Most common 2006 Scion xA problems
Share of the 71 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Scion xA complaints by model year
Best xA years: 2007, 2004. Years to avoid: 2006, 2005. Compare all years →
2006 Scion xA recalls (5)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Toyota Scion xA vehicles. The air bag control module for the supplemental restraint system (SRS ECU) may experience an internal short, possibly causing the air bags to unintentionally deploy, or become deactivated.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the SRS ECU, and if necessary, replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began December 21, 2018.
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.
Vehicle speed control
Certain rostra precision controls' speed controls May have a faulty module. These controls were installed by southeast Toyota dealers or at their vehicle processing center on certain passenger vehicles. When the speed control "on/off" switch is pressed once to turn the unit off, the throttle does not return to idle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and/or replace the speed control module. The recall began on February 28, 2007. Owners May contact southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Certain rostra precision controls' speed controls May have a faulty module. These controls were installed by gulf states Toyota (gst) dealers or at their vehicle processing center on certain passenger vehicles. When the speed control "on/off" switch is pressed once to turn the unit off, the throttle does not return to idle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and/or replace the speed control module. The recall began on March 7, 2007. Owners May contact gst at 1-800-444-1074.
What 2006 Scion xA owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Scion XA. The contact stated that while driving through a green light in second gear, another vehicle ran a light from the left and crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's head struck the side window, and the vehicle spun and was able to come to a stop. The Police arrived on the scene; however, a Police report was not filed. The contact received injuries to the ankles, back, and sustained whiplash. Medical attention was sought. The vehicle was able to be driven from the scene; however, the wheel was damaged, causing issues with the alignment. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was taken to the dealer 7 times. While the contact's husband was driving the vehicle, there was a sudden loss of power. …
2006 scion XA The dash light indicator for pass airbag stays on, showing problem with that system. Toyota had a recall and my car was supposedly fixed this problem, only to have same problem again 4 mos past the 1 year warranty on repairs. I contacted toyota...they sent me an email saying they would get back to me, and gave me a case #[redacted]. 5 mos. later had not heard from them...so called them. They said they were sorry but I was past the 1 yr warranty on recall repair. I can't understand why NHTSA allows mfg to do temporary repairs on defective systems, and kick the can down the road until consumer is responsible for further repairs, when it should have be fixed right in the 1st place. [redacted]
Fuel & propulsion system
Hawaii in the house ...I own a 2006 Scion xA and recently the check engine light came on. I had it diagnosed at hilo Toyota.."p2401 evaporate leak detection pump control circuit". The charcoal canister and some other parts are ruined due to water leakage. I am one of millions Scion owners who now has to pay major parts and labor charges to have this fixed. I live in hawaii and it rains alot here, I find this as a defect and Toyota should take the right actions to fix this on going issue. I love my Scion but I hate knowing this will re-occur again and again and again... As many posts have paid for new parts. This is my first time and I payed over $1,000 in repairs for this codes. "totota" handle this issue already. We are loyal customers, but u guys need to take action. Not every one has a few thousands to fix this on going issue.
Check engine light came on, had it checked by an independent mechanic, who told me the related code indicated a problem with the emissions sensor. I took the car to the dealer and they charged me over $900 for a faulty charcoal filter. I have since come across this site http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2006/Toyota/scion_xa/fuel_system_gasoline/problem.aspx detailing that this should have been a recall by the manufacturer because of a known defect., however it never was.
Engine & cooling
Bought a 2006 Scion xA that previously had the charcoal canister assembly and fuel filler pipe cover replaced under TSB eg047-06. CEL was on when I bought the car, and the codes p043e, p043f, p2401, p2401, p2419 indicated the same components were damaged again. I replaced the components affected by the TSB, which included un updated part number for the fuel tank filler pipe cover holder (77248-52050). After clearing the codes, the car was fine for several thousands of miles until the CEL came back on with the same codes. It doesn't make sense to continue replacing the charcoal canister every time these codes reappear. I cannot find any new information to indicate Toyota has a permanent fix for this recurring issue, and I haven't come across any alternate fix on the internet that resolves it. …
Hawaii in the house ...I own a 2006 Scion xA and recently the check engine light came on. I had it diagnosed at hilo Toyota.."p2401 evaporate leak detection pump control circuit". The charcoal canister and some other parts are ruined due to water leakage. I am one of millions Scion owners who now has to pay major parts and labor charges to have this fixed. I live in hawaii and it rains alot here, I find this as a defect and Toyota should take the right actions to fix this on going issue. I love my Scion but I hate knowing this will re-occur again and again and again... As many posts have paid for new parts. This is my first time and I payed over $1,000 in repairs for this codes. "totota" handle this issue already. We are loyal customers, but u guys need to take action. Not every one has a few thousands to fix this on going issue.
2006 Scion xA engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 27 / 35 / 30 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 27 / 34 / 30 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Scion xA a good car?
Based on 71 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 xA rates avoid: 4.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the xA at the same age. It is one of the xA 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 2006 Scion xA?
The air bags — 17 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (16) and engine & cooling (15).
How many recalls does the 2006 Scion xA have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2006 Scion xA, the most recent from November 1, 2018 (air bag/restraint control module). 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 xA?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006 and 2005. See the full Scion xA years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Scion xA problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 50,000 miles; 47% 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.