2008 Scion XD Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2008 Scion xD most often describe the ABS and brake warning lights coming on intermittently, frequently after cold or wet weather, and report that anti-lock braking stops working while the lights are lit. A second common theme is a clunk from the front suspension traced to a corroded or broken sub-frame/control-arm bolt. Many complaints describe dealer diagnoses of rear wheel speed sensors or wiring, with repair quotes that some owners declined.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS and brake warning lights, ABS not working

   • 18 complaints (27%)
   • median 44,227 mi at 4.3 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,100 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2015

   Owners report the ABS and brake lights illuminating intermittently, sometimes at startup and sometimes while driving, and staying on for hours or days. While the lights are on, several report the anti-lock function does not engage and the brake pedal feels soft or spongy; some also describe unexpected ABS activation at low speed. Dealers commonly diagnosed failed rear wheel speed sensors, corroded hubs or a short in the wiring harness, with repair quotes in the several-hundred to over-a-thousand dollar range; some owners declined the repair, and a few noted the lights returned after a repair under recall 09V338000. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 105,000 miles, often in cold, wet or snowy conditions and more often in winter months.

   Recall 09V338000

   What to check: Start the car and confirm the ABS and brake lights go out; drive over a wet or loose surface at low speed to see whether ABS engages. Ask for service records showing whether the rear speed sensors or harness were replaced and whether recall 09V338000 was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As I was driving, my ABS, brake light, vsc lights all came on . They flash constantly. I had the vehicle checked and was told I needed to replace my ABS sensors both the left and right side. Now again the lights came back on and I'm told that the wire harness has to be replace to fix the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10620661, filed 2014-08, 38,800 miles

   “My 2008 Scion XD started having intermittent mushy brakes and several times the slow stop left me too far into an intersection or too close to the car in front of me. The dash board lit up with warning lights about the brakes, ABS, and electronic stabilization control. When I called the dealership and before any diagnostics were done, I was informed that it was a corroded sensor on the rear driver's-side door. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10393769, filed 2011-03, 34,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Front suspension clunk from corroded or broken bolt

   • 6 complaints (9%)
   • median 101,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2016

   Owners describe a clunking noise from the front, usually on the right side, heard when accelerating, braking or going over bumps. Inspection typically finds that a sub-frame or lower control arm bolt has corroded and the head has broken off, and some report the wheel shifting in the wheel well. Dealers and shops replaced the affected bolts or arms; several owners noted the part was back-ordered and that a service bulletin covered the noise. Reported from about 40,000 to 125,000 miles, with a few owners noting the bolt looked rusty well before the noise began.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have a shop look at the front sub-frame and lower control arm bolts for heavy corrosion or a missing bolt head, and listen for a clunk over bumps during a test drive. Ask whether the front suspension bolts or control arms have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had been hearing clunking noise from right front wheel for a few weeks, that seemed to be getting louder over time. Most prominent during braking or hitting potholes. Father looked at wheel while I backed out of driveway and noticed wheel shifting forward/backward within the wheel well about an inch when starting and stopping. Took vehicle to local tire shop and was told bold attaching lower control arm to body had corroded and broken off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10681754, filed 2015-02, 125,178 miles

   “While driving on any ordinary day my car began making loud noises in the front and made the car feel as though it's jerking when I brake. My husband looked under the car and said he could see a bolt that looks rusty and the top is gone. I took my car to the toyota dealership and they confirