Most common 2005 Scion tC problems
Share of the 155 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Scion tC complaints by model year
Best tC years: 2016, 2012, 2013. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. Compare all years →
2005 Scion tC recalls (4)
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Side/window
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…
Remedy: 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
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.
Remedy: 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
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2005 Scion tC:
Glass moonroof shatters
Odi's investigation discloses that the subject vehicles sustain moonroof shattering and/or damage at rates comparable to those for most other similarly equipped vehicles.this review also discloses that such incidents occur in most vehicles with moonroofs and that while tempered glass panels commonly used in moonroof fabrication are shatter-resistant, some catastrophic failures do in fact occur.impact with small…
Sun/moon roof wind deflector breakage
The manufacturer states that there are no indications of deficiencies in the design, manufacture, or assembly of the wind deflector that May account for the incidents reported.the manufacturer also believes that impact of airborne road debris with the wind deflector is the probable cause for the incidents reported.odi's analyses of the warranty data indicate that incidents of wind deflector breakage while driving…
Sun/moon roof wind deflector breakage
The manufacturer notified NHTSA by letter dated October 17, 2005, that a safety recall has been initiated.NHTSA has assigned no.05v-483 to the recall.the corrective action will consist of installing a plastic film to the inside surface of the wind deflector glass.the corrective action will be performed on approximately 71,400 my 2005 and 2006 Scion tc vehicles manufactured during the period of March 12, 2004 through…
What 2005 Scion tC owners say
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 50 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Scion tC. While driving approximately 65 MPH, a booming sound was heard outside the vehicle. After stopping the vehicle, the driver discovered that the glass air defector had shattered. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 05V483000 (visibility) in November of 2005 to prevent the failure from occurring. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 113,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Toyota Scion tC. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the sun roof glass exploded and shattered. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,500.
Body & structure all 31 →
My 2005 Toyota Scion tC turned off while I was driving. I put vehicle in park and re started it. Moments later the brakes failed and I turned into a plaza. At that point the steering failed. I did not know the vehicle was on fire until this point. I had no control of the car so I reached back and grabbed my two year old who was strapped in her car seat. Right before we jumped out the car stopped completely ( tires melted) , the flames were visible in front of me and the car filled with smoke. We jumped out and ran. Moments later the entire car was in flames. Witnesses told me that I was on fire for a while and they turned around to get my attention. No injuries or fatalities were suffered with this fire but it was way too close for comfort.
Driving at highway speed on an approximately 40 degree dry day with no extreme weather conditions. Heard a shotgun like noise at which point the sunroof shattered and glass fell into the drivers side and passenger side areas. Sunroof and wind shield were closed, screen was open. Pain resulted in ears and head however no lacerations were obtained. Falling glass onto driver and behind the car could have resulted in an accident with another vehicle. Cause unknown, no debris was seen or heard resulting in the shattering of the glass. Driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. Glass shattered around the edges and near the center of the sun roof, wind shield was open after incident, not prior.
Air bags all 20 →
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 this problem with a professional. 4. My car has not been inspected nor reported to my insurance agency as my coverage only covers liability. 5. No symptoms prior to airbags deploying pre-maturely *Because of the pre-mature deployment of my airbags I am unable to afford the airbags to be reset, as doing so would cost more than the kbb estimated value of my car.
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 bag did not deploy. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed to a body shop. The manufacturer was contacted and reminded by the contact that there was an unknown recall for the side air bags for which the vehicle was repaired for in 2006. The manufacturer responded with a letter, stating that they assigned an engineer to diagnose the vehicle. Based on their inspection, they did not find enough frontal damage to command the deployment of the side air bags. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 91,400.
2005 Scion tC engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Scion tC a good car?
Based on 155 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 tC rates avoid: 5.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the tC at the same age. It is one of the tC years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Scion tC?
The windows, wipers & sunroof — 50 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about sun/moon roof assembly. Next are the body & structure (31) and air bags (20).
How many recalls does the 2005 Scion tC have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2005 Scion tC, the most recent from February 3, 2010 (labels). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Scion tC?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2016, 2012 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. See the full Scion tC years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Scion tC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 54% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.