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2005 Toyota Scion xa

The Verdict

90 Smooth Ride

The 2005 Toyota Scion xa has 40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (16 complaints) and body (15 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 90/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Toyota Scion xa, consider the 2004 model year which has 65% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2004 has 65% fewer complaints

View the 2004 Toyota Scion xa dashboard →

90

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
200461340
20051541641
200612423293

By Category

Electrical
16
Body
15
Brakes
4
Engine
4
Transmission
1

By Severity

1
13
2
14
4
13

Worst Problems

Complaints

Electrical 2

The air bag light has been trigger on and won't go off. Nov 1, 2018 If the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners unintentionally deploy, it can increase the risk of a crash. If the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners are deactivated, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

53mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SCION XA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND THE DRIVER FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HERRIN-GEAR TOYOTA (6100 INTERSTATE 55 NORTH FRONTAGE RD, JACKSON, MS 39211, (601) 391-6346) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

85mo ago
Electrical 1

THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF

89mo ago
Electrical 2

I AM AN OLDER GAL WITH NO CAR...MY DAUGHTER GAVE ME HER CAR SO I COULD TAKE MY 95 YEAR OLD MOM AROUND. ONE DAY THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT IN AND THE MAN SAID IT WOULD BE $700.00. I DON'T HAVE ANY EXTRA MONEY. TODAY I SAW THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL ON TELEVISION. I CALLED TOYOTA..THEY SAID MINE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. JUST BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE RECALL LIST....WHO IS TO SAY THIS AIRBAG ON THIS SCION IS NOT TAKATAS FAULT TOO. IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.....IF THERE ARE AIRBAG PROBLEMS ON ALL THESE TOYOTA'S.......WHY WOULD NOT MINE BE INCLUDED...I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH IT LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA $700.00 TO FIX IT. CAN'T THERE BE SOMETHING DONE TO HELP ME OUT........THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME...... I WAS JUST DRIVING AROUND AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. YES...USE THIS EMAIL ADDRESS TO ALERT ME OF ANY RECALLS.FRON THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION...THANK YOU....(I HAD TO PUT THIS HERE BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT LET ME CHECK YES. BELOW)

95mo ago
Body 4

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, GOING SLOWLY. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR ACCELERATED. IT JUMPED THE CURB, TOOK OUT A TRASH CAN, PASSED BETWEEN 2 STEEL POLES (MEANT TO PROTECT THE BUILDING), TOOK OUT A TREE, HIT THE BUILDING, FINALLY STOPPING AT ANOTHER TREE. I WAS TRYING TO BRAKE THE WHOLE TIME BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I REMEMBER THE ENTIRE INCIDENT. THIS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION HAD HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES PREVIOUSLY BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR AT THE TOW LOT, MY SON AND I COULD SEE THAT THE FRAME WAS BENT SO I GAVE IT TO THE TOW LOT FOR THE COST OF TOW FEES. FORTUNATELY I WAS NOT INJURED BEYOND ACHES AND PAINS. I KEPT THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEN I DECIDED TO CHECK PAST PERFORMANCE AND FOUND THAT THESE VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE A GOOD RECORD. WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT THIS CRAPPY CAR.

99mo ago
Electrical 2

THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON OR LIGHTED ALL THE TIME

109mo ago
Electrical 4

LAST FRIDAY ANOTHER CAR HIT UP AND AIR BAG NEVER UP

109mo ago
Body 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SCION XA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENTIRE SUN ROOF EXPLODED INCLUDING THE GLASS FRAME. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

122mo ago
Electrical 2

AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A FEW YEARS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. WAS TOLD DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T COVER TO REPAIR & THAT I MUST'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT & THAT AS LONG AS THE LIGHT IS ON THAT MY AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF IN A WRECK. WHAT A SHAME SINCE I DID PAY EXTRA FOR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WHEN VEHICLE BOUGHT. CAN'T REMEMBER IF CAR WAS MOVING WHEN LIGHT CAME ON. LOVE THIS CAR. HAS 230K + MILES BUT AFTER READING OTHER COMMENTS ON SAME ISSUE I WILL BE CONSIDERING SOMETHING OTHER THAN TOYOTA FOR NEXT VEHICLE

126mo ago
Electrical 2

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 AFTER STARTING THE CAR AT A STORE - THE AIRBAG LIGHT (SRS LIGHT) CAME ON AND STAYED ON . THE OWNERS MANUAL SAID TO CONTACT TOYOTA IMMEDIATELY OR TAKE THE CAR IN TO A DEALER. I CALLED STEVINSON TOYOTA/SCION IN AURORA, CO WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 10 YEARS AGO. THE FIRST AVAILABLE SERVICE APPOINTMENT WAS IN TWO DAYS ON 9/11/15. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THE ONLY PROBLEM MIGHT BE IF I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG MIGHT NOT DEPLOY BUT THIS DID NOT ALLEVIATE MY CONCERNS SO I DID NOT DRIVE UNLESS NECESSARY. AT THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $185 TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT EVEN THOUGH I INSISTED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR OUT TOYOTA REPLACED A SPIRAL CABLE AND CHARGED ME $585 TOTAL. I AGAIN INSISTED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND COVERED BY TOYOTA, BUT AGAIN WAS DENIED. WHEN I SEARCHED THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON AND RECURRING PROBLEM FOR SCIONS (ESPECIALLY THE SPIRAL CABLE). LATER I CONTACTED TOYOTA DIRECTLY TO PLEAD THE CASE FOR MAKING THIS A SAFETY/WARRANTY ITEM I WAS TOLD BASICALLY - TOUGH LUCK - THE CAR HAD MORE THAN 50, 000 MILES AND OLDER THAN 5 YEARS. I BELIEVE TOYOTA IS WRONG ON THIS AND BECAUSE OF THE HUGE PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS ON THEIR CARS THEY SHOULD CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. AS A SIDE NOTE - WHILE DRIVING WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON - MY WIFE WANTED TO CARRY A BIG KNIFE IN THE FRONT SEAT SO THAT WE COULD GET OUT IF IT MALFUNCTIONED!

