Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Scion TC problems

Owners filed 60 complaints about the 2009 Scion TC with NHTSA between Apr 2009 and Mar 2026. The most-cited component is engine (15).

Complaints
60
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine15
  2. Air bags9
  3. Structure8
  4. Vehicle speed control8
  5. Visibility6
  6. Power train3
  7. Tires3
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  9. Latches/locks/linkages3
  10. Electrical system2
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  13. Steering2
  14. Fuel/propulsion system1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20095
201013
20113
20129
20133
20142
20153
20162
20177
20184
20192
20200
20212
20222
20230
20241
20250
20262

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

15 reports
“sold a AS IS TRADE IN vehicle that had no warning lights on dashboard or window info on safety defective emmisons and ecm and has not been very helpful with my vehicle I have not been able to drive because of safety concerns with recent discovery of codes that showed after getting a new battery for my new way of commuteing to work and live daily activity like most with a car I laid 2,050.15 and was told many times at test drive that it was amazing running sports car and mentioned he only had to replace valve cover gasket before it was able to be sold and at time of payment with test drive only showing signs of low rpm and throttle idle on test drive so trusting that the owner was telling me the truth I purchased and drove car home I needed gas because fuel was empty and when I went to pump into tank I got major clicking of the handle like my new car wouldn't take fuel for some weird reason owner at dealership was called 5 mins after buying on auto lot to express major concern with pumping gas he again said vehicle was inspected with nothing of concern now finding that it is going to cost many thousands to repair emmisons system And fault codes with total…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 29, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11727740

Air bags

9 reports7 crashes
“I HAD A BAD MVA ACCIDENT ON 6/12/2019 @ 0815AM IN THE MORNING, A LADY T BONE ME WITH FAST IMPACTION, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR THE SIDE AIR BAG CURTAINS DEPLOYED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAGS DID MALFUNCTION IN MY OPINON AND CAUSED ME TO HIT MY HEAD AND CHEST HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT THE ENTIRE TIME AS WELL. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE DRIVER HIT ME ON THE HIGHWAY. WAS A HARD IMPACT TO THE CAR. THE SENSORS APPEAR NOT TO BE WORKING CORRECTLY SINCE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THIS HARD IMPACTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11219831

Structure

8 reports
“I HAVE HAD MY 2009 SCION TC FOR JUST ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW, BACK IN FEBRUARY I WAS JUST DOING SOME GROCERY SHOPPING, WENT TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND THE WHOLE TRUNK RELEASE HANDLE FELL OFF,AND NOW IS JUST CONNECTED BY WIRES WHICH IS A DISTRACTION TO DRIVERS BEHIND ME AND ALSO COVERS THE LICENSE PLATE WHICH I'M SURE IS JUST CAUSE FOR ME TO GET A TRAFFIC FINE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY,EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A FULL WARRANTY LEFT ON MY CAR FOR 100,00 MILES. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE THAT THIS PART ISN'T COVERED FOR MANUFACTURE DEFECTS AND POOR WORKMANSHIP, THIS SHOULD NOT FALL APART AFTER 2 YEARS, AND IT CLEARLY SHOULD BE RECALLED.. IF TOYOTA WANTS TO KEEP SELLING CARS, THEY NEED TO MAKE GOOD ON FIXING THIS PROBLEM.. MY CAR HAS A WARRANTY ON IT SO I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE FALLEN OFF SO EASILY!!!! POOR MANUFACTURING........AND WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'VE READ ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, TOYOTA SHOULD DEFINITELY BE TAKING CARE OF THERE CUSTOMERS IF THEY WANT FUTURE CUSTOMERS!!!!!!!! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2013StructureODI 10510646

Vehicle speed control

8 reports4 crashes
“I PURCHASED A 2009 TOYOTA SCION FROM THE FAIRFIELD, CA DEALERSHIP . I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED UP TO A FASTER SPEED THAN I WANTED I TRIED TO CORRECT IT IN THE CONFUSION AND NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS GOING ON I LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS 10,000.00 OF DAMAGE TO THE CAR IT WAS REPAIRED BUT THEN I HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT IN THE SAME CAR AGAIN SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT I BARLEY TAPPED THE GAS PEDAL MY CAR JUMPED INTO A HIGH SPEED SMASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AFTER I HIT I TURNED AROUND TO CHECK ON MY CHILD THINKING A CAR HAD HIT ME FROM BEHIND BUT IT WAS NOT ANOTHER CAR IT WAS JUST MINE BUT THEN IT DID IT AGAIN SMASHING INTO THE CAR AGAIN. IT WAS CRAZY I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON MY FACE WAS SMASHED UP PRETTY BAD 2 BLACK EYES AND FAT LIPS EXTRA. MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SO HARD IT SMASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. NOW GATHER I WAS ALREADY STOPPED SITTING AND WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN WHAT CAUSED MY CAR NOT ONCE BUT TWICE TO SMASH INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I HAD THE WORST TIME WITH THIS CAR IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS DRIVING WITH A DARK CLOUD OVER ME. NOT ONLY WAS THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2013Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10492970

Visibility

6 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SUNROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANY OF THE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SOMEONE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE THROWN A ROCK AT THE WINDOW BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 47,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2011VisibilityODI 10376693

Power train

3 reports
“The contact owns a 2009 Scion TC. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, he slowed for a traffic light and the vehicle failed to shift out of third gear. The accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle revved without moving. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle occasionally slipped out of gear and failed to exceed 15 MPH while driving. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was locked in overdrive and that the transmission needed to be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2022Power trainODI 11469033
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.