What breaks most · 2003 to 2015 model years
Scion xB problems by year
Owners have filed 989 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Scion xB across model years 2003 to 2015. Three years stand out: 2008 for air bags complaints, 2006 for visibility complaints and 2009 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2003, 2007 and 2013.
- Years to check closely: 2008, 2006, 2009
- Fewest complaints: 2003, 2007, 2013
- Complaints on file
- 9892003 to 2015, all trims
- Worst year
- 2008335 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 9418 fires · 64 injuries · 2 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 50kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 78Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Tires (1) | |
| 36 | 7 | 6 | Air bags (7) | |
| 88 | 13 | 7 | Body and structure (24) | |
| 246 | 14 | 11 | Visibility (145) | |
| 3 | 1 | 5 | Air bags (1) | |
| 335 | 30 | 9 | Air bags (132) | |
| 129 | 12 | 11 | Air bags (73) | |
| 48 | 4 | 8 | Air bags (27) | |
| 50 | 4 | 6 | Air bags (40) | |
| 38 | 5 | 4 | Air bags (27) | |
| 5 | 2 | 3 | Air bags (2) | |
| 5 | 0 | 3 | Body and structure (2) | |
| 5 | 2 | 3 | Brakes (2) |
What fails on the 2008 Scion xB
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 39% |
132 | 16 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 13% |
45 | 1 | Shop visibility parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
36 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 10% |
33 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 10% |
33 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 6% |
20 | 3 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 6% |
20 | 3 | Shop stability control parts for the 2008 Scion xB |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 4% |
15 | 5 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
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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Car was sitting still, had just started it. Heard a "pop" and my windshield was cracked. Scion xb 2008. I have been reading about numerous complaints with the l shaped crack going from the dash by the drivers wiper across to passenger side. No rock hit the windshield there.
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Follow up to complaint # 10203228. My windshield has sustained two more brakes. I'm ready for my fifth windshield in four years. All brakes have occurred on paved roads.
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I have excessive oil consumption that is going to lead to my engine locking up while driving. I have to put 4 quarts of oil per week in my car. I have no oil leaks. Toyota put faulty pistons in my car and will not repair it.
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 30, 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 xB years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2008, 2006, 2009 carry the most filings on the Scion xB. The 2008 alone has 335 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Scion xB problem?
On the 2008 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 132 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Scion xB problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Scion xB 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.