There are 18 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2008 Scion xDin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY COME AND STAY ON. MANUAL TRANSMISSION XD. ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON BOTH AT HIGHWAY AND CITY SPEEDS, STAY ON FOR HOURS, THEN GO OFF, THEN COME BACK ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN GO BACK OFF. SOMETIMES THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WHEN I START THE CAR, THEN EVENTUALLY GO OFF, SOMETIMES THEY COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND GO OFF THE NEXT DAY OR SO. TEMPERATURES ARE COOL AND WET (40 DEGREE F) OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. ABS DOES NOT ENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, BUT DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WHILE ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON AND DURING BRAKING. WHEN ABS/BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OFF, ALL BRAKING IS NORMAL. BRAKES AND ASSEMBLIES ARE NOT WORN OUT, BRAKE FLUID LEVEL IS SPOT ON. *TR
WHENEVER I USE THE BRAKES IN MY CAR, THEY LOCK UP. THERE'S BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN I'M APPROACHING A STOP SIGN/LIGHT AND I GET EXTREMELY CLOSE TO HITTING A CAR BECAUSE MY CAR IS ACTING UP, ITS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF. MY ABS AND BRAKES LIGHT WERE ALSO ON. I TOOK MY CAR INTO TOYOTA AS SOON AS THE LIGHTS STARTED POPPING UP, AND THEY SAID IT WAS THAT THE WIRING IN MY CAR WAS SETTING OFF RANDOM LIGHTS, NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY BRAKES; IT WASN'T UNDER THEIR WARRANTY, SO THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $1,000+ TO FIX IT. I DECLINED. A MONTH AFTER MY VISIT, EVERY TIME I USE MY BRAKES, IT MAKES A WEIRD CLICKING NOISE, PEOPLE SAY IT'S MY ANTI LOCKS KICKING. NO CLUE WHY SOMETHING SO SERIOUS ISN'T UNDER RECALL. *TR
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON IN CAR, ALONG WITH CODE C0210. DIAGNOSIS INDICATES THAT BRAKES ARE FUNCTIONAL, BUT ABS IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. HAVE ALREADY HAD HUBS WITH SENSORS REPLACED ONCE AND, WHEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED, HAD THE HARNESS FOR THE RIGHT REAR SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. BASED UPON INTERNET SEARCHES AND SEARCHES OF THE COMPLAINTS DATABASE, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF THE SCION XD. SINCE ABS FUNCTIONALITY IS COMPROMISED, THIS REPRESENTS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 SCION XD, THE ABS STOPPED WORKING. EMERGENCY BRAKE AND BRAKES SEEM TO BE WORKING NORMALLY . MY LOCAL TOYOTA/SCION DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS TWO FAULTY REAR WHEEL SENSORS, INCLUDING ONE THAT WAS REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO (JAN. 2011) FOR THE SAME REASON. ALL FAILURES OCCURRED DURING BELOW FREEZING/ HEAVY SNOW CONDITIONS - EXACTLY THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ONE WOULD NEED ABS. PROPOSED REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACING THE WIRE HARNESS/SENSOR, BUT NO MEASURES TO PROTECT THE NEW PARTS FROM FREEZING OR CORROSIVE ROAD DEBRIS. REPAIR ESTIMATE IS APPROXIMATELY $1,200. MANY OTHER SCION XD OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. SOME SCION OWNERS CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR AND WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES WITH INACTIVE ABS SYSTEMS, AS I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT I COULD DO TO SAVE MONEY. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA IS NOT ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM WITH A REPAIR BULLETIN OR REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR PARTS THAT WERE NOT DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE VERY WEATHER CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE NEEDED MOST, OR ISSUING A RECALL TO HELP COVER THE COST TO REMEDY THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT WHEN THE PARTS FAIL. VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR WHAT HAS OTHERWISE BEEN AN EXCELLENT VALUE AND RELIABLE VEHICLE. *TR
THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. OUR LOCAL TOYOTA/SCION DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS FAULTY REAR WHEEL SENSORS AND CORRODED WIRING. PROPOSED REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACING BOTH REAR HUBS AND REPLACING THE WIRE HARNESS THAT IS CONNECTED TO THE FAULTY HUBS. REPAIR COSTS APPROXIMATE $1,500. MANY OTHER 2008 SCION XD OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM. SOME SCION OWNERS CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR AND WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES WITH INACTIVE ABS SYSTEMS. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL TO REMEDY THIS SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR
ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MORE MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO SAID BOTH REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS HAVE CORRODED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE WIRES. SINCE BOTH REAR WHEEL SENSORS FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A RANDOM PART ISSUE BUT SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ISSUE. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS ISSUE A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS SAME FAILURE ON THE YARIS MODEL. *TR
ABS AND VSC LIGHTS CAME ON. ABS AND VSC NOT WORKING. DEALER STATES IT IS THE RIGHT REAR SPEED SENSOR THAT HAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. DEALER SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL I GET IT FIXED, BUT THE ABS AND VSC WOULD JUST NOT WORK. AFTER HITTING LARGE BUMP RIGHT BEFORE BRAKING WAS REQUIRED, THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY PER SCION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V338000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM). THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TEST HAD TO BE PERFORMED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE REASON THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
MY 2008 SCION XD STARTED HAVING INTERMITTENT "MUSHY" BRAKES AND SEVERAL TIMES THE SLOW STOP LEFT ME TOO FAR INTO AN INTERSECTION OR TOO CLOSE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE DASH BOARD LIT UP WITH WARNING LIGHTS ABOUT THE BRAKES, ABS, AND ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION CONTROL. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BEFORE ANY DIAGNOSTICS WERE DONE, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A CORRODED SENSOR ON THE REAR DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR. AFTER RECEIVING A QUOTE FOR $787 FOR THE REPAIRS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS DESIGNED SO THE PROBLEM WOULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN ON THAT WHEEL. OF COURSE, THERE ARE THREE MORE WHEELS THAT COULD EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE. THE POSSIBILITY OF BRAKES BECOMING SUDDENLY "MUSHY" AND SLOW TO RESPOND IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY CAR HAD 34K MILES WHEN THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED. *TR
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION XD WITH <40K MILES. THE BRAKE SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR, THE SPEED SENSOR AND PARKING BRAKES, FAILED DURING A SNOW A WEEK AGO. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO SLIDE WITHOUT ABS AND WITH A FUNNY BRAKE ALL THE WAY HOME. TOYOTA OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THIS SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT ON THEIR SCION XD AND YARIS (PLATFORM MATES) SINCE A TSB WAS ISSUED FOR YARIS (T-SB-0120-08, JUNE 27, 2008) AND THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY GUESSED "FAILED REAR PASSENGER-SIDE WHEEL SENSOR" WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT AGREED TO PAY $750 OUR OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR, YET THE PART WAS BACK-ORDERED FOR MORE THAN A MONTH DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER VEHICLES SUFFERING FROM THE SAME DEFECT. NHTSA, LOOK AT THE RECENT SURGE IN ABS RELATED COMPLAINTS ON THE SCION XD AND THE YARIS. TOYOTA OBVIOUSLY KNOWS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN/MANUFACTORING DEFECT YET NO RECALL HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND THE OWNERS ARE FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS WHILE WAITING INDEFINITELY FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART. EVEN WORSE, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SENSOR IS LIKELY TO BE DEFECTIVE, YET TOYOTA WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT EVEN IF A RECALL IS ISSUED. IT'S LIKE SITTING ON A BOMB THAT'S WAITING TO EXPLODE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THE ABS SENSOR FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED EVERY OTHER WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. THE DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THE SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE ABS SENSOR FAILED THEY INSIST THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 49,669.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE WOULD ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WHEN THE CONTACT HAD ENGAGED THE BRAKES EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND WOULD RECUR WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT A SENSOR WITHIN THE REAR WHEEL HUBS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED 4/11/2011 *CN UPDATED 04/22/11
THE ABS LIGHT IN OUR 2008 SCION XD WAS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, ANDERSON TOYOTA & SCION IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS. THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS THE REAR HUB SPEED SENSOR ASSEMBLY: $605.00 TO REPLACE!!! WE HAD KURT'S AUTOMOTIVE IN ROCKFORD TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT IT, THEY COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT SHOWED JUSTIFICATION OF THAT BEING THE PROBLEM. SO IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND IT HAS NOT COME ON AGAIN FOR OVER A MONTH, WHEN IT DID COME ON OUR BRAKES WERE SPONGY AT TIMES TOO, LIKE THE OTHER COMPLAINT STATED & NOT AS RESPONSIVE. WE HAVE HAD THE RECALL (PCV TO BRAKE LINE CONDENSATION FIX) DONE BY ANDERSON AND THE ANTI-LOCK LIGHT WAS STILL COMING ON AFTER THAT TOO. BUT IT SEEMS WHEN IT STARTED GETTING WARMER OUT THE ANTI-LOCK LIGHT STOPPED AND BRAKES WERE FINE. JUST LAST WEEK, MAY 7 2010 WE TOOK IT IN TO ANDERSON'S FOR THE SERVICE BULLETIN SB-0032-09 INTERMITTENT HARD STARTING OR EXTENDED STARTING WHICH JUST STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO. THIS FIX(???) IS COVERED UNDER TOYOTA FEDERAL EMISSIONS WARR. 80K MILE OR 96MO., WHICH THE FIRST TIME I SOMEONE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST US $55 TO DIAGNOSE IT!!?? SECOND TIME I CALLED I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT ANDERSON, HE SAID BRING IT IN, IT'S UNDER WARRANTY. ANDERSON UPDATED THE ECM/PCM MODULES, CLEANED CARBON BUILDUP OUT OF COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, ADDED FUEL CLEANER. AND THE VERY NEXT DAY AS MY WIFE LEFT FROM A TRIP 120 MILES AWAY TO HEAD BACK HOME IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN!!!! HARD, EXTENDED STARTUP OF ENGINE! NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS WHEN THIS HAPPENS & THERE HAVE BEEN NO ERROR CODES IN COMPUTER. ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE CENTER TOLD ME THEY CAN RESET THEMSELVES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. OF COURSE THIS CAR JUST WENT OUT OF WARRANTY 43,000 CURRENT MILES, ON A (3YRS/36K WARR.)!!! MY WIFE WORKS NEAR CHICAGO SO IT MAKES FOR AN EVEN TOUGHER COMMUTE WONDERING EVERYDAY IF IT WILL START, THEN WILL SHE GET STUCK AT WORK! TOYOTA, SEEMS YOUR QUALITY HAS GONE SQUAT!! *TR
THE ABS LIGHT IN MY CAR KEEPS COMING ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (BAY RIDGE TOYOTA, BROOKLYN, NY) THREE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME I TOOK IT WITH A LETTER FOR A RECALL ON SOMETHING RELATED TO THE BRAKES. THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS AND THE BRAKES SOMETIMES FEEL SPONGY AND ARE NOT AS RESPONSIVE. I TOOK THE CAR AGAIN TODAY, AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS STILL UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY, THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $94 DOLLARS TO JUST LOOK AT IT. AGAIN, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR 3 TIMES. AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE. I WANT ALL THIS RECORDED IN CASE THE BRAKES STOP WORKING AND SOMETHING HAPPENS. I FEEL LIKE NO ONE IS LISTENING TO ME. THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY!!!! ALSO THE SEATBELT LIGHTS COME ON EVEN WHEN I HAVE THE SEATBELT ON. *TR
WHILE RETURNING HOME ON NOV.19, 2009 THERE WAS FRESH SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES. APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, A GARBAGE TRUCK FAILED TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES ON MY 2008 SCION XD AND THEY LOCKED, THE ABS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THIS RESULTED IN AN INJURY ACCIDENT. AFTER THE CAR WAS IN THE BODY SHOP I CONTACTED TOYOTA SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND THE SENT A REP TO INSPECT THE CAR, HE REPORTED NO PROBLEM W/ THE BRAKES. TODAY I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM OF THE 2008 SCION XD WHICH STATES THE BRAKES MAY FAIL IN EXTREMELY COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. TOYOTA ONLY RELEASED THIS RECALL IN 19 STATES THAT IT DEEMED COLD ENOUGH. I HAD TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE BRAKES. AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE CAR AT THAT TIME, STATING THEY WERE TO BUSY AND TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, BY THE APPOINTMENT THE TEMP WOULD HAVE RISEN AND THE PROBLEM NON EXISTENT. YOUR SITE WON'T ALLOW ME TO CONTINUE UNLESS I SELECT MODEL XB WHEN I WAS DRIVING AN XD. UPDATED 03/04/10
I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XD. PRIOR TO FINDING OUT ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE ABS SYSTEM, MY ABS LIGHT INDICATOR ON THE DASH BOARD CAME AN ALONG WITH MY PARKING BRAKE LIGHT. WHILE DRIVING I WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT SHUT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES THE ABS BRAKES KICKED IN AND WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO STOP MY VEHICLE BEFORE I CAME TO THE INTERSECTION! I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKES, THEN RE APPLIED THE BRAKES. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP. I HAD THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON MY CAR JANUARY 2010, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT STILL REMAINS ON, AND WHEN IT SHUTS OFF THE ABS BRAKES ACTIVATE CAUSING MY CAR TO BE OUT OF MY CONTROL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V338000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026