Window & Wiper complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 Scion xB. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16V340000 (air bags) and 15V689000 (visibility). 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 contact called Toyota of hollywood fl at [phone] (1450 n state rd 7, hollywood, fl 33021) where it was confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
My Scion xB developed an l-shaped crack in the front windshield, starting from the bottom of the passenger side (below the wipers), going up and to the left towards the driver side. The crack is about 6 inches long and it suddenly appeared with no apparent cause one morning.
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.
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 2005 Toyota Scion xB. The contact stated there were approximately 100 small fractures and chips in the front windshield as well as four larger, dime-sized chips. The insurance company advised they would not replace any defect that was not in the contact's line of sight.the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The contact stated the failure has existed since the date of purchase. The failure mileage was 6 and the current mileage was 99,000.
2005 Scion xB windshield crack in the midline, between the wipers. For no apparent reason the crack continuously increasing length. Didn't hit anything nor it occured from some object. Bought this car used from the dealer and from the looks of it this windshield is not OEM stock, might be replaced windshield and possibly this issue has occured before.
Related recalls (2)
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Scion xB years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (148), 2008 (45), 2005 (16) and 2004 (7) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 58% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Scion xB window & wiper problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 15V-689 (power window devices and controls, Oct 22, 2015); 12V-491 (power window devices and controls, Oct 10, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Scion xB window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 22,000 miles; 87% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the windshield (125 mentions), followed by the power window devices and controls (7).
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.