Problems · by component
2008 Scion XB engine problems
35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Scion XB cite engine, 10% of all 339 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
35
10% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I am writing to report significant safety concerns regarding my 2008 Scion [include model, e.g., tC or xB]. After purchasing the vehicle, I discovered multiple serious mechanical and structural defects that make the car unsafe to operate on public roads. 1. Suspension/Struts – The struts are severely worn and are causing premature and uneven tire wear. This creates a major risk of tire blowout or loss of control while driving. 2. Motor Mount – The engine mount is missing screws and bolts, which results in excessive engine movement. This could lead to engine damage or failure while in motion. 3. Alignment – The vehicle’s alignment is completely off, causing the car to pull while driving and further worsening tire wear and handling. 4. Brakes and Rotors – The brakes are nearly nonfunctional, and the rotors are warped and damaged, severely reducing stopping power and increasing the risk of a crash. 5. License Plate Mount – The vehicle has no designated place to mount a rear tag/license plate, which makes it illegal to drive and difficult to comply with state requirements. 6. Missing Headlight – One headlight is entirely missing, significantly reducing visibility…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL EXCESSIVELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE OIL HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TO FOUR TIMES AFTER AN OIL CHANGE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
“I JUST PURCHASED MY SCION XB IN JANUARY 2019 AND WITHIN THREE WEEKS I HAD THE OIL LIGHT FLASHING SO I TOOK IT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AT MIDTOWN TOYOTA IN CHICAGO. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS I NOTICED THAT MY OIL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AGAIN SO I CHECKED MOTOR OIL AND CAME TO FIND OUT THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY OIL. I CALLED MIDTOWN TOYOTA WHERE I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AND ASKED HIM IF MY VEHICLE HAD A RECALL AS FAR AS THE OIL PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING? HE SAID YES THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED IN JANUARY 2018. NOW I'VE HAD THE CAR. NOW I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR TWO MONTHS WHICH I'M FINANCING AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET FOR THIS CAR TO GET THAT RECALL FIXED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT'S FAIR FOR ANY DEALER I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT'S FAIR FOR ANY DEALERSHIP TO SELL A VEHICLE THAT HAS RECALLS AND THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THE PREVIOUS OWNERS IN THE PAST. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT TOYOTA CAN DO FOR ME TO GET THIS RE-CAR FIXED FREE OF CHARGE AS I AM DONE NEW OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE?”
“ON 1/11/19 I TOOK MY 2008 SCION XB TO TOYOTA ONE OF OAKLAND FOR 150,000 MILE SERVICE (MY MILEAGE WAS 104,809 AT THE TIME.) AT THE APPOINTMENT, I EXPLAINED I NOTICED MY CAR USING MORE OIL THAN USUAL. I HAD THE 100,000 MILE SERVICE COMPLETED ON 8/10/18 AND NOTICED I HAD TO ADD ADDITIONAL OIL TO THE ENGINE SINCE THEN, APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 QUARTS. THE WEEKEND OF 11/11/18, I NOTICED THE OIL WAS LOW WHEN I CHECKED THE LEVEL, BUT THE OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON TO NOTIFY ME. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA HAD AN EXCESSIVE OIL EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH EXPIRED LAST YEAR AND ASKED ME IF I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA. I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD BEEN NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES BY MAIL AND EVEN A PHONE CALL REGARDING THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL AND THE TRD BRAKE KIT RECALL BUT NEVER ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE OIL ISSUE UNTIL TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN. THE TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED I CALL TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MAYBE THEY WOULD OFFER SOME CONSIDERATION SINCE I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH TWO REPRESENTATIVES, BOTH VERY NICE BUT WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE EXCESSIVE OIL EXTENDED WARRANTY, SINCE I HAD NO ISSUES…”
“MY SCION XB 2008 MODEL WAS RECALLED A COUPLE YEARS AGO FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. AND I WENT TWICE FOR SERVICE AT THE TOYOTA OF NAPERVILLE, I WAS TOLD TO COME BACK AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MILES TRAVELED, SO THAT THEY COULD RECALL THE CAR THAT OBVIOUSLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH CONSUMING OIL. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO APPEASE DUE TO THE DISTANCE OF MY WORK FROM MY HOME. I HAVE TO TRAVEL 30 MILES A DAY. I HAVE BEEN REJECTED DUE TO THAT, BECAUSE I WAS OVER ABOUT 11-13 MILES EACH TIME. IN CONSEQUENCE OF THOSE EVENTS, I PUT OIL IN THE CAR EVERY WEEK SO THAT I COULD KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. DESPITE MY EFFORTS, THE ENGINE SEIZED RIGHT AFTER I PAID OFF THE CAR. I FEEL LIKE I WAS SWINDLED BY THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE LEAST THEY CAN DO IS REPLACE MY ENGINE. I NEED A CAR TO MAKE IT TO WORK TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY OF 5 AND THE WAY TOYOTA HAS TREATED MY ISSUE HAS BEEN UNSATISFACTORY AT BEST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.”
“OIL CONSUMPTION, I WENT TO FEWER AND APPARENTLY MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED OR NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE! NOW I'M SCREWED BECAUSE I WAS PLANNING ON KEEPING MY CAR FOREVER AND IT A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIX BY TH MANUFACTURE! I NEVER WAS NOTIFIED AND NEVER REVIVED ANY LETTERS. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT IT WAS PROBABLY SENT TO ORIGINAL OWNER! NOW I NEED THIS FIXED OR I NEED MY FULL REFUND IF THE CAR CAN'T BE FIXED WITHOUT ANY CHARGE!”
Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.