Most common 2010 Scion tC problems
Share of the 20 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 →
2010 Scion tC recalls (2)
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.
What 2010 Scion tC owners say
Engine & cooling
Warranty Enhancement Program - ZE7 OIL Leak Certain 2007-2010 Scion tC Extension of Warranty Coverage for 2AZ Engine Oil Consumption Toyota is now announcing the part replacement phase of Warranty Enhancement Program ZE7 for vehicles exhibiting excessive engine oil consumption. Eligibility for part replacement under this Warranty Enhancement Program is dependent on a Toyota dealer performed engine oil consumption test in accordance with T-SB-0158-14(Toyota) and S-SB-0031-14 (Scion). My daughter was never notified of this issue and they will not honor this and they told me it would have to be reopened in order for them to fix it at no cost to my daughter. Toyota needs to reopen this and fix my daughters car. …
I took my car to Toyota on August 7th 2021 and was informed my car needed a new engine due to losing three quarts of oil. The employee then informed me my car was under recall but they would be unable to fix the problem because the recall had expired. I never received a letter in the mail instructing me to take my car in for repairs due to this recall.
Windows, wipers & sunroof
My husband and I were driving down a town road in our community on cape cod on a clear day. Suddenly we heard what sounded like a gun shot. It scared the living daylights out of us because it was so loud, like an explosion. We pulled over into a parking lot to investigate what had happened. The sunroof of the car had completely exploded with shattered glass streaming off the back of the car. Thankfully, we had the canvas part of the sunroof closed. If left open, we would have had glass coming down onto our heads and laps. This, for sure, could have caused an accident. The sound alone, was terrifying! It seemed to explode outward, and there was nothing that seemed to hit the roof. I did some investigating about tempered glass and realized that it is not so rare of an occurrence for this to happen because of the inclusions of nickel sulfide often found in tempered glass. …
Driver's sun visor will not stay in position against the roof of the car and falls at will, which is a hazard as it limits visibility, sometimes at the worst possible time. At times it merely stays in the lowest possible position, which makes certain driving maneuvers very difficult and dangerous - especially in bad weather. I know Toyota has a recall for this same issue on the camry, and I've been told by one of the service technicians that several other models have the same issue, but with no recall. It is obviously a problem with vehicles manufactured by Toyota.
Brakes
Happened last weekend, was making a right turn in my new 2010 Scion tC. Car is just barely 2 months old and less than 800 miles on the odometer. Middle part of a nice, mild day, dry road, but some broken pavement/roughness at the corner there. Someone coming from my 3 o'clock position was planning to make a u-turn in the intersection so I attempted to stop for them before completing my right turn. Applied brakes and pedal resistance and deceleration rate initially seemed normal, but then when it got a little bumpy the brake pedal effort went to zero and so did my braking. So my car proceeded with the motion, at coasting speed -- not accelerating (my foot was off the gas, on the brake pedal), but also not slowing at all!
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Scion tC. The contact stated that the fuel filler tank cap would dislodge whenever the vehicle was being refueled. Also, the brake pedal would abnormally travel to the floorboard when depressed and would feel spongy. As a result, there was a delay in response from the vehicle when braking. In addition, the check engine light was continuously illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 35,486.
2010 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 2010 Scion tC a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 tC rates average: 36% fewer complaints than a typical year of the tC at the same age. 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 2010 Scion tC?
The engine & cooling — 7 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (4) and brakes (3).
How many recalls does the 2010 Scion tC have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2010 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 2010 Scion tC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 35,000 miles; 79% 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.