Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 00501 | 11/16/2001 | 00501 | 10007586 | Repair manual supplement: vehicle pulling to one side. toyota all model years. *mj 2002 - 2007 model years. toyota/scion models. *tt | 07/01/2004 |
| STEERING - LINKAGES - ROD - RELAY - CONNECTING | |||||
| S-SB-0031-09 | 06/12/2009 | 10033636 | Scion: some tc and xd and xb vehicles may exhibit a condition with multiple warning lights illuminated, vehicle not shifting from park t drive, and/or other accessories becoming inoperative after the vehicle has cold soaked in sub-freezing | 08/30/2010 | |
| SB-0001-09 | 01/19/2009 | 10028734 | Toyota: multiple warning lights illuminated, vehicle not shifting from park to drive, and other accessories becoming inoperative after the vehicle has cold soaked in sub freezing (below 14%f[10%]) ambient air temperatures. *pe | 05/20/2009 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 08/28/2012 | 1 | ||
| On 08/28/2012 i was driving on the freeway on my way home from work when i noticed the radio went out. i exited the freeway. i made it about 2 blocks and was at a stop light when suddenly my car wouldn't advance. a police officer a few cars behind was able to push my car to the side of the road. i had my car towed for service to an independent non-toyota mechanic. i was told i needed a new alternator. given this was a necessary repair i went ahead and had the repair done. the car was running pretty well until 01/01/2013. on 01/01/2013 i was driving home when i noticed the heater stopped working. thinking nothing of it, i kept driving. on 01/04/2013 (about 75,000 miles on the vehicle) i was returning from an errand (driving about 35 mph) when i noticed the check engine light had turned on. i pulled over at a gas station to fill up and called an independent non-toyota mechanic to see if i could bring my car in. i was instructed to bring my car in on 01/05/2013. after i pulled out of the gas station and drove a few blocks i noticed the needle for the thermostat was at the hottest level possible. the next morning i took my car in, it overheated in the 5 minutes it to me to arrive to the shop. i was informed the engine had stripped head bolts and i would need a new engine . i called toyota/scion and they didn't acknowledge either the alternator or stripped head bolts being an issue. the representative, [xxx] said they would open up a case and i was given the following case # 1301070610. i however came across various scion/toyota owners online who have had this issue. a simple google search for scion stripped head bolts will show just how many people have this problem. i was told by [xxx] that if in the future scion/toyota recognizes the issue(s) i may receive a reimbursement but there is no guarantee. this is an expensive fix that i just can't afford. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr | |||
| 08/28/2012 | |||
| On 08/28/2012 i was driving on the freeway on my way home from work when i noticed the radio went out. i exited the freeway. i made it about 2 blocks and was at a stop light when suddenly my car wouldn't advance. a police officer a few cars behind was able to push my car to the side of the road. i had my car towed for service to an independent non-toyota mechanic. i was told i needed a new alternator. given this was a necessary repair i went ahead and had the repair done. the car was running pretty well until 01/01/2013. on 01/01/2013 i was driving home when i noticed the heater stopped working. thinking nothing of it, i kept driving. on 01/04/2013 (about 75,000 miles on the vehicle) i was returning from an errand (driving about 35 mph) when i noticed the check engine light had turned on. i pulled over at a gas station to fill up and called an independent non-toyota mechanic to see if i could bring my car in. i was instructed to bring my car in on 01/05/2013. after i pulled out of the gas station and drove a few blocks i noticed the needle for the thermostat was at the hottest level possible. the next morning i took my car in, it overheated in the 5 minutes it to me to arrive to the shop. i was informed the engine had stripped head bolts and i would need a new engine . i called toyota/scion and they didn't acknowledge either the alternator or stripped head bolts being an issue. the representative, brett said they would open up a case and i was given the following case # 1301070610. i however came across various scion/toyota owners online who have had this issue. a simple google search for scion stripped head bolts will show just how many people have this problem. i was told by brett that if in the future scion/toyota recognizes the issue(s) i may receive a reimbursement but there is no guarantee. this is an expensive fix that i just can't afford. | |||
| 11/18/2012 | 68000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota scion tc. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the power steering failed without warning. the contact was unable to steer the vehicle and crashed into a guard rail. the contact and the passenger sustained minor injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. there was a police report filed. the insurance company stated that they would not inspect the vehicle to diagnose the cause of failure. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 68,000. kmj | |||
| 11/18/2012 | 68000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 toyota scion tc. the contact stated that 55 mph, and the power steering failed without warning. the contact was unable to steer the vehicle and crashed into the guard rail. the contact and the passenger sustained minor injuries and the vehicle was destroyed. there was a police report filed. the insurance company stated that they would not inspect the vehicle to diagnose the cause of failure. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 68,000. ap | |||
| 06/05/2012 | 90000 | ||
| Traveling home from work when i felt something pop under the front of the car. the steering boomeranged to the left, i was not able to recover as it was like it was locked.unable to turn the steering wheel back to the right, i applied the brakes which would not stop the car as it accelerated . the car crossed the center line into a residential yard hitting a tree head on. i ended up with facial, clavicle, rib, pelvis and hip fractures. the physicians say it will be a year before i will be able to work and i may end up with a permanent limp. | |||
