AI Damage2014 Scion TC: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Scion TC filed 20 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 20
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 40% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 15% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 6 Wheels 10% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 5% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (40% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 3 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 2 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Suspension: 2 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 20 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 9 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Luckily I remembered in drivers ed that when a tire blows out (even though this situation is a little different) you firmly hold onto the steering wheel and hold it straight. The car then straightened out and stopped once I ran into the railing.
Was commuting back to work from lunch break when out of nowhere I lost control of steering and braking of my vehicle crashing into a stone wall before I could pull my emergency break after the vehicle could not slow down on a city street in motion
Both airbags did not deploy. I would assume any impact such as these the air bags would have deployed but they did not. I have pictures attached.
On several occasions the housing around the air conditioner fills with water from condensation, the drainage tube is narrow and clogs, which causes the water to drip out of the housing and into the passenger side interior where it swamps the carpeting from front to back.
I've also noticed on the freeway if I was to slam on my brakes that it slides a little more tha I would expect and makes a pretty bad grinding noise.
Air bag turns off randomly without warning, light comes on while driving. Also vehicle is due to have trd brakes replaced.
Neither the key fob nor the switch in the vehicle would work, and eventually the door lock had to be manually operated. A few weeks later, the driver side door began having the same issues. The vehicle has not been involved in any crashes according to online databases.
Steering wheel turns too easily to have a safe amount of control over the vehicle. There is very little traction where the tires meet the roads. I spent $700.00 on cooper tires thinking this would help, but still car slides over the ground. I checked to see if the traction control was off but that was not the case.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,257 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TC has 58 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 20, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Scion TC?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, air bags. Total complaints: 20. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (10%), windows, sunroof (10%), airbags did not deploy (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 Scion TC?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2014 Scion TC from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2014 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.