There are 12 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2005 Scion tC in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 12 of 12 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)Never had a problem with car before went on freeway to get up to speed n the speedometer was dropping so I pull to side of freeway shut car off turn car back on here clunk clunk shut car off no check engine light was on or has been on no oil light was on nothing get car towed back to safe place well check fluid n oils bone dry cars engine blows just started reading n I guess 2005 goes. Threw oil way fast why isn't that noteted anywhere so messed up just did oil change week before this so shocked now I have to try to fix my blown engine single mom not able to make ends meet now this idk what to do
Engine burning oil
THE CAR BURNS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL AND ONLY HAS 163000 MILES.
2005 SCION TC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE VIN# NOT INCLUDED IN OIL CONSUMPTION PROGRAM TO REPAIR THE EXISTING OIL PROBLEMS. *SMD
ACCORDING TO TOYOTA SERVICE THE ENGINE HAD A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE LOWER PART OF THE ENGINE DUE TO NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THIS WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING TO WORK. THE CAR STOPPED ON THE MIDDLE OF THE 210 FWY WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PANEL.
I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR JUST DIED. *TR
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY TOYOTA KNOWS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THEIR ENGINES ON THESE CARS BUT THEY WOULD NOT RECALL THEM. THEY RECALLED THE CAMRY WITH THE SAME ENGINE BUT NOT THE SCION TC. THEY REDESIGNED THE ENGINE IN 2007 TO FIX THE DEFECT. THE KNOWN DEFECT IS THE HEAD BOLTS WERE TOO SHORT, CAUSING THEM UNDUE STRESS AND EVENTUALLY STRIPPING OUT THE BOLT HOLES FOR THE HEADS. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO OVERHEAT BLOW THE ENGINES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND AT INTERSECTIONS WHERE THE CAR DIES. PEOPLE CAN BE REAR ENDED AND BROAD SIDED BECAUSE OF THIS. TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT THE DEFECT BECAUSE THEY FIXED RECALLED THE CAMRY WHICH HAD THE SAME ENGINE. THIS IS NO SMALL FIX. FOR MOST OWNERS THIS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE IS BETWEEN $3000 - $6000 DOLLARS DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE OVER HEATING. THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET OF THIS HAPPENING BUT NO ONE IN THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ANYTHING TO PUSH TOYOTA INTO FIXING THEIR KNOWN SCREW UP. *TR
BOTH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FAILED AND NEED REPLACED. DEALERSHIP ( FORT BEND TOYOTA ) STATED THE FAILURE WAS UNUSUAL AND PREMATURE. DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR THAT MODEL/ YEAR / AND MILEAGE. *TR
THE THROTTLE BODY STUCK OPEN CAUSING IT TO REV TO EXCESSIVE RPMS AND THEN WOULD FINALLY DIE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN 7/08. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AND THEN ONCE AGAIN IT FAILED, THIS TIME STICKING CLOSED CAUSING THE CAR TO DIE IN AN INTERSECTION. THIS WAS IN 3/11 (THIS YEAR) WITH ONLY 73K ON IT TOTAL MILES ( ONLY 30K ON THIS THROTTLE BODY). WHEN WE RECEIVED THE NEW PART THIS TIME, IT HAD BEEN OBVIOUSLY REDESIGNED WITH A VENT ALLOWING CORROSION NOT TO OCCUR. THIS IS A REAL HAZARD WHEN YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ENGINE SPEED WHILE DRIVING. WITH THE REDESIGNED PART ( A TOYOTA/SCION PART) IT IS OBVIOUS THIS WAS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM, YET NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED OR RECEIVED. *TR
MY 2005 SCION TC SURGES/LURCHES FORWARD WHEN RESUMING FROM A STOP. THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE YOU APPLY TO THE GAS PEDAL HAS NO EFFECT ON HOW THE CAR IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. THE PROBLEM WAS VERY INTERMITTENT AND HARD TO NOTICE BUT STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN AS OF AUG./SEPT. 2008. IN MID SEPT. I ALMOST REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SELLING DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MGR. WENT ON A TEST DRIVE AND SAID HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN A FEW MILE DRIVE. WHEN I PICKED MY CAR UP 2 DAYS LATER THE SERVICE INVOICE STATED "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED I HAVE A 30,000 MILE MAINT. DONE I HAD JUST HAD THOSE SERVICES DONE 1 MONTH EARLIER AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THAT. IT WAS THEN RECOMMENDED THAT I SWITCH GAS STATIONS AND USE HIGH OCTANE FUEL AND USE A FUEL INJECTION CLEANER PURCHASED FROM ANY GAS STATION, THEN IF NO IMPROVEMENT FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS WOULD BE NEEDED BUT NO CODES IN THE ECU. I FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OVER 2 MONTHS AND NO CHANGE. WENT BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD NOTHING COULD BE DONE AND EVEN WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THE REGIONAL SERVICE MGR SENT TO "INSPECT" MY CAR DID NOT INSPECT IT AND REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR AND SUBMIT THE CLAIM UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I ALSO AT THIS TIME REMINDED THEM THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. AND WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK AND THE CAR IS IDLING THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS A SPEED OF 5-10 MILES PER HOUR, YET WHILE DRIVING SHOWS A SPEED OF 0. I ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE PILLAR AIRBAG COVER THEY FIXED WEEKS AGO IS HANGING LOOSE. IT COMES OFF EVERY TIME YOU SHUT THE DOOR. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE. THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. MY CAR HAS OR IS HAVING ABOUT 95% OF THE ITEMS DISPLAYED IN YOUR SERVICE BULLETINS, SEATBELTS,AIRBAGS,FUEL INJECTORS,WINDOW CONTROLS,SUN ROOF,AIR CONDITION AND TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM. AND THE DEALERSHIP AWARE OF ALL OF THEM. *TR
THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY AND A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE HAD COME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC MAINTAINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD KNOCK AND SHAKE AFTER BEING STARTED. WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD RATTLE AND FELT AS IF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED DUE TO THE SHAKING OF THE MOTOR. THE MECHANIC FOUND VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR HOSE MOUNTS, AIR CLEANING HOUSINGS AND LATER THE MOTOR AND ENGINE MOUNTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO WEAKNESS. THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS AND THE RIGHT SIDE ENGINE MOUNT WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. *SC
THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TOYOTA SCION TC HAS A VIOLENT COLD START JERKING AND BUCKING AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN IT IS STARTED UNTIL THE ENGINE IS WARM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO REPLACE SENSORS AND IT CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME THING. TOYOTA CLAIMS IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AS THERE ARE NO COMPUTER "FAULT CODES" DISPLAYED. OTHERS HAVE DRIVEN IT AND CLAIMED THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL, BUT TOYOTA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT - "IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." MANY DEALERS HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT, ALTHOUGH THEY AGREE THAT THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLE IS NOT AS POPULAR AS THE AUTOMATIC AND FEW PEOPLE PURSUE THE PROBLEM. AUTOWEEK MAGAZINE WROTE ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN THE SEPTEMBER 19, 2005 ISSUE AND THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM SCION WAS THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH IT WOULD BUCK AND JERK FOR THEM AS WELL. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.