHTSA ID
10923723
Incident
Oct 25, 2016
Mileage
187,705 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 8, 2015

MY 10 YEAR OLD SON WAS SIMPLY OPENING THE BACK HATCH TO GET OUT A BAG AND THE WHOLE REAR DOOR GARNISH BROKE OFF. IT BROKE FROM SIMPLE DESIGNED USE AND NOW HANGS OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE HATCH WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. SCION ISSUED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM BUT IT WAS ONLY GOOD FOR ONE YEAR AND DOES NOT COVER MY VEHICLE NOW EVEN THOUGH THE PART IS FAULTY AND THE VEHICLE IS NOW DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. PLEASE INSIST ON A VEHICLE RECALL SO THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10732801
Incident
Mar 7, 2013
Mileage
66,000 mi
Body & structureFuel system
Filed Feb 2, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCHBACK HANDLE FRACTURED CAUSING THE OTHER FOUR DOOR LOCKS TO BECOME DISABLED. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE HOLES WHERE THE HATCHBACK HANDLE WAS FRACTURED AND THERE WAS A STRONG FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,120.

NHTSA ID
10680717
Incident
Jan 31, 2015
Mileage
94,120 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 24, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE LIFTGATE AND NOTICED THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THEY STATED THAT THE DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ID
10574476
Incident
Mar 1, 2014
Mileage
89,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 27, 2013

THE REAR HATCH DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF IN MY HAND AND IS NOW DANGLING BY THE WIRES FOR THE TAG LIGHTS WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IT MAY FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10545752
Incident
Sep 14, 2013
Body & structure
Filed Jun 18, 2013

REAR DOOR LATCH BROKE OFF WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. WILL NOT RELEASE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10520436
Incident
Dec 5, 2012
Mileage
101,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 5, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LATCH DOOR HANDLE FRACTURED WHILE SHE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE TRUNK. AS A RESULT, THE TRUNK WAS UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,023.

NHTSA ID
10496508
Incident
Jan 26, 2013
Mileage
108,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Nov 20, 2012

WHILE OPENING THE REAR HATCH DOOR THE HANDLE SNAPPED AND NO LONGER CAN BE USED TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE ELECTRIC NO LONGER WORKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, I CAN NOT OPEN OR LOCK THESE DOORS. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS REMAIN ON NO MATTER HOW OFTEN I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO FIX. THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AND IT SEEMS THEY CAN NOT REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10485261
Incident
Nov 10, 2006
Body & structure
Filed Oct 11, 2012

WENT TO PUT MY GROCERIES AWAY AFTER LEAVING THE STORE. LIFTED ON THE REAR HATCH HANDLE AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THE TRUNK STILL CLOSED AND THE HANDLE STILL IN MY HAND. NOW MY LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS AND MY HANDLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK ARE DANGLING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10479718
Incident
Oct 10, 2012
Mileage
90,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 18, 2012

TRUNK LATCH CAME OFF, MADE OF PLASTIC AND HELD BY TWO SCREWS, HAPPENED TWICE, FIRST TIME HAD TO GLUE SCREW TO THREAD ON PLASTIC LATCH BASE BUT IT WONT HOLD. DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WHILE THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS. A 4 DOOR XB WITHOUT A TRUNK ACCESS? C'MON MAN!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10462114
Incident
May 19, 2010
Mileage
33,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Mar 7, 2012

THE REAR TRUCK RELEASE OF THE SCION XB'S FAIL FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN 2005 AND TOYOTA SAYS ITS NOT THEIR FAULT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10450654
Incident
Mar 31, 2005
Mileage
1 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 17, 2011

REAR HATCH OUTSIDE OPENING MECHANISM BROKE AFTER ROUTINE USE. THIS APPEARS TO BE DESIGN FLAW USING FLIMSY PLASTIC DOOR APPARATUS. THIS IS DANGEROUS SITUATION - IT HAS RESULTED IN IMPROPER CLOSING OF REAR HATCH DOOR WHICH CAN CAUSE EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER THE INSIDE ON THE CAR. THIS COULD ALSO CAUSE OBJECTS TO FALL OUT OF THE REAR OF THE CAR WHILE ON THE ROAD. (ANECDOTAL NOTE: I SEE NUMEROUS SCIONS OF THIS ERA WITH TAPED UP REAR HATCH DOOR HANDLES INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10436287
Incident
Sep 10, 2010
Mileage
72,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 16, 2011

THE TAILGATE "HANDLE" RELEASE BROKE OF IN MY HANDS, WITHOUT EVEN PULLING ON IT, ON MY 2005 TOYOTA SCION XB. I WENT OUT TO PLACE SOMETHING INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR AND WHEN I PINCHED THE RELEASE BUTTON AND LIFTED THE GATE AS I HAVE DONE HUNDREDS OF TIMES, THE HANDLE SNAPPED OFF IN MY HANDS! AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE, MANY HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE! DEALERSHIPS HAVE EVEN STATED, "IT IS FAULTY PART." HOWEVER, TOYOTA FAILS TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10430408
Incident
Oct 14, 2011
Mileage
59,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 13, 2011

