Scion FR-S Engine Problems
Owners have filed 151 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Scion FR-S across 4 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (141). The words owners use most often: “valve spring” (28% of reports).
- 151engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 57%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Valve spring: mentioned in 43 of 151 complaints (28%)
- Knocking noise: mentioned in 17 of 151 complaints (11%)
- Rod bearing: mentioned in 13 of 151 complaints (9%)
- Oil starvation: mentioned in 8 of 151 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 125 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 151 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 2 a fire.
Scion FR-S engine complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Model years: 2013
Problem: Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
On approximately May 27, 2026 I delivered my 2013 Scion FR-S (approx. 105,000 miles) to an authorized Toyota dealer for Safety Recall J02 (NHTSA 18V-772, engine valve spring replacement). I picked it up on June 3, 2026. Immediately the engine ran sluggish and the air conditioning, which had worked…
The car randomly shut off, i started it back up and it has a knock in the engine. Oil is super clean, and changed every 3k miles. I keep up with maintenance on my vehicle. I contacted Toyota and they had a Valve Spring Recall that leads to this very problem but somehow my vehicle isn't covered. I
The valve spring for my 2015 FRS completely broke and this was a known issue and recalls for my car and it is available for inspection
The car randomly shut off, i started it back up and it has a knock in the engine. Oil is super clean, and changed every 3k miles. I contacted Toyota and they had a Valve Spring Recall that leads to this very problem but somehow my vehicle isnt covered.
There was a recall on the power train system for the 2016 Scion frs models and mines just failed. I was never notified about this recall. Can the recall be reopened
Frequently asked questions
Do all Scion FR-Ss have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 151 owner complaints about engine for the Scion FR-S. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Scion FR-S engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Scion FR-S?
The most frequent phrase is “valve spring”, in 43 of 151 complaints, followed by “knocking noise” (17).
See all Scion FR-S problems.