AI Damage2009 Scion XD: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Scion XD filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 23
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 30% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 22% of all complaints
- 3 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 9% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (30% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (22% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Visibility: 4 complaints (17% of all).
- Engine: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 23 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
My scion surged backwards out of control. By the time I got it stopped I had run over and destroyed my picnic table also doing damage to the back of my vehicle. When I got a postcard a couple days ago regarding sudden acceleration I realized was toyota was having a problem with acceleration and I should report it.
The air bag failed to deploy. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The manufacturer scheduled an appointment for an engineer to perform an investigation related to the defective air bags. The vehicle had not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. ...
My sister's toyota scions xd was involved in a multi cars accident on sept. 9, 2010 around 6:00 pm. The scions was first involved into 1 sudden and right afterward the car suddenly accelerated closed to 100 mph and it went about quarter mile before it hit another car. It finally stopped when the car hit a road guide.
Drove car and heard loud noise issuing from the passenger side rear. Upon viewing the wheel was angled in at the top. After removing the wheel I found the rear crossmember subframe axle had a complete break in the weld holding the angle from the straight part of the beam to the wheel and suspension plate.
There is rust that is contributing to the deterioration of the connection, yet the design of the swing arm and its connections seem as though they are barely sufficient when it was new. The design of the swing arm connections does not appear sufficient to be exposed to normal wear and tear of winter driving.
A reca for my power switch master control was issued on sept 15th 2015 and a fix for this still has not been established. This defect could cause a fire in my vehicle.
The consumer stated while driving, the radio independently turned on and of and the dash lights flashed. The vehicle shut down. The consumer was advised the alternator failed.
This is completely unacceptable as there are 2 safety recalls one involving my seats and the other involving a window switch that could catch fire. I originally tried in november to schedule this but to no avail.
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 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XD has 15 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 23, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Scion XD?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, vehicle speed control, visibility. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (26%), smoke, burning smell, fire (22%), warning lights, check engine (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Scion XD?
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 2009 Scion XD 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 2009 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.