2005 Scion TC Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other TC years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 155 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Scion TC. That ranks 2nd out of 12 TC model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (47 complaints, 30%), typically at around 32,500 miles. Complaints mention 25 crashes, 3 fires, 35 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 155owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 25complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Scion TC problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 47 | 30% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 31 | 20% | 54,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 13% | 75,297 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 7% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 6% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 9 | 6% | 120,750 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 5% | 52,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 5% | 15,200 | — | — |
| Equipment | 6 | 4% | 16,450 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 3% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 3% | 25,523 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 3% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 3% | 37,281 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 3% | 125,750 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 2% | 93,499 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 11,121 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 74,765 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 60,010 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | 17,404 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 51,100 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 24,962 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Scion TC recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: On certain vehicles, the side impact seat-bolster and curtain side airbags may inadvertently deploy. This condition can occur if the door for that side of the vehicle is closed with a high rate of force while the vehicle's ignition is in the "on" position or within 90 seconds of turning the ignition key from the "on" position to the "off" position.
Risk: If the side impact seat-bolster and curtain side airbags inadvertently deploy, they could cause personal injury if an occupant is seated on the same side of the vehicle as the door that is closed with a high rate of force. Until the repair has been performed, it is recommended that a minimal force/speed be used to close the driver and passenger doors or closing the doors after 90 seconds have elapsed from turning the ignition key from the "on" to the "off" position.
Fix: Dealers will replace the two side impact airbag sensors and install a urethane pad in the front doors, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-866-548-1851.
Air bags
Problem: On certain vehicles, due to improper assembly of the air bag inflator, which is used in the side air bag, the curtain shield air bag, and the knee air bag assembly, some inflators were produced with an insufficient amount of the heating agents necessary for proper air bag deployment. In this condition, the expansion force of the gas may be insufficient to properly inflate the air bag when the srs system is activated during a crash.
Risk: This may increase the risk of injury to the occupant in the involved seating position in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the specific srs air bag. The recall began on april 6, 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371, scion at 1-866-548-1851, or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a glass wind deflector, the deflector, if impacted by a projectile, such as road debris, while driving with the wind deflector in the upward-tilted position at highways speeds, may shatter and separate from the frame.
Risk: Pieces of the wind deflector glass may separate from the frame and fall upon the vehicle occupants causing driver distraction and/or injury.
Fix: Dealers will install a protective laminate to the wind deflector to prevent pieces of glass from separating from the wind deflector frame. The recall began october 27, 2005. Owners may contact toyota at 1-866-707-2466.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Glass moonroof shatters (PE06024) — opened Jul 7, 2006, closed Dec 6, 2006.
- Sun/moon roof wind deflector breakage (EA05013) — opened Aug 26, 2005, closed Oct 26, 2005, led to recall 05V483000.
- Sun/moon roof wind deflector breakage (PE05021) — opened Apr 28, 2005, closed Aug 26, 2005.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Engine burning oil
1. I believe my airbags deployed pre-maturely with a soft impact to another vehicle. There was no damage to the other vehicle and no police report needed to be filed. There is a minor damage to my front bumper. 2. The airbags inflated on me, but no medical attention was required. 3. I have not…
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 scion tc. While the contact was accelerating from a traffic light, her vehicle was t-boned by another vehicle that ran a red light. The entire driver's side of the vehicle was smashed in and the vehicle was totaled. There were no injuries. The side curtain air bags and…
Glass roof shattered unprovoked
Other Scion TC years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 TC | 6 | 2 |
| 2015 TC | 22 | 2 |
| 2014 TC | 20 | 0 |
| 2013 TC | 9 | 0 |
| 2012 TC | 8 | 1 |
| 2011 TC | 29 | 0 |
| 2010 TC | 20 | 2 |
| 2009 TC | 60 | 3 |
| 2008 TC | 86 | 3 |
| 2007 TC | 117 | 2 |
| 2006 TC | 161 | 5 |
| 2005 | 155 | 4 |
See all Scion TC problems by year, every Scion model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Scion models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Scion TC?
Owners most often report visibility, structure, air bags problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 47 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Scion TC?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Scion TC a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other TC model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.