133mo ago
Electrical 4

AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, VEHICLE SPEED WAS 45 MPH. THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. SWERVED TO MISS HITTING A DEER, SPUN OUT AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT. POINT OF IMPACT WAS DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND NOTHING, NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

134mo ago
Electrical 1

THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ELECTRICAL CABLE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN THAT HAD "FAILED". THIS IS THE PART THAT CONTROLS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I ASKED IF THE COMPANY (TOYOTA) WOULD ASSIST WITH THE REPLACEMENT, AND WAS TOLD "NO. SOME JUST FAIL. THAT'S PART OF OWNING A CAR." THE PART IS ON ORDER, AND THE REPAIR IS GOING TO COST $530 - $300 FOR THE PART, $100 LABOR AND $130 FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. ALL THIS FOR A PART THAT "_FAILED_" THIS HAPPENED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND I WAS _NOT_ IN AN ACCIDENT OF ANY SORT, NOR DID I CONTRIBUTE TO ITS FAILURE. THIS PART _FAILED_- WONDERING IF THE PART IS DEFECTIVE AND WHAT ASSISTANCE TOYOTA WILL GIVE ME. *TR

137mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SCION XA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

143mo ago
Body 1

WE HAVE CHANGED THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE WHEEL SHAFT BEARINGS 5 TIMES. THE BEARINGS LAST ABOUT 5000 MILES THEN HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. *TR

147mo ago
Body 1

THE POWER WINDOWS ARE DEFECTIVE. THEY BREAK DOWN EASILY. CANNOT USE THE WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WORK. THE COST TO REPLACE EACH WINDOW MOTOR IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND NOT AFFORDABLE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

159mo ago
Body 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA SCION XA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO CONTINUE TO HIT THE SWITCH IN ORDER TO GET THE WINDOW TO CLOSE COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND STATED THAT SHE NEEDED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,200.

166mo ago
Electrical 2

IN JUNE WHILE GETTING OFF THE EXIT TO GO HOME I WAS GOING AT 25 MHP ANF THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE AND I TOTALLY LOST CONTROL HITTING THE EXIT SIGN. I GOT THE CAR REPAIRED AND 2 MONTHS LATER ON THE INTERSTATE I WAS DOING 55 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE. STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLOW OUT AND CAUSE THE LOST OF CONTROL, SPIN 3 TIMES AND CRASHING INTO THE GUIDE RAIL. THE AIRBAGS NEVER OPEN AND THE FRONT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR WERE DESTROYED. *TR

195mo ago
Brakes 4

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT INVOLVING HER 2005 TOYOTA SCION XA. SHE APPLIED BRAKES AS SHE WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE BRAKE DID NOT WORK. SHE TRIED AGAIN AND THE CAR KEPT GOING. SHE THEN TRIED TO "PUMP" THE BRAKE TO NO AVAIL. THE RESULT WAS THAT SHE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER TOTALING HER CAR. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKES NOT WORKING, THE DRIVER SEATBELT DID NOT "LOCK". *TR

197mo ago
Brakes 1

I OWN A 2005 SCION XA MODEL AND WHEN DRIVING ON DIRT ROADS THAT ARE DRY OR WET FROM RAIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WHEN STOPPING. AS APPLYING THE BRAKES COMING TO A STOP SIGN AND SPEED OF 20MPH, THE BRAKE ANTILOCK , I THINK? MAKES A RELEASE NOISE AND THE PEDAL IN THE MAX HOLE POSITION THE CAR KEEPS MOVING AND INTO THE INTERSECTION I AM STOPPING AT. THE BRAKES RETURN TO NORMAL WHILE COMING ON TO THE ASPHALT ROAD I AM CROSSING. I'VE LEARNED TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN COMING TO STOP ON DIRT ROAD AND HAVE FOUND I CAN NOT APPROACH THE STOP SIGNS AT SPEEDS OVER 10MPH FOR THE LAST 50 FEET TO STOP POSITION. IT DOES THIS ON DRY DIRT ROADS AND WET DIRT ROADS SOMETIMES ON ASPHALT. *TR

200mo ago
Body 2

GAS PEDAL PROBLEM. MY GAS PEDAL HAS STUCK MULTIPLE TIMES. I DO NOT HAVE THE FREE MOVING FLOOR MATS. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE EARLY 2005. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS SHORTLY THEREAFTER. IT STICKS ONLY WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED (UP TO 65 MPH) ON HIGHWAY. NEVER AT LOWER SPEED IN TOWN. IT HAS PROBABLY STUCK UP TO TEN DIFFERENT TIMES. OCCURS FREQUENTLY WHEN PASSING ANOTHER CAR. NO CRASHES, YET. I HAVE MANAGED TO GET IT UNSTUCK EACH TIME, HOWEVER IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY. NOTHING DONE TO FIX IT. SCION SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. *TR

200mo ago

40 total

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