What breaks most · 2013 to 2016 model years
Scion FR-S problems by year
Owners have filed 201 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Scion FR-S across model years 2013 to 2016. One year stands out: 2013 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2013
- Fewest complaints: 2014
- Complaints on file
- 2012013 to 2016, all trims
- Worst year
- 2013179 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 44 fires · 1 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 69kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 12Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | 3 | 4 | Engine (141) | |
| 5 | 0 | 2 | Engine (4) | |
| 14 | 1 | 3 | Engine (5) | |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | Engine (1) |
What fails on the 2013 Scion FR-S
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 79% |
141 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2013 Scion FR-S |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 12% |
21 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 4% |
8 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2013 Scion FR-S |
| Unknown or other | 4% |
8 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
7 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2013 Scion FR-S |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 3% |
5 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2013 Scion FR-S |
| Wheels | 2% |
3 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 2% |
3 | 1 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
The car randomly shut off, i started it back up and it has a knock in the engine. Oil is super clean, and changed every 3k miles. I keep up with maintenance on my vehicle. I contacted Toyota and they had a Valve Spring Recall that leads to this very problem but somehow my vehicle isn't covered. I
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Scion FR-S years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2013 carries the most filings on the Scion FR-S. The 2013 alone has 179 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Scion FR-S problem?
On the 2013 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 141 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Scion FR-S problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Scion FR-S complaints that include mileage is about 69,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.