Most common 2008 Scion tC problems
Share of the 86 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 →
2008 Scion tC recalls (3)
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold 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. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2009. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
What 2008 Scion tC owners say
Engine & cooling all 25 →
In about January of 2015 I received an extended warranty notice for my 2008 Scion tC stating this and other vehicles with the same engine maybe experiencing excessive oil consumption. Dealer told me it was fine after keeping it the entire weekend. A year and a half prior I had to take the vehicle to the dealership because about two weeks after they changed my oil the oil light started flickering on and off as if there was no oil in the car on or around May 14, 2015 a about 10:15 pm my 2008 Scion tC with around 119000 miles cut off while I was merging onto 95/495. I could have had an accident and possibly been injured or died due to this engine. I had the car looked at by my mechanic who then told me my vehicles engine had seized because the engine was taking in too much oil. I then had it towed into the dealership. …
My Scion tC was taken to dch Toyota & Scion of torrance for oil consumption test on mar 03, 2015 at 129,050 miles and again on May 21, 2015 at 132,611 miles. No action regarding high oil consumption was taken. On oct 5, 2015 while driving on 110 fwy in la engine suddenly stopped working and car needed to be shift in to neutral in order to roll to the side. This put me in to grate danger since everything stopped working. Car was towed to in to shop where mechanic diagnosed that engine has seized. It had low oil level and aluminum residue in it. His conclusion based on Toyota own admit ion of high oil consumption and fact that car had at the time 136,816 miles and next scheduled oil change suppose to be at 139,387 miles. I had to replace engine and clutch to have car running again. I contacted Toyota for reimbursement according warranty enhancement notification - ze7. …
Body & structure all 22 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota Scion tC. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked, he observed that the rear driver side door garnish was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the garnish assembly was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
I own a 2008 Scion tC which that is driven by my son and have 2 complaints which I feel are safety defects. Upon taking it in for repairs on 6/16/10 we advised the service advisor at Toyota of hollywood (fl) that the front grill fell off after hitting a bump in the road. The service advisor told us that we should repair this ourselves since he didn't want Toyota to be liable if it fell off again. Shouldn't they be liable in the first place since they are the manufacturer of the vehicle? Secondly, while my son was driving on I-95 last week (7/1/10), the hatchback popped open while driving at a speed of approximately 55 MPH. When he arrived home, we noticed that the latch to the hatchback was very loose and held together by 2 worn out screws. I contacted the service manager at Toyota of hollywood for a resolution to this matter and have not yet received a return phone call.
Air bags
This vehicle was just involved in an accident, rear-ending the car in front, the front end of the vehicle is demolished, the radiator and everything crushed and slammed back, fluids leaking from everything, even buckled the passenger door, the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle in front of this vehicle's airbags deployed. The police officers on the scene could not understand why they did not deploy.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Scion tC. While driving 25 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an independent facility. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 156,000.
2008 Scion tC engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Scion tC a good car?
Based on 86 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 tC rates avoid: 3.2× 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 2008 Scion tC?
The engine & cooling — 25 complaints, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (22) and air bags (10).
How many recalls does the 2008 Scion tC have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 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 2008 Scion tC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 65,000 miles; 43% 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.