BestCarRank
Scion

2015 Scion TC

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Scion TC has 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.1x the segment average of 24. The most common issue is transmission problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: when parked in neutral with the clutch pedal not depressed while running my cars transmission makes a whining noise and only goes away when you depress the clutch pedal to engage the clutch. once you release the clutch it continues making the noise. hot and cold temperatures doesn't make a differenc. There are 3 recalls issued for this model year.

4 crash reports 3 injuries

26

Total Complaints

3

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

1.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

6 complaints
23%
  • WHEN PARKED IN NEUTRAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED WHILE RUNNING MY CARS TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHINING NOISE AND ONLY GOES AWAY WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. ONCE YOU RELEASE THE CLUTCH IT CONTINUES MAKING THE NOISE. HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURES DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENC
  • MY 2015 SCION TC AUTOMATIC HAS ROUGH SHIFT POINTS, ROUGH IDLE AT STOP SIGNS. THE SCION FRS HAS THE SAME ISSUES AND TOYOTA ISSUES A TSB FOR SHIFT ENHANCEMENT THAT FIXED THEIR TRANSMISSION ROUGH SHIFTS AND ROUGH IDLE. I'M HOPING THAT SCION OR TOYOTA ARE LISTENING AND WE NEED THIS FIX TOO! RESETTING TH
  • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SCION TC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THERE WAS A DELAY IN VEHICLE RESPONSE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

WHEN PARKED IN NEUTRAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED WHILE RUNNING MY CARS TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHINING NOISE AND ONLY GOES AWAY WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. ONCE YOU RELEASE THE CLUTCH IT CONTINUES MAKING THE NOISE. HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURES DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENC

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2015 Scion TC

Based on 22 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 34K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 30-60K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
8
30-60K
11
60-100K
2
100-150K
1
150-200K
0
200K+
0

AIR BAGS

Reported earliermedian 13K mi · 5 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
1
60-100K
0
100-150K
1
150-200K
0
200K+
0

TRANSMISSION

Reported earliermedian 19K mi · 5 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
1
60-100K
1
100-150K
0
150-200K
0
200K+
0

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 (3)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC20/09/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain Toyota Racing Development (TRD) brake kits, part numbers PTR09-21111 and PTR09-52080, sold by Toyota as an optional accessory for model year 2008-2015 Scion xB, and 2011-2016 Scion tC vehicles. Over time, the brake hoses in these kits may fatigue and fail.

Risk: Failure of a brake hose will reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Toyota will notify all known owners of the Scion xB and Scion tC vehicles upon which an involved optional TRD Brake Kit could have been installed. If the vehicle is equipped with one of the TRD brake kits, it will be replaced with a standard equipment brake kit, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is J0U.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2015 Scion TC

Live EIA prices
Per year
$1,847
Per month
$154
Per mile
15.4¢
MPG
26
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$2,087/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,600/yr

Based 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 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2015 Scion TC

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,478
Full coverage / month
$123
Liability only / year
$611
vs US avg
-12%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.92x
= Full coverage estimate$1478

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500
VISIBILITY(~50K mi)
$500
AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
BRAKES(~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 26 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • TRANSMISSION: WHEN PARKED IN NEUTRAL WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED WHILE RUNNING MY CARS TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHINING NOISE AND ONLY GOES AWAY WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. ONCE YOU RELEASE THE CLUTCH IT CONTINUES MAKING THE NOISE. HOT AND COLD TEMPERATURES DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENC

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • VISIBILITY: ABOUT 5:15 PM, DRIVING WESTBOUND IN THE SUN, ON A CLEAR DAY, IN THE FAR LEFT LANE OF A 4 LANE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 65-70 MPH, APPROACHING A SOUTHBOUND RAMP. THERE WERE 3 VEHICLES, A MINI COOPER IN FRONT AND RIGHT AND A TRUCK BEHIND, ALL 3 CARS ARE AT LEAST 3-4 CAR LENGTHS AWAY IN NO TRAFFIC. BOTH WIN

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • AIR BAGS: MY FIANC HAD A SEIZURE WHILE DRIVING HER SCION TC (2015). SHE RAN INTO THE DUMPSTER AT A COFFEE SHOP. WITNESSES AND AUTHORITIES CONFIRMED THE SPEED WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. BECAUSE OF HER BODY SEIZING SHE ACCELERATED. CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES INSIDE THE COFFEE SHOP HEARD THE CRAS

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • BRAKES: 2015 SCION TC 6 SPEED MANUAL. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL LOCK UP AFTER SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR SEVERAL PLUS DAYS AND I HAVE TO APPLY A LOT OF GAS FOR THE BRAKES TO RELEASE SO I CAN DRIVE THE CAR. AT THE TIME OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE THERE WAS SUCH A HUGE BANG THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I TH

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Scion dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
26
Recalls
3
Fire reports
0
Crash reports
4
Injury reports
3
Segment avg
24

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2015 Scion TC