Skip to content
Scion XBModel year report

2009 Scion XB Problems

Compared with other Scion XB years

More complaints than typical for this model

90/100 2.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011, 2012

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
140filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
75,000miles, 71 complaints with mileage
Recalls
10campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Scion XB (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Scion xB most often report two things: waiting on Takata passenger-side airbag inflator recalls with parts unavailable, and engines that use far more oil than expected between changes. Airbag complaints are largely about recall delays rather than a new failure, while oil consumption shows up across a wide mileage range and, in some accounts, ends in engine damage. Smaller groups of complaints cover brakes, cruise control behavior, and hood and window switches.

  1. Engine

    Excessive engine oil use between changes

    • 22 complaints (16%)
    • median 99,000 mi at 7.4 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2024

    Owners describe the 2AZ-FE engine consuming large amounts of oil with no visible leak, sometimes to the point that the level is near empty by the next oil change. Some report the low-oil or check engine light coming on well before the service interval, and a few describe knocking or a seized engine. According to the complaints, dealers sometimes called the consumption normal, and in other cases owners were told the warranty enhancement or repair period had expired or that parts were unavailable. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 240,000 miles, often well past the 5-year/60,000-mile warranty period.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the oil level on the dipstick and ask how often the owner adds oil between changes; ask whether the ZE7 oil consumption repair or piston replacement was ever performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Between routine oil changes, enough oil had been consumed to cause my engine to seize. I was on the freeway at 65 MPH when the engine began to knock and then stopped on the off ramp, unable to move. I had my car at the dealership earlier this year for a recall and they did not notify me of this problem. Adding a quart per 1000 miles would have saved me from destroying my car. I did not receive a letter or other notification for a enhanced warranty.”

    NHTSA complaint #11142484, filed 2018-10, 159,000 miles

    “I have excessive oil consumption that is going to lead to my engine locking up while driving. I have to put 4 quarts of oil per week in my car. I have no oil leaks. Toyota put faulty pistons in my car and will not repair it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11205274, filed 2019-05, 244,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Takata passenger airbag recall with no parts available

    • 60 complaints (43%)
    • median 88,110 mi at 7.8 yrs old (10 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2016–2019

    Many owners describe receiving recall notices for the passenger-side front airbag inflator but being told by the dealer that replacement parts are not yet available, with some waiting a year or more. Several mention being advised not to use the passenger seat in the meantime, which they say is impractical for a daily driver. A few owners also describe airbags that did not deploy in a collision, though most of these complaints are about the recall process itself. Complaints span vehicles from near-new to over 130,000 miles, filed mostly between 2016 and 2019.

    Recall 16V340000Recall 18V024000Recall 17V006000Recall 19V7410002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask the seller for proof that the passenger-side inflator recall was completed, and check the VIN with a dealer to confirm no open recall remains.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall -my daughter hit a parked car and over corrected making the vehicle flip. No airbags deployed. My daughter had a cut on her head, huge bump on forehead, black eye, huge bump on top of her head. Her passanger fractured three finger and had her nails ripped off. She will be having surgery. We had the passenger air bag replaced due to the takata recall in november.”

    NHTSA complaint #11078833, filed 2018-03, 88,000 miles

    “Takata recall - I have tried to get my airbag replaced at the dealer and they won't schedule a time to get it repaired, they say they don't know when they will be able to replace the air bag after multiple requests. I'm personally worried because my car is 7 years old and I live in dallas tx., we have extremely hot summers here. The inflators degrade over time in hot climates.”

    NHTSA complaint #10934202, filed 2016-12, 92,000 miles
  3. Vehicle speed control

    Sudden acceleration and cruise control surge

    • 10 complaints (7%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2018

    Owners describe the car accelerating on its own or surging forward, sometimes while braking or when releasing the brake at a stop, in a few cases leading to a low-speed collision. Others report that using the cruise control buttons, or regular driving, led to speed climbing unexpectedly and braking was needed to shut it off. Complaints note that dealers either found no fault or attributed the event to accidental cruise control use or driver error. Reported across a wide range from about 8,000 to 150,000 miles, including several vehicles under 50,000 miles.

    What to check: During a test drive, try the cruise control buttons and note any hesitation or surge; ask whether the throttle body or pedal sensor has ever been inspected or replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving in a 35 MPH zone, I set my cruise control. When I tapped the cruise control up 1 MPH my car accelerated to almost 57 MPH. I had to hit the brake to get the cruise control shut off. This happened again about 5 months later, I was on the highway, my car accelerated from 65 MPH to 80 MPH, I again hit the brakes to shut off the cruise control. This resulted in a speeding ticket, since the officer had no interest in my vehicle trouble.”

    NHTSA complaint #10319134, filed 2010-03, 92,000 miles

    “I drive a 2009 scionxb. At least six times since I bought it in late 2008, I have had trouble with sudden unintended acceleration. At all times the carwas moving less than 30 miles an hour. It occurred once while slowing down for a light about to go green. I still made a soft hit on the car in front. A second time it happened while easing up to the immigration booth on the queenston-lewiston bridge to canada. I again made of soft hit on the car in front. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10319090, filed 2010-03, 20,000 miles
  4. Brakes

    Brake pedal feel and stopping distance

    • 13 complaints (9%)
    • median 26,500 mi at 1.4 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2021

    Owners describe the brake pedal feeling soft or needing extra pressure before the car comes to a full stop, and some report grinding noises for the first few minutes after a cold start. Other accounts mention a caliper grabbing the rotor or wheels locking during hard braking. According to complaints, dealers often found nothing wrong when the car was inspected. Mostly reported between roughly 26,000 and 65,000 miles, with one case just over 39,000 miles.

