Problems · NHTSA complaints
2012 Scion XD problems
Owners filed 5 complaints about the 2012 Scion XD with NHTSA between Jan 2012 and Mar 2020. The most-cited component is electrical system (2).
Complaints
5
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system2
- Air bags2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
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 Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 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
Electrical system
2 reports
“MY BATTERY WENT DEAD WHILE I WAS AT WORK AS I HAD LEFT THE LIGHTS ON. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO GO HOME, I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK MY DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. THERE WAS ONE PLACE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR MANUALLY AND IT WAS THE DRIVER DOOR. I UNLOCKED THAT AND REACHED OVER TO UNLOCK THE PASSENGER DOOR. I REACHED BACK TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS FROM THE INSIDE AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS. IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE IN THE REAR OF THE CAR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT. I FIND THIS A HUGE SCARY SAFETY PROBLEM. WHAT IF I WOULD HAVE HAD CHILDREN IN SAFETY SEATS IN THE VEHICLE. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED.”
Air bags
2 reports2 crashes1 fire
“I WAS THE DRIVER AND ONLY PASSENGER OF MY 2012 SCION XB WHEN I WAS TBONED IN THE DRIVER DOOR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WAS HIT HARD ENOUGH THAT THE CAR LOOKS ALMOST BENT IN HALF AND IT WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. EVEN THOUGH I WAS HIT SO HARD, NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. THE DOOR WAS CRUSHED IN ON ME AND I WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION, BROKEN COLLAR BONE, FRACTURED EYE SOCKED, CHEEK AND JAW. ALSO LACERATED CHEEK AND EYE LID. I ALSO NOW HAVE A DAMAGED LEFT EYE WITH BLURRED VISION AND PAIN AND NERVE DAMAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE WHICH IS NOW NUMB. THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED AND PREVENTED MY INJURIES. I AM AFRAID THAT SOME OF MY INJURIES ARE PERMANENT. WHEN I WAS HIT I WAS IN MOTION TURNING LEFT ON A CITY STREET.”
Fuel/propulsion system
1 report1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SCION XD. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND NOTICED SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE POLICE AND INSURANCE COMPANY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS PREGNANT AND SUSTAINED CHEMICAL INHALATION FROM THE EXPLOSION. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE POLICE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL TANK EXPLODED. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.”
Fuel system, gasoline
1 report1 crash1 fire
“WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROX 30 MPH, THE SUV IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY. I HIT THE BRAKES AND FELT THE ABS KICK IN. UNFORTUNATELY I COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND REAR ENDED A MIDSIZE SUV. BASED UPON DAMAGE TO THE SUV I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 15 - 20 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND MY 2012 SCION XD IMMEDIATELY ERUPTED IN FLAMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR AND ROOF OF THE CAR. ULTIMATELY, THE ENTIRE INTERIOR BECAME ENGULFED BY FIRE. EXCLUDING THE FIRE DAMAGE, YOU CANNOT SEE ANY PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT FENDERS AND THE HOOD HAS A SLIGHT BUCKLE FROM THE IMPACT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CURRENTLY HAS IT AS A TOTAL LOSS, WITH OUT COMPLETING THE USUAL INVESTIGATION. THE DAMAGE TO THE SUV WAS LIMITED TO THE BUMPER AND POSSIBLY MINOR PAINT DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE. I FIND IT UNUSUAL THAT A CAR IN A FRONT COLLISION AT THAT SPEED SHOULD CATCH FIRE, ESPECIALLY WITH A FOUR STAR RATING. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.