AI Damage2015 Scion TC: common problems
Owners of the 2015 Scion TC filed 22 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 22
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 27% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 23% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 23% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (27% of all).
- Air bags: 5 complaints (23% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 5 complaints (23% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (9% 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-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 22 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was driving on the freeway on monday dec 28 heading to work it was raining hard and was driving at the same speed as everyone else in the freeway out of nowhere my steering took over control and I spinned around hitting the carpool lane divider and was tossed to the 4th lane afterwards.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the wrist and hand, which required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not towed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 10,457.
The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained continuously illuminated while operating the vehicle. The contact stated that when the air bag warning light was illuminated, the horn was inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Whining noise is heard when the clutch petal is released. Noise is coming from the input shaft bearing. Common failure on this model. Mechanic confirmed that is the issue. If the bearing completely fails could leave the car stranded and cause more damage to other transmission components.
Both driver and passenger electric door locks do not work. Head and tail lamp lights burn out frequently. Seems like a grounding issue? Car failed to start August 2021 due to electrical problems. 3rd party mechanic fixed the issue. Toyota Dealer-installed automatic start fails multiple times before starting car.
Rear suspension components were loose on vehicle. My car was purchased with rear trd coilovers installed at factory. Suspension components were improperly tightened according to Toyota dealership who serviced my vehicle. Purchased car stock and never had suspension work done in the past.
The contact exited the vehicle and became aware that the center sun roof glass had shattered. The contact stated that the sun roof had shattered without impact or incidence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Transmission does a harsh/jerk downshift when coming to a stop. It does it randomly, usually when coming to a stop slowly. It's not safe, feels like the car lurches into 1st. Toyota reset the computer and it was ok for a bit but came back. I'm thinking it's the software of the car.
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 7,904 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the TC has 58 complaints (12 years in the data). This year has 22, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Scion TC?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, visibility. Total complaints: 22. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (23%), knocking, grinding or other noise (14%), airbags did not deploy (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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.