What breaks most · 2004 to 2006 model years
Scion xA problems by year
Owners have filed 125 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Scion xA across model years 2004 to 2006. Three years stand out: 2006 for air bags complaints, 2005 for air bags complaints and 2004 for tires complaints.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2005, 2004
- Complaints on file
- 1252004 to 2006, all trims
- Worst year
- 200671 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 284 fires · 20 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 50kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 11Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 2 | 2 | Unknown or other (3) | |
| 40 | 13 | 3 | Air bags (14) | |
| 71 | 13 | 6 | Air bags (17) |
What fails on the 2006 Scion xA
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 24% |
17 | 8 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 15% |
11 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2006 Scion xA |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 11% |
8 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Scion xA |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 10% |
7 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Scion xA |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 10% |
7 | 3 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 10% |
7 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2006 Scion xA |
| Unknown or other | 8% |
6 | 0 | — |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 6% |
4 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2006 Scion xA |
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.
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Charcoal canister/evap/fuel filler tube problem. Same as was listed on the technical service bulletin for scion xas and the like. I have a 2006 scion xa. I am still under warranty and they're telling me they won't even cover this under the warranty.
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The power windows are defective. They break down easily. Cannot use the windows because they don't work. The cost to replace each window motor is very expensive and not affordable. This is a safety hazard.
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Dt: consumer states: the car smells like sulfur dioxide coming in the car through vents and comes catalytic converter. Dealer tried to fixed it. Thought it was originally from buses in the city. *ak
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 xA years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2005, 2004 carry the most filings on the Scion xA. The 2006 alone has 71 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Scion xA problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 17 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Scion xA problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Scion xA complaints that include mileage is about 50,000 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.