Scion tC: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
693 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Scion tC, model years 2005 to 2016. No model year stands out for the engine or transmission against the others. Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2010, 2014, 2015. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 tC | 155 | — | 4 | |
| 2006 tC | 161 | — | 5 | |
| 2007 tCFEW REPORTS | 117 | — | 2 | |
| 2008 tCFEW REPORTS | 86 | — | 3 | |
| 2009 tCFEW REPORTS | 60 | — | 3 | |
| 2010 tCFEW REPORTS | 20 | quiet: 1 of 9 | 2 | |
| 2011 tCFEW REPORTS | 29 | — | 1 | |
| 2012 tCFEW REPORTS | 8 | — | 2 | |
| 2013 tCFEW REPORTS | 9 | — | 1 | |
| 2014 tCFEW REPORTS | 20 | quiet: 2 of 9 | 1 | |
| 2015 tCFEW REPORTS | 22 | quiet: 3 of 9 | 3 | |
| 2016 tCFEW REPORTS | 6 | — | 3 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Scion models
Scion FR-S · Scion xB. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20052006