2016 Scion IM
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2016 Scion IM has 17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 17. The most common issue is transmission problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: transmission began slipping while on the highway less than 25 miles after service at toyota dealership. the clutch then degraded over less than 500 miles to the point where vehicle was barely drivable and did not transmit enough power to go up hills at all. toyota service tech test drove vehicle . There is 1 recall issued for this model year.
17
Total Complaints
1
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
TRANSMISSION
5 complaints- • TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY LESS THAN 25 MILES AFTER SERVICE AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE CLUTCH THEN DEGRADED OVER LESS THAN 500 MILES TO THE POINT WHERE VEHICLE WAS BARELY DRIVABLE AND DID NOT TRANSMIT ENOUGH POWER TO GO UP HILLS AT ALL. TOYOTA SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE VEHICLE
- • PURCHASED MY 2016 SCION IM AND WAS GREAT FOR THE FIRST YEAR. IN 2018, THE CAR DEVELOPED A ROUGH IDLE, USUALLY AT A STOP LIGHT AND AFTER THE CAR WAS WARM. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOTHING WAS FOUND AS IT WAS NOT REPLICATED DURING THEIR TEST DRIVE. THE CAR CONTINUED TO ROUGH IDLE UNTIL THE
- • TRANSMISSION DOES QUIRKY THINGS. SOMETIMES IT GETS STUCK IN HIGH RPM'S AND DOESN'T WANT TO UPSHIFT. SOMETIMES IT WON'T ACCELERATE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET THE RPM'S UP HIGH ENOUGH. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. SOMETIMES IT SLIPS
“TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY LESS THAN 25 MILES AFTER SERVICE AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE CLUTCH THEN DEGRADED OVER LESS THAN 500 MILES TO THE POINT WHERE VEHICLE WAS BARELY DRIVABLE AND DID NOT TRANSMIT ENOUGH POWER TO GO UP HILLS AT ALL. TOYOTA SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE VEHICLE ”
— NHTSA complaint filing
When Problems Appear on the 2016 Scion IM
Based on 11 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 32K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.
Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.
Recalls (1)
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.
Fuel Cost Calculator for 2016 Scion IM
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
5-Year Gas Price History
EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → todaySource: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2016 Scion IM
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 17 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY LESS THAN 25 MILES AFTER SERVICE AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE CLUTCH THEN DEGRADED OVER LESS THAN 500 MILES TO THE POINT WHERE VEHICLE WAS BARELY DRIVABLE AND DID NOT TRANSMIT ENOUGH POWER TO GO UP HILLS AT ALL. TOYOTA SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE VEHICLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: TAKATA RECALL- PURCHASE 2016 SCION IM BRAND NEW A FEW MONTHS AGO. I NOTICED A PAINT DETAIL ON THE TOP OF THE HATCHBACK DOOR INSIDE WAS DONE POORLY.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: I BOUGHT A NEW TOYOTA IM BUT IT WAS A BROKEN EVAPORATOR CORE. I WANT TOYOTA CHECK THE PLACE. I AM CLAIMING TO THE LEMON LAW ARBITRATION. THE MECHANIC WHO CHECKED SAID LOOKED LIKE IT WAS CRUSHED WHEN THE CAR WAS MAKING. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO CHECK FURTHER INVESTIGATION SINCE IT WAS SOLD AS A BRAND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: The horn on the vehicle began to operate intermittently and now it does not work at all. This is a major safety issue as I have several near misses with other drivers turning into my travel lane without signaling and nearly causing an accident. I have no way of preventing an incursion without the
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 1 recall have been completed — free at any Scion dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Scion IM — Year Comparison
How does 2016 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 17
- Recalls
- 1
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 2
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 17
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2016 Scion IM