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Scion XBModel year report

2011 Scion XB Problems

Compared with other Scion XB years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

15/100 0.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

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
54filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
63,248miles, 17 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Scion XB (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year mostly report the Takata passenger airbag recall, where many describe waiting months for a repair part and being told not to seat anyone in the front passenger seat in the meantime. Other reports are scattered across braking, engine oil use and a few other systems, with no single shared pattern. Most complaints do not list mileage, and those that do fall between 51,368 and 131,733 miles.

  1. Air bags

    Takata passenger airbag recall: repair parts not available

    • 34 complaints (63%)
    • median 104,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2016–2019

    Owners describe a Takata-related recall of the front passenger airbag, with a recall notice received but no repair part available for months. Many were told not to carry a front passenger in the meantime, and some say this limits how they can transport family or children. Complaints describe calls to dealers and the manufacturer, no firm date for the fix, and requests for a loaner or rental car while they waited. Most of these reports give no mileage; those that do range between 51,368 and 131,733 miles.

    Recall 16V340000Recall 19V7410002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Enter the VIN on the official recall lookup to see whether this passenger airbag recall is still open for the car. Ask the dealer whether the repair has been completed and request a written service record.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall. Have received several notices, but my local dealership says my vehicle is not yet been supplied with replacement parts. Toyota recommends that no one ride in the front passenger seat. The vehicle is now 6 years old and 100,000 + miles. Nhrsa recall 16v-340.”

    NHTSA complaint #11022831, filed 2017-09, 65,000 miles

    “Takata recall. I was notified almost a year ago about the pending recall, but nothing has been done about fixing my vehicle since. I am concerned about the hazard of injury or death while driving this vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #10969708, filed 2017-03, 104,000 miles
  2. Brakes

    Braking complaints: stopping, sway and grinding

    Mentioned in 4 of 49 sampled complaints

    Owners describe braking that did not behave as expected. A report describes a car that did not stop when the pedal was pressed and rear-ended another vehicle, while another describes a rear end that swayed and brakes that locked during light braking, leading to a crash. Grinding with each brake application is described even after new pads were fitted, and a separate report describes the car accelerating when the brakes were applied hard. Only some of these list mileage, between 27,800 and 153,000 miles, so the sample shows no clear mileage pattern.

    What to check: Test-drive the car and note any grinding or rear-end sway during braking. Ask for brake service records, including any pad or rotor work, and whether the braking concern was ever reported to the dealer.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Takata recall . 2011 XB traveling south on collier parkway. Accelerated to approximately 45 MPH. From parkway. Older dodge van in front slams on brakes. I slam on brakes and 2011 XB exhibits instantaneous acceleration. Coming up on back of dodge van swerve left onto raised median. Trees in median 2011 XB still accelerating going down into northbound lanes. Coming up on 2005 chevy astro van. We both swerve and driver side rear corner of each vehicle collide. 2011 Scion XB now back on median. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10990744, filed 2017-05, 27,800 miles

    “While traveling in a straight line of left lane on the parkway at 50 MPH, I lightly applied the brakes and the rear of the vehicle immediately began to sway uncontrollably left and right. The brakes were locked causing the vehicle to head off the road and onto the grass and crash into the guide rail. Immediately following the accident, I noticed the ABS+vsc+emergency brake lights were lit. I had the car towed to the collision shop for inspection and repairs which will hopefully start next week. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10384628, filed 2011-02, 56,000 miles

Buying note. Anyone considering this model year should first confirm whether the passenger airbag recall repair has been completed, since many complaints describe long waits for parts. Braking reports appear less often and describe different symptoms, so a test drive and brake service records are practical checks.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 49 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 54 consumer complaints for the 2011 Scion XB. 17 of the complaints include a mileage, and 24% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 63,248 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 142 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 15 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer 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.

Example complaints

Air bags: “I was driving 65mph on the freeway sounded like parts of the engine were falling out of the car. Immediately exited the freeway. The car died. My son and I pushed the smoking vehicle 200 feet to a apartment complex entrance. The vehicle then ignited in flames, and I called 911.”

NHTSA complaint #11169875, filed 2019-01, 120,000 miles

Engine: “Oil comp recall went to my local toyota dealership talked to the assti service manager and was told I could not do the recall there that I would have to go back to the place that first tested it. I bought the car and it was tested in alabama I live in fl. Went to the toyota dealership and they said it was in final stages that they juat have to preform the recall the final step. Which is the work. The assti manager was very very rude and told me id have to go to alabama to get it done. I am losibg atleaat 2 qts or more of oil every 2 weeks. This is causing alot of issues running wise. …”

NHTSA complaint #11196579, filed 2019-04, 106,000 miles

Brakes: “I purchased my 2011Scion XB 09/08/2010 and in the last 12 months, my scion XB has been burning oil extremely fast. I have to add oil to the vehicle approximately every 4-5 weeks. I’ve taken it to the the Toyota dealership and was advised that the only way to fix the issue is by getting a new engine. Also, every time I break, there is a grinding sound even if with new break pads, and the steering column shakes. The tires sensors have malfunctioned because even after having the tires professionally replaced or filled, the light never goes off. …”

NHTSA complaint #11558834, filed 2023-12

Body and structure: “My 2011 Scion XB has a cracked or broken weld/frame/body in the driver's side rear door area. This has been identified and reported to Scion. As of yet they are unable to make effective repair to the problem area. I am concerned that other drivers may have a similar latent issue that in a side impact will lead to increased injury or death from structural failure.”

NHTSA complaint #10405453, filed 2011-06, 7,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

24% of the 17 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 51,368 and 106,000 miles.

12%0–100%10–2512%25–5041%50–750%75–10024%100–15012%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (17 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 63,248 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

20102011201420162017262018201920202023
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 2011 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 manual222724$2,800
xB FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic222724$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

Recall details for the 2011 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. 142 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 142 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 2011 Scion XB?

Owners of this model year mostly report the Takata passenger airbag recall, where many describe waiting months for a repair part and being told not to seat anyone in the front passenger seat in the meantime. The issues reported most often: Takata passenger airbag recall: repair parts not available; Braking complaints: stopping, sway and grinding.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Scion XB have?

NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 2011 Scion XB as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Scion XB is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 41 complaints (76% of the total), followed by engine with 6.

Has the 2011 Scion XB been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Scion XB get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Scion XB (xB, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 27 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 2011 Scion XB reported?

Among the 17 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 63,248 miles and the middle half falls between 51,368 and 106,000 miles; 24% 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.