Problems · NHTSA complaints
2013 Scion TC problems
Owners filed 9 complaints about the 2013 Scion TC with NHTSA between Dec 2012 and Jul 2025. The most-cited component is service brakes (3).
Complaints
9
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes3
- Power train3
- Air bags2
- Visibility1
- Structure1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Other / unknown1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
3 reports1 crash
“UNKNOWN. I was unaware of my car's recall notice. I had known only when my car's regular smog check was due. The problem that my car may have had not been confirmed by dealer or independent service center nor has it been inspected by manufacturer, police, or others. There are also no warning lamps or messages of the problem. However, there are symptoms like pushing the brakes when driving my car and it squeaks. I had installed new brake pads over 2 years ago. I don't know why it continues to squeak when I am pushing the brakes.”
Power train
3 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE JUST CUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT COULD ONLY SHIFT INTO THE FIRST GEAR AND SLOWLY PULL OVER INTO A PARKING LOT. THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION WITH THE VEHICLE MOVING ONLY ABOUT 10 MPH WITH THE VEHICLE'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO A NEARBY RELATIVE'S HOUSE AT ABOUT 15 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD SPOKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS MOST LIKELY WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE VEHICLE WAS UNREPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.”
Air bags
2 reports2 crashes
“I WAS TURNING INTO A BUSY SHOPPING CENTER AT 5ISH PM AND THE SUN WAS DIRECTLY IN MY EYES AND I SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER MOTORIST WHO WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXITING /ENTRANCE LANE AND I RAN HEAD ON INTO A SOLID CEMENT PILLAR LIGHT POLE , ESTIMATED MPH WAS 20 -25 MPH , I WAS WEARING SEATBELT AND NONE OF THE FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND I HAVE BROKE RIBS AND POSSIBLE FRACTURED STERNUM, I HIT MY HEAD ON WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND HAD A KNOT THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL , I'M SEEING A DOCTOR TOMORROW TO DETERMINE EXACT EXTENT OF INJURIES BUT PHOTOS OF MY CAR WILL SHOW THE FORCE OF IMPACT AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED , THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKE BY A AUTHORIZED GM DEALERS COLLISION REPAIR SHOP”
Visibility
1 report
“SECONDARY SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH. RANDOM EXPLOSION THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. SUNNY AND 45 DEGREE WEATHER IN CENTRAL OHIO”
Structure
1 report
“A FEW DAYS AGO, WE WERE DRIVING WHEN OUR SUN ROOF EXPLODED. WE HEARD THE LOUDEST BANG I HAVE HEARD AND THEN GLASS STARTED FALLING THROUGH THE EDGES OF THE SUN SHADE THAT WAS CLOSED. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE SUN SHADE, I AM SURE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOWERED WITH GLASS SHARDS, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT WE WOULD HAVE WRECKED THE CAR. WHEN WE PULLED OVER THE MOON ROOF WAS OBVIOUSLY BLOWN OUTWARD, WHICH I HAVE PICTURES OF. AFTER A BRIEF RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THIS ISSUE WAS A COMMON ONE. WHEN MY WIFE CALLED TOYOTA THE FIRST GUY SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT TOYOTA WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER THE EXTRA BUMP TO BUMPER WARRANTY, WE BOUGHT. TOYOTA REFERRED ME TO THE TOLL FREE NUMBER (1-800-331-4331) TO LODGE A COMPLAINT AND SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING. TOYOTA GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER (1507133039) AND SAID SOMEONE FROM CUSTOMER RELATIONS WOULD BE CALLING ME BACK. THE GUY THAT CALLED ME BACK WAS DENNIS KING FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN RIVERDALE, UTAH WHERE WE FIRST CALLED, AND HE SAID HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TOYOTA THAT AUTHORIZES ANY REPAIR. I HAVE INCLUDED JUST A FEW OF THE WEB LINKS THAT DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF EXPLODING MOON ROOFS.…”
Visibility/wiper
1 report
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.