2005 Scion TC problems & reliability
155 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Scion TC, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
24 complaints report injuries (35 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 47 | 30% |
| Structure | 31 | 20% |
| Air Bags | 20 | 13% |
| Unknown OR Other | 11 | 7% |
| Tires | 10 | 6% |
| Engine | 9 | 6% |
| Power Train | 8 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 5% |
| Equipment | 6 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 52,450 miles (middle 50% between 22,250 and 97,733 miles), based on 98 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Engine · filed Sep 10, 2025
“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 confirmed or reproduced…”
Air Bags · filed Nov 15, 2021
“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 driver's side air…”
Air Bags · filed Dec 13, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- GLASS MOONROOF SHATTERS
Preliminary Evaluation PE06024 · opened Jul 7, 2006 · closed Dec 6, 2006
- SUN/MOON ROOF WIND DEFLECTOR BREAKAGE
Engineering Analysis EA05013 · opened Aug 26, 2005 · closed Oct 26, 2005 · led to recall 05V483000
- SUN/MOON ROOF WIND DEFLECTOR BREAKAGE
Preliminary Evaluation PE05021 · opened Apr 28, 2005 · closed Aug 26, 2005
Technical service bulletins
83 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2005 Scion TC. The 10 most recent:
SB: Flash reprogramming allows the ECU software to be updated without replacing the ECU. Flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ECUs are released as field-fix procedures described in individual Service…
S-SB-0015-14 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2015
SB: Flash reprogramming allows the ECU software to be updated without replacing the ECU. Flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ECUs are released as field-fix procedures described in individual Service…
S-SB-0015-14 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2015
SSB: The procedure in this bulletin is a general guideline on how to properly diagnose the air conditioning system after a component failure. Refer to the applicable Repair Manual for vehicle specific repair procedures…
S-SB-0005-15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2015
SSB: The procedure in this bulletin is a general guideline on how to properly diagnose the air conditioning system after a component failure. Refer to the applicable Repair Manual for vehicle specific repair procedures…
S-SB-0005-15 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 13, 2015
SSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals…
S-SB-0023-11 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 10, 2015
SSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the precautions in this bulletin to avoid damaging electrical components and switches. Many lubricants, cleaners, and automotive chemicals…
S-SB-0023-11 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 10, 2015
Automatic/Continuously Variable Transmission Replacement Precautions
S SB 0024 14A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 16, 2014
TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE-October 16, 2014: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see S-SB-0024-14.
S-SB-0020-11 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 16, 2014
TSB: The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON," shifting issues, and/or transmission damage. Use the…
S-SB-0024-14 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 16, 2014
TSB: The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of the correct torque converter bolts during automatic transmission/transaxle assembly replacement. Incorrect torque…
S-SB-0003-11 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 16, 2014
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2005 Scion TC has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2005 Scion TC?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 52,450 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.