    What to check: Test the pedal for firmness and travel at low speed, listen for grinding on a cold start, and ask for recent brake service records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On 12/08/09 I took my 09 Scion xd (your form does not have xd option) into hoselton for the recall regarding the braking system. Two days later (12/10/09), I am driving home and approaching a turn off of route 104 travelling about 35 miles per hour (a 55 MPH road) when. I had slowed down from a top speed of 45 MPH, blowing snow and traffic was slow. I go to hit my brakes - I have no brakes, the pedal goes to the floor. I pump the brakes a eventually get a rough (da,da,da) grab, this combined with down shifting allows me to take my turn. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10295267, filed 2009-12, 12,000 miles

    “I have a huge complaint about the 2009 XB regarding the brake system, I ve take the vehicle to toyota back in 4/2011 complaining of the brake system, after having the vehicle inspected I was told nothing was wrong, as I am driving normal speed limit, as I start to brake slowing coming to a stop sign, the brakes seem to not brake properly, I've notice this since I brought the vehicle back in as if though I have to push hard on the brake in order for the vehicle to come to a full stop, also I notice right away when I brought the vehicle back in …”

    NHTSA complaint #10476776, filed 2012-09, 39,876 miles

Buying note. On a used 2009 xB, confirm the passenger airbag recall is complete and check oil level and consumption habits carefully, since neither is cheap to address later. A test drive covering braking, cruise control and the hood latch covers the other areas owners most often mention.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 140 consumer complaints for the 2009 Scion XB. 71 of the complaints include a mileage, and 35% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,000 miles. Of all complaints, 12 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 16 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 139 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Scion XB model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 90 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Equipment (3), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seats (2), Tires (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Engine cooling (1), Fuel system (1), Steering (1), Suspension (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Had someone pull out in front of me when I was traveling. Unable to stop in time even after locking up the brakes. Was doing apprx. 42 MPH hitting the truck, impact with both vehicles traveling apprx 25 yards into the ditch. My airbags did not deploy at all. None of the airbags. Luckily my seat belt did the job to protect me. Was escorted by ambulance to local hospital.”

NHTSA complaint #10736061, filed 2015-07, 99,000 miles

Engine: “March 15 my Scion XB spontaneously erupted in flames, we on our way home at the intersection of union tpke and parsons blvd in queens ny, we were stopped for construction traffic when the vehicle began to emit smoke, we pulled into a kfc/pizza hut parking lot, , within minutes flames were coming out from the engine compartment, one of the fire fighters thought it was electrical”

NHTSA complaint #10863097, filed 2016-05, 34,000 miles

Brakes: “Keep getting recals in the mail my cars hoold latch wont stay so I risk daily the potential to have it fly up and smash my windshield, also burns threw too oil, interior lights dont work for the heating AC area umm if u close the gas cap cover completly as required it fuems up the inside the car makes u sick feelng my airbags are alarming at random times when u wouldmt expect it to or never stop even when u click in seat belt and the o2 sensor is a consistamt replacement thats gettimg annoying to fix or replace”

NHTSA complaint #11287763, filed 2019-12, 200,000 miles

Electrical system: “Master window switch caught on fire, and unit and plastic was melted. Had to replace, only to find out this part was recalled for the same model number and year as mine, but my VIN did not match up. You may need to investigate further. Same issues the recall described, and may be more like me out there. Nhtsa campaign id number: 12v491000 NHTSA action number: pe12002 component: visibility:power window devices and controls.”

NHTSA complaint #10650440, filed 2014-10, 65,251 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

35% of the 71 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 30,500 and 100,000 miles.

17%0–106%10–2513%25–5014%50–7523%75–10018%100–15010%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (71 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 75,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’09’11’13’15’1755’19’21’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Scion XB version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
xB FWD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual222824$2,800
xB FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic222824$2,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 10 recalls for the 2009 Scion XB → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 139 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 139 bulletins →

Other model years of the Scion XB

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2015623,4282—24—Not enough data
2014959,5002—24—Not enough data
20131441,5002—24—Not enough data
20124590,0003—240 · FewerStable
20115463,2485—2415 · FewerRising
20105548,0197—2450 · TypicalFalling
200914075,00010—2490 · MoreFalling
200833951,0008—24100 · MoreRising
200625328,5005—28Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20059259,0001—29Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20043765,4550—29Not compared (before 2008)Rising

All Scion XB model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Scion XB?

Owners of the 2009 Scion xB most often report two things: waiting on Takata passenger-side airbag inflator recalls with parts unavailable, and engines that use far more oil than expected between changes. The issues reported most often: Excessive engine oil use between changes; Takata passenger airbag recall with no parts available; Sudden acceleration and cruise control surge.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Scion XB have?

NHTSA recorded 140 consumer complaints for the 2009 Scion XB as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Scion XB is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 74 complaints (53% of the total), followed by engine with 24.

Has the 2009 Scion XB been recalled?

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Scion XB get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Scion XB (xB, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Scion XB reported?

Among the 71 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,000 miles and the middle half falls between 30,500 and 100,000 miles; 35% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.