2008 Scion XB problems & reliability
339 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Scion XB, alongside 8 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.
17 complaints report injuries (24 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 132 | 39% |
| Visibility | 45 | 13% |
| Steering | 37 | 11% |
| Engine | 35 | 10% |
| Electrical System | 34 | 10% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 20 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 4% |
| Structure | 11 | 3% |
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 53,000 miles (middle 50% between 20,250 and 90,000 miles), based on 195 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Scion XB. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 140,000; however, the Carfax report listed the mileage at approximately 230,000.”
Electrical System · filed Apr 30, 2026
“I am writing to report significant safety concerns regarding my 2008 Scion [include model, e.g., tC or xB]. After purchasing the vehicle, I discovered multiple serious mechanical and structural defects that make the car unsafe to operate on public roads. 1. Suspension/Struts – The struts are severely worn and are…”
Steering · filed Jul 24, 2025
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 scion xb. The contact stated that the vehicle was burning oil excessively without warning. The oil had to be replaced three to four times after an oil change. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, but it was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not…”
Engine · filed Aug 9, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
141 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Scion XB. The 10 most recent:
This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024. These products are ordered through the Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC)…
T-PANT-2024-004- · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 4, 2024
DL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors…
Z3G_Dealer_Lette · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 14, 2022
DL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors…
Z2G_Dealer_Lette · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 14, 2022
DL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors…
ZKG_Dealer_Lette · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 14, 2022
CSP: Takata CSP Coverage Job Aid - published 7.28.2022
Takata CSP Cover · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 28, 2022
DL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors…
ZKG_Dealer_Lette · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2022
DL: CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM ZKG Multiple Models and Model Years Vehicles Painted with Blizzard Pearl (070) or Super White (040) Paint Color Coverage for Peeling of Factory-Applied Paint
ZKG Important Up · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 28, 2021
RL: CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM ZKG Multiple Models and Model Years Vehicles Painted with Blizzard Pearl (070) or Super White (040) Paint Color Coverage for Peeling of Factory-Applied Paint
ZKG Customer Sup · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 27, 2021
TT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
S-TT-0117-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 11, 2020
DL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original factory-applied Blizzard Pearl or Super White paint colors. These reports indicate that vehicles with these specific paint colors…
ZKG_Dealer_Lette · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2020
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 2008 Scion XB has 8 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 2008 Scion XB?
- · 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 53,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.