| 09/18/2011 | 108000 | ||
| Vehicle was being driven on a long straight road at 55mph. suddenly the steering pulled right and locked. the steering wheel could not be turned back left. it all happened suddenly and quickly. this road has power poles along the right side. since the steering could not be corrected, the car went head on into a power pole. the top of the power pole broke off and fell to the ground, landing a foot away from the car, with 5 downed power lines laying all over the ground. my daughter who was driving could not breathe due to the fumes inside the car, and was able to push the door open after several tries. fortunately as she got out of the car she did not touch any of the live power lines. the power pole ended up almost to the windshield. it was a tremendous impact. the motor broke in half, and the car was a complete loss. it is a miracle my daughter survived this crash, including the immediate impact, the pole falling next to the car, not on the car, and the fact she didn't touch the live power lines when she hobbled out of the car. i researched this online, and have found several others complaining about the same problem with this same year make and model car. the other incidents didn't cause a major accident. my daughter accident was near fatal. with other complaints already made for the same thing, someone should have looked into this. the next accident with this cause may cause some someone to lose their life. toyota has this problem on another model so it should not be a surprise they have the same problem with the scion tc. she did not suffer major injuries, but does have injuries to her elbow, and both feet. she was bruised from head to toe. she is now out of the wheelchair and uses crutches to get around. who knows how long it will take her to be able to walk fully and correctly again. | |||
| 07/03/2011 | 109174 | ||
| While driving my 2006 scion tc, steering ability was completely lost. steering wheel was free spinning a complete 360 degrees. i hit the brakes and was able to stop because i was doing about 30 mph. there was no warning, just sudden loss of steering. the intermediate steering shaft disconnected from the steering wheel. | |||
| 04/13/2011 | |||
| Was driving my 06 scion tc that i bought in nov of 2010, had had some issues with the steering locking up so i coulnt complete my turns, andmy tc would just keep going in the direction it was locked in. but when i would come to a stop it would be fine again. but today, april 13 of 2011, i was turning left in an intersection onto a road, and my steering locked up mid turn again, but this time there was a van there that i smashed into! my wheel had locked up and no matter how hard i tried to turn it, it wouldnt budge! until i was wrecked into the passenger side of the van. this was no problem of my driving i was just turning onto a street at about 20 miles per hour, wasnt texting, distracted or anything. scion/toyotas need to figure out this problem because it could really hurt someone! not to mention now i have a citation and insurance money to worry about. only having bought this car a few months ago from a dealership , this is disappointing, and really scrared me. i am a college student paying my way through school and dont just have extra money to pay for something that i had no way control over. | |||
| 01/21/2011 | |||
| On 1/21/2011, 10:30 pm, i was driving driving a 2006 scion tc on the highway, 70 mph, i suddenly lost control of the steering after just finish change lane. the car would not respond to the steering, it went left and right, left and right and suddenly swaying all the way to the end of right side (across 2-3 lanes), i could not see what i am going to hit, but i saw the wall before i hit something ( it was car after i found out), it's happened too fast, after the hit in front of my right side of car, i swaying back to left, across 3 lanes, my car finally stop on car pool line. everything just happened in 5 seconds. the car is damged,i have already contacted to scion, hope they can do the inspection soon. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 82325 | ||
| My daugher was driving her 2006 scion tc ( made by toyota ) and the throttle body started locking, making the car cut out ( this started around april 1st )and this continued for a few days until around aril 5th and then the throttle body would lock completely and shut the car off while driving down the road and the real disturbing part is that the steering wheel would lock, and this happened not once not twice but three seperate times. i called the toyota dealership in denison texas and mckinney texas and they said that this couldn't happen and i let them know that not only can it happen but it did happen 3 times and the last time she was doing 70 mph and luckily she ran off of the side of the road curving to the right instead of into the oncoming diesel truck. i asked my daughter repeatedly if the steering wheel was just hard to steer because of the loss of power steering and she said no that she tried with all of her might and the wheel was locke and she couldn't turn it, and she is a strong young lady that could turn the wheel without power steering. i did some research on online forums and this seems to be a common problem with the scions ( the throttle body going out on them ) and i have driven for over 30 years and i have never seen or heard of a throttle body going out on a car and if they did they sure wouldnt allow the steering wheel do lock due to the engine shutting off. this is / will be a serious problem if it is not address and i certainly hope i don't have to read about someone loosing their life due to this problem. | |||
| 10/30/2009 | 29000 | 1 | |
| While driving a 2006 scion tc on the highway i suddenly lost control of the steering. the car would not respond to the steering and i ended up leaving the road before coming to a stop. after i restarted the vehicle the steering returned to normal. *tr | |||