Most common 2008 Scion xB problems
Share of the 339 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Scion xB complaints by model year
Best xB years: 2007, 2015, 2013. Years to avoid: 2008, 2006, 2009, 2005. Compare all years →
2008 Scion xB recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of…
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Scion xB and Lexus IS F, 2009-2011 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris, Lexus IS250 and Lexus IS350, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, Lexus IS250C, Lexus IS350C and Lexus GX460, 2011 Sienna, 2007-2011 Lexus ES350, and…
Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of…
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles.
Remedy: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge.
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.
Show 2 more recalls
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.
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and attachments
Southeast Toyota is recalling 67 my 2008-2009 Scion xb vehicles equipped with the sports grill option and also several radiator grills sold as parts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the sports grill installation and install additional clips to ensure the radiator grill garnish is properly secured. The recall began on October 6, 2008.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Scion xB:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2008 Scion xB owners say
Air bags all 132 →
Takata recall on Wednesday, October 19, 2017 at 7:40 am, I was driving by myself south bound on alabama street in houston, texas. This street is a two-lane street on each side. I was aware that I was abiding by the speed limit, going around 25-30 miles, because I had just left a stopped traffic light and was heading into school zone that had a flashing warning light. Another driver, driving south bound on a cross street of live oak street, ran the stop sign at high speed and crashed into me on the drivers' side of the car. I had seen the car coming and tried to swerve away to the right to not hit her but she was going so fast I could not avoid her. The other driver admitted it was her fault both to myself, the police officer who arrived on the scene and in the accident report. The other drivers insurance has claimed full liability to the accident. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Scion xB. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle and the front driver's side of the vehicle crashed into a concrete center divider. The vehicle rolled three times. No air bags deployed. The driver suffered injuries to her knee, chest, back, hand, neck, face, and shoulder. The front seat passenger suffered injuries to his right hand, forearm, neck, back, and chest. The rear driver's seat passenger suffered contusions to her face and arm, chest and neck. Medical attention was required and all the occupants were taken to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that they would obtain the vehicle's black box and investigate the incident. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 45 →
Poor quality back-up light could cause vehicle to be unseen while backing up. Scion xB has only one back-up light mounted on the lower right side of the bumper. This light could cause a serious hazard to children and pets that are walking or playing at night.Toyota has installed a very safe light assembly on the same vehicle sold in Japan as a (Toyota rumion).the lights on the Toyota are a direct fit with the Scion xB and cost Toyota very little to fix.please note that single light on the bumper can illuminate the ground and the Toyota version lights up the rear completely.these Toyota lights can be found on the internet and some members of scionlife. Com has installed them already. The cost of these lights shipped to the us are way beyond what most are willing to pay. Please look into this safety hazard!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Toyota Scion xB. While making a right turn at approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the vehicle stalled without warning. In addition, the contact mentioned that the windshield wipers operated independently. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,063.
Engine & cooling all 42 →
I am writing to report significant safety concerns regarding my 2008 Scion [include model, e.g., tC or xB]. After purchasing the vehicle, I discovered multiple serious mechanical and structural defects that make the car unsafe to operate on public roads. 1. Suspension/Struts - The struts are severely worn and are causing premature and uneven tire wear. This creates a major risk of tire blowout or loss of control while driving. 2. Motor Mount - The engine mount is missing screws and bolts, which results in excessive engine movement. This could lead to engine damage or failure while in motion. 3. Alignment - The vehicle's alignment is completely off, causing the car to pull while driving and further worsening tire wear and handling. 4. …
Scion vehicle was hit in an accident by another car on 1/15/2015. Vehicle that hit Scion failed to stop for a red signal and collided into Scion hitting first the right front corner of passenger side, then hit again head on. Air bags did not deploy. We have 2 witnesses that saw the accident and all witnesses including the police officer noticed the air bag was not deployed. Police report: [redacted] police information: [phone]; officer [redacted]- montgomery county police department location: montgomer county, md
2008 Scion xB engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 28 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Scion xB a good car?
Based on 339 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 xB rates avoid: 7.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the xB at the same age. It is one of the xB 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 xB?
The air bags — 132 complaints, 39% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (45) and engine & cooling (42).
How many recalls does the 2008 Scion xB have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2008 Scion xB, the most recent from October 17, 2019 (inflator 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 xB?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2015 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2006, 2009 and 2005. See the full Scion xB years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Scion xB problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 52,000 miles; 48% 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.