EARLIER IN 2011 WHILE ACCESSING THE REAR OF MY CAR THROUGH THE HATCH DOOR, MY HATCH HANDLE SNAPPED OFF COMPLETELY. AFTER FURTHER LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC CLIPS BUILT INTO THE HANDLES BROKE. MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER IS AWARE OF THE "ISSUE" AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS A "DEFECT" WITH THIS SPECIFIC MAKE AND MODEL CAR. ON TOP OF THAT, I HAVE BOTH SEEN MANY BROKEN HATCH HANDLES WHILE ON THE ROAD, AND READ MANY OTHER INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO MINE ON SEVERAL NOTABLE SCION FORUMS ONLINE. OTHERS REPORT THAT THEIR TOYOTA DEALERS FIXED THE ISSUE, FREE PART, BUT STILL CHARGED UPWARDS OF $100 FOR LABOR. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROBLEM GET FIXED BY TOYOTA AS IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

NHTSA ID
10430084
Incident
Mar 1, 2006
Mileage
76,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Sep 23, 2010

HATCH HANDLE, MADE OF FLIMSY PLASTIC AND HELD ON BY A COUPLE OF SCREWS, BROKE OFF. THIS PART, WHICH CONTAINS THE HANDLE, LOCK MECHANISM AND THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, GETS A LOT OF USE, OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCH, AND IS NOT VERY WELL MADE FOR THE AMOUNT OF USE IT IS SUBJECTED TOO. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357237
Incident
Sep 23, 2010
Mileage
75,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 2, 2010

PLASTIC REAR TAILGATE HANDLE BROKE OFF UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN. APPARENT DESIGN DEFECT WHEREBY HEAVY WEIGHT OF REAR VERTICAL TAILGATE DOOR PLACES STRESS ON TWO PLASTIC CONNECTORS. NO PRACTICAL WAY TO OPEN DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUT. PART ALSO HOUSES REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS AND ELECTRONIC OPENING LATCH CONTROL WHICH BECOMES INOPERABLE. DOZENS OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCES POSTED ON EDMONDS.COM. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. AFTER COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA, THEY AGREED TO REIMBURSE FOR PART COST ONLY AS ONE TIME CONCESSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10303911
Incident
Jan 23, 2010
Mileage
70,500 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed May 8, 2009

REAR DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY CAME COMPLETELY OFF, DISCONNECTED FROM CAR DOOR WHEN ENGAGING LATCH AND PULLING UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10268271
Incident
Apr 20, 2009
Mileage
50,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 11, 2009

TRUNK LATCH BROKE OFF WHEN TRYING TO OPEN. MADE VERY FLIMPSE AND WILL NOT WITHSTAND REGULAR USE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10261594
Incident
Dec 15, 2008
Mileage
135,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 3, 2005

THE DRIVER DOOR DETENT ON THE 2005 SCION XB VIN JTLK324154008954 DOES NOT HOLD ON A MODEST INCLINE, CREATING A SERIOUS INJURY HAZARD. REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALER (RIVERHEAD TOYOTA). RESPONSE: "VEHICLE NOT DESIGNED TO. NO PROBLEM FOUND". THE DEALER IS WRONG. THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A COMBINATION OF 2 PROBLEMS -- AN INADEQUATE DETENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR COMBINED WITH APPLICATION OF EXCESSIVE WHITE GREASE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO DESIGN A STRONGER DETENT AND ALL SERVICE PERSONNEL NEED TO BE WARNED NOT TO APPLY ANY GREASE TO THE DETENT AND TO REMOVE ANY GREASE APPLIED AT THE FACTORY OR IN PRIOR SERVICE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10138357
Incident
Oct 1, 2005
Mileage
6,097 mi
Body & structure
Filed Aug 13, 2005

GLASS ROOF/SUNROOF ASSEMBLY CONSTANTLY CREAKS AND POPS. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND TSB PERFORMED, NOISES WENT AWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AND NOISE RETURNED. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS INFORMED IT NEEDED "LUBRICATION" AND IT SHOULD BE FINE, NOISES HAVE RETURNED AGAIN. ALSO, THE HATCHBACK ALWAYS RATTLES, AS RECOMMENDED BY A SCION MESSAGE BOARD, SLIGHTLY LARGER BUMP STOPS WERE PURCHASED, WHICH LESSENED THE RATTLING, BUT IS STILL PRESENT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, SOUNDS LIKE IF HATCH WAS NOT FULLY CLOSED, BUT IT IS. ALL OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS FOR A SCION TC, OPTION FOR THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN COMPLAINT FORM SO A SCION XB WAS SELECTED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10132709
Incident
Aug 2, 2005

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .