Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Scion xB owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The front windshield cracked sitting in the driveway while the vehicle was not being used. Nothing hit it or happened to the car. It was just sitting in my driveway facing the sun. I had just been in the vehicle 15 minutes earlier getting something out of it and the windshield was fine. The next time I looked at it a crack developed at the top of the windshield behind the rear view mirror that branched out into two horizontal lines. Looking online this seems to be a very common problem with this year Scion.
Out of no where; no trees, no trucks in front of me or any other vehicles, on a clear day, my windshield made a loud pop noise and it cracked from the top passenger side edge to the center of the windshield. It slowly creeped across to the mid-line of visibility on the driver side over the next 24 hrs. -- I was surprised to learn this is a common issue with this year and model!
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Scion xB. The contact stated that there was a large crack on the driver side of the vehicle. The contact was concerned that the windshield would fracture entirely causing injuries or a crash while driving. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Purchased car in September 2006 in north hollywood. Sitting at gas station early morning near mt shasta (north california, temperature just above freezing) with heater running. While pumping gas heard a cracking noise, came around to front of car and found crack running horizontally from lower driver side of windshield. Within two hours crack had grown almost seven inches, curving up first then running horizontally towards the passenger side. The next morning (again very cold temperatures) the crack had grown almost a full foot further. By the time I got the car to the dealership the "service manager" ran a pen along the crack and declared that a grain of sand had struck the windshield and that the dealership refused to cover the repair. …
I own a Scion xB 2006 and have the same problem many other Scion xB owners are having. My front windshield keeps cracking in the typical "l" shaped pattern. The first time was last year, it cracked for no reason during the late spring. A rock never hit it, nor did anything else that LED to the crack. Yesterday, I noticed the same "l" shape crack starting, this morning, it spread across my windshield to the passenger side. The crack is just under 3 feet long. This is exactly the same as the first crack, starts on the drivers side about three inches from the end of the window frame and moves to the passenger side. I've had it replaced by my insurance company using their suggested auto glass repair people. I will have it replaced again, tomorrow. So far, this seems to occur every 8,000 miles. …
While driving, a crack began in the windshield coming up from the about from the bottom of the windshield (about 8" from the middle, closer to the driver). After climbing a about 9" it made a 90 degree turn and continued on (making about an 18" crack w/in an hour). There was no chip near that area. There had been a chip on the far passenger side that had been repaired. Since then the windshield has gotten 4 other rock chips (including on that caused a crack extending exactly opposite of the 1st crack -- coming from the top-passenger side of center, toward the driver). This car has only been on the interstate for about 2000 miles (it has a total of 20000 miles). It has not driven on any abnormal or industrial roads (all chips/cracks occurred while the vehicle was traveling on an urban interstate at separate times). …
I have a new 2006 Scion xB purchased in September 2006. First cracked windshield occurred on 11/09/06; at 7 am , temperature 65-68 degrees, I turned on the heat-low- to get fog off the windshield, took out the thrash and came back to the car and found a nine inch crack from left side under rubber bending toward the right into my line of sight. No objects have hit my windshield and dealer could find no impact point. Toyota replaced windshield under warranty. Today, 12/20/06, I turned on the heat-specifically kept it low-to clear fog again (70 degrees outside). Drove 0.2 mile and noticed a new crack coming from under the rubber at the top center near the rear view mirror. Nothing has hit this second windshield. Found many internet blogs about Scion xB windshields cracking while they just sit in peoples' garage. This appears to be a design flaw. …
I walked into my garage this morning and found a l-shaped crack in my windshield. It starts from the top of the windshield on the driver's side and ends right underneath the rear view mirror. My windshield did not have a crack when I left my car yesterday evening. It is a very fine crack and doesn't look as if something hit it (no splinters in the glass). I contacted Scion corporate this morning and they told me to make an appointment with a Scion dealership (I am making an appointment for tomorrow morning). They said that it would be up to the dealership whether the replacement would be covered by the warranty and if the dealership deems that it shouldn't be, then I should get an estimate and contact them again with the information. They opened up a case number for me. …
I bought my Scion brand new in nov. 2005. It was my first brand new car, and I love my xB. I have been having unacceptable problems with windshield cracks. I am currently on my 5th windshield, and today I came out and saw a new crack. Approx. 12" on the lower passenger side. The car has been parked in the driveway facing the garage door since about 530 pm yesterday. Some one of the previous crack was due to a small pebble like object that lightly hit the windshield. It was instantaneously a 10" crack. My first two windshields were covered by my insurance, that last one I paid for out of pocket. With the new crack I will also have to pay for replacement unless Toyota owns up to the defect. The new crack shows no signs of impact. It grows out from under the molding and goes up, then slightly to the right, then up again. I have contacted Toyota twice hoping to get this solved. …
I've had to replace my windshield twice in the past six months. The first time was because of a pebble and I went to the replacement place recommended by my insurance carrier. The second time the windshield just cracked. I was driving down the road and heard this "click". Thought there was a crack, but saw nothing. Next morning I got into my car and there was a crack about 3" long on the bottom, left, driver's side of the windshield. No little impact crater indicating a debris hit, just a crack. I went to one of those repair places and they did their thing, but over the course of 2 weeks the crack grew until it was about 18" long. Finally just gave up and replaced it. When I called the windshield repair place they said they get a lot of xB calls. The windshield design is faulty causing it to keep cracking. …
Window & Wiper complaints in other xB years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2006 Scion xB?
NHTSA has 148 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2006 Scion xB, 58% of the model year's 253 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (93 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Scion xB window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2006 Scion xB, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Scion xB window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 20,000 miles, and 60% before 25,000 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.