2010 Scion TC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Scion TC has 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: excessive oil consumption leading to motor loss. this seems to be a known issue for vehicles that are regularly maintained and scheduled oil changes every 3-5,000 miles. it seems it should be handled as a recall by toyota if this many vehicles are having the same issue. excessive oil consumption.

3 crash reports 2 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

7 complaints

29%

• EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION LEADING TO MOTOR LOSS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-5,000 MILES. IT SEEMS IT SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL BY TOYOTA IF THIS MANY VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION
• VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY WHEN KNOCKING WAS HEARD AND ENGINE FAILIRE OCCURRED. WAS COASTED TO A STOP AND OIL WAS CHECKED. NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE. NEW ENGINE NEEDED FOR VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS AT 80,000 AND OIL CHANGES WERE MAINTAINED. NO OIL LEAKS VISIBLE.
• ENGINE IS BURNING AT LEAST 1 QUART OF OIL PER WEEK AND ESTIMATED DRIVING MILES PER WEEK IS BETWEEN 200 MILES TO 300 MILES. THERE IS NO MAJOR OIL LEAKS ANYWHERE THAT I CAN SEE AND THERE IS NO OIL ON THE FLOOR WHERE THE CAR IS PARKED.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION LEADING TO MOTOR LOSS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-5,000 MILES. IT SEEMS IT SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL BY TOYOTA IF THIS MANY VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

4 complaints

17%

• ON 11/14/13 I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 75 IN TROY, MICHIGAN AT A RATE OF 68 MPH WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 A.M. I HEARD A LOUD SHATTERING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I LOOKED AROUND MY VEHICLE TO FIND EACH OF MY SIDE, REAR, AND FRONT WINDOWS INTACT. I TH
• DRIVER'S SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN POSITION AGAINST THE ROOF OF THE CAR AND FALLS AT WILL, WHICH IS A HAZARD AS IT LIMITS VISIBILITY, SOMETIMES AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME. AT TIMES IT MERELY STAYS IN THE LOWEST POSSIBLE POSITION, WHICH MAKES CERTAIN DRIVING MANEUVERS VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS -
• DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD PRETTY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN COLORADO, CLEAR BLUE SKY, NO TRAFFIC AND MY SUNROOF DEFLECTOR SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES. NO IMPACT, NO NOTHING! TEMPERATURE AROUND 65 DEGREES, NO WEATHER. TAKING IT TO DEALER UPON RETURN AS I WAS 200 MILES AWAY FROM HO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ON 11/14/13 I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 75 IN TROY, MICHIGAN AT A RATE OF 68 MPH WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 A.M. I HEARD A LOUD SHATTERING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I LOOKED AROUND MY VEHICLE TO FIND EACH OF MY SIDE, REAR, AND FRONT WINDOWS INTACT. I TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

3 complaints

13%

• HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND, WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN MY NEW 2010 SCION TC. CAR IS JUST BARELY 2 MONTHS OLD AND LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MIDDLE PART OF A NICE, MILD DAY, DRY ROAD, BUT SOME BROKEN PAVEMENT/ROUGHNESS AT THE CORNER THERE. SOMEONE COMING FROM MY 3 O'CLOCK POSITION WAS PLANNING T
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL FILLER TANK CAP WOULD DISLODGE WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REFUELED. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ABNORMALLY TRAVEL TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND WOULD FEEL SPONGY. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A DELAY IN RESPONSE FROM THE VEH
• RIGHT FRONT BRAKE NOT RELEASING WORE BRAKE PAD DOWN TO NOTHING. DISCOVERED BRAKE OVERHEATING SOUNDED LIKE A WHEEL BEARING FAILING BUT MECHANIC DISCOVERED BRAKE NOT RELEASING. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND, WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN MY NEW 2010 SCION TC. CAR IS JUST BARELY 2 MONTHS OLD AND LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MIDDLE PART OF A NICE, MILD DAY, DRY ROAD, BUT SOME BROKEN PAVEMENT/ROUGHNESS AT THE CORNER THERE. SOMEONE COMING FROM MY 3 O'CLOCK POSITION WAS PLANNING T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TIRES

