2011 Scion TC problems & reliability
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Scion TC. 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 21% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 14% |
| Visibility | 4 | 14% |
| Power Train | 3 | 10% |
| Structure | 3 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 7% |
| Engine | 2 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 7% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Scion TC. The contact stated that the vehicle was advertised on Facebook Market place with 183,000 miles. The contact stated that while purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that the odometer displayed 118,000. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase…”
Electrical System · filed Dec 1, 2025
“Why did the dealer tell me this recall is not associated with my vin when I keep getting recall UNADDREESSED notices for my vehicle? This is a safety reason and a complete disconnect between dealerships and Toyota manufacture. I need this addressed immediately!”
Service Brakes · filed Jan 21, 2023
“Bought this car for my 16 yo. He was driving home last evening with his 9yo brother in the car and they heard a loud pop. He pulled over to investigate the noise and discovered that his sunroof glass had shattered. Thankfully the inner shade was closed. No sign of impact from any type of object and no known prior…”
Visibility/wiper · filed Oct 18, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
87 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 Scion TC. The 10 most recent:
TT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
S-TT-0117-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 11, 2020
DL: Toyota plans to send Safety Recall Follow-Up Notices for the above referenced campaigns to remind owners whose vehicles have not yet had campaign repairs completed.
20R001 Toyota Cu · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 15, 2020
TSB: REVISION NOTICE August 23, 2017 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2015 model year xB vehicles, 2015 ? 2016 model year tC vehicles, and 2016 model year iM vehicles. ? The Parts Information section…
S-SB-0012-14-Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 29, 2017
TSB: REVISION NOTICE November 10, 2016 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include 2015 model year xB vehicles, 2016 model year iM vehicles, and 2015 ? 2016 tC vehicles. ? The Parts Information section has been…
S-SB-0035-13 Rev · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 10, 2016
Toyota 2007-2015 camry,solara, corolla, corolla matrix, rav4, scion tc, xb: revised 5/19/ 2015 bulletin information involving warranty enhancement program regarding certain model vehicles extension due to excessive…
POL14-12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 15, 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
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
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
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2011 Scion TC in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
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 2011 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.