Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Scion xB owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was t-boned on March 6th, 2013 on the driver's side. I was in a Scion xB and the person who hit me was in a Chevy silverado. The impact was estimated at 45 MPH and the door was jammed shut. No air bags deployed. The curtain airbag should have which would have lessened the impact. As a result, the driver (myself) sustained a broken collar bone, broken rib, and punctured lung among various bruising and passed out for an unknown amount of time. After several calls to Scion and a visit to the Toyota dealership where it was purchased we did not hear anything from the car manufacturer until a month later. The inspectors at Toyota called to find out where the car was located and if they would be able to inspect it. Because the jaws of life were used to pry the door open, it split the door enough to where you could see where the sensor for the airbag did not deploy. …
NHTSA re all no. 16v-340 & 17v-006 2012 Toyota Scion I took the veicle to repair after that I didn't revive any notification of recall , I did file a complaint never recive any notification it looks like my car it's been sold to another agency without my notification and autorizacin I'm still making payments without knowing the situation.
Takata inflators - we received a mailed notice from Toyota motor sales, USA, inc. On feb. 10, 2017 with no further correspondence since that time. Is the NHTSA applying any pressure on Toyota to provide the dealers with the required parts needed to accomplish the repairs?
Takata recall I received notice of recall regarding the Takata air bag in my 2012 Scion xB. I went to the local dealer where I purchased the vehicle and was told replacement parts would not be available until September 2017, at the earliest. I then inquired about being provided with a rental car and I was told there is a month long waiting list for a rental from them. I asked if they would pick up the cost for a rental car from an outside rental company and they said that I would have to deal directly with Toyota regarding my request. This is an entirely unacceptable situation, not to mention extremely dangerous. I am driving around in a car that has a known, potentially fatal flaw, and the best suggestion Toyota can provide is " don't have a passenger in the front passenger side of your car". I have to have my vehicle available to take people with me at all times. …
Takata recall-I have received several recall notices and have been to the local Toyota dealer several times. So far there has been no action taken by the dealer to repair my vehicle. I have requested a rental car until my vehicle is safely repaired, but the dealer tells me that when a rental becomes available I will be notified. It has been at least 6 months since I started this process with the dealer and I have never been called about obtaining a rental vehicle. I have filed a complaint on line already about this situation, at least two months ago, and still no action has been taken. I am extremely worried about using my vehicle, I am the driver in the family and generally have passengers in my car. I cannot afford to rent a vehicle on my own. Please advise me how to remedy this situation as soon as possible. …
Takata recall, I have had a problem with my Toyota Scion xB, the passenger seat air bag is defective and I had received a notice that no one should ride in that seat until the airbag can be replaced. This is scary, and now my four seat car, only get used on 3 seats. Very dangerous and inconvenient that no one can use that front passenger seat. I received a 2nd letter just last week that said contact my Toyota dealer (which I did) for replacement of the bag. I just tried that and the "parts" are not all in...why would Toyota do that letter if all parts are not in for my model. I called the dealership (weston, fl [phone]) and was given the runaround that no date is set for receiving the parts I need to repair my Scion and it is unknown when that will happen. …
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Scion xB. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V340000 (air bags) however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact contacted the conicelli Toyota dealer located at 1208 ridge pike, conshohocken, pa 19428; and tri-county Toyota dealer located at 15 d and l drive royerford, pa 19468; where both informed the contact that the parts were not available. The contact had not experienced any failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Scion xB. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V006000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Servco Toyota honolulu (located at 2850 pukoloa street #200, honolulu, hi 96819) was contacted regarding part availability. The contact was informed that the manufacturer would send a second notification when the remedy parts were available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Scion xB. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 16V340000 (air bags). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The servco hawaii customer service center dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and did not know when the parts would become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Scion xB. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V006000 (air bags); however, the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact called hamer Toyota (located at 11069 sepulveda blvd, mission hill, ca 91345) and was informed that the part needed for the repair was not available for any vehicles. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Related recalls
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 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019.
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…
NHTSA investigations
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.
Airbag complaints in other xB years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2012 Scion xB?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the air bags of the 2012 Scion xB, 60% of the model year's 45 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Scion xB airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-741 (inflator module, Oct 17, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-005 (inflator module, Jan 9, 2019); NHTSA recall 17V-006 (inflator module, Jan 9, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2012 Scion xB airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 40% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.