3 complaints

13%

• TRAVELING AT POSTED SPEED ON CURVED ROAD IN RAIN. APPLIED BRAKES COMING INTO THE TURN, BUT TIRES LOST TRACTION AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND SLID ONTO A DIRT EMBANKMENT WITH SHRUBS AND SMALL TREES. NEITHER THE FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND I HIT MY HEAD AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. I DO N
• TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2010 TOYOTA SCION TC WITH YOKOHAMA S32A93201(NA) TIRES, SIZE 215/ 45 R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WOULD CONTINUOUSLY LOSE AIR. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO ADD AIR TO THE TIRE WEEKLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SIDEWA
• DRIVING SURFACE WAS PAVED DRY TWO LANE ROUTE. SPEED APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR. LEFT REAR TIRE CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED. THE STEEL BELLED TREAD BECAME TOTALLY (100%) DETACHED FOR THE INTERIOR SIDE WALL OF TIRE. TIRE WAS BRIDGESTONE TURANZA (T0506) EL4PNZ 215/45ZR17. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE IN L

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TRAVELING AT POSTED SPEED ON CURVED ROAD IN RAIN. APPLIED BRAKES COMING INTO THE TURN, BUT TIRES LOST TRACTION AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND SLID ONTO A DIRT EMBANKMENT WITH SHRUBS AND SMALL TREES. NEITHER THE FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND I HIT MY HEAD AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. I DO N”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

2 complaints

• I PURCHASED MY SCION FROM MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN FEB OF 2015. ON THE 17TH OF MARCH WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE DRIVER SEAT MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. THE SEAT HAD BECAME UNLATCHED FROM THE SEAT RUNNER UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. I HAD TO ADJUST THE SEAT AND MADE SURE THAT IT LOCKED INTO PLACE. SINCE THEN TH
• DRIVING TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE ONE MORNING. ITS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC SO WE ARE BARELY GOING 30MPH. I HEAR A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GUN SHOT. SO LOUD. IT SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME. UPON INSPECTION I SEE THE GLASS SUNROOF SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES AND TRICKLING DOWN THE BACK GLASS. TOYOTA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I PURCHASED MY SCION FROM MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN FEB OF 2015. ON THE 17TH OF MARCH WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE DRIVER SEAT MOVED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. THE SEAT HAD BECAME UNLATCHED FROM THE SEAT RUNNER UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. I HAD TO ADJUST THE SEAT AND MADE SURE THAT IT LOCKED INTO PLACE. SINCE THEN TH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TIRES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 24 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION LEADING TO MOTOR LOSS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SCHEDULED OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-5,000 MILES. IT SEEMS IT SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL BY TOYOTA IF THIS MANY VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: ON 11/14/13 I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 75 IN TROY, MICHIGAN AT A RATE OF 68 MPH WHEN AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 A.M. I HEARD A LOUD SHATTERING NOISE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I LOOKED AROUND MY VEHICLE TO FIND EACH OF MY SIDE, REAR, AND FRONT WINDOWS INTACT. I TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND, WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN MY NEW 2010 SCION TC. CAR IS JUST BARELY 2 MONTHS OLD AND LESS THAN 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. MIDDLE PART OF A NICE, MILD DAY, DRY ROAD, BUT SOME BROKEN PAVEMENT/ROUGHNESS AT THE CORNER THERE. SOMEONE COMING FROM MY 3 O'CLOCK POSITION WAS PLANNING T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TIRES: TRAVELING AT POSTED SPEED ON CURVED ROAD IN RAIN. APPLIED BRAKES COMING INTO THE TURN, BUT TIRES LOST TRACTION AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND SLID ONTO A DIRT EMBANKMENT WITH SHRUBS AND SMALL TREES. NEITHER THE FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND I HIT MY HEAD AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. I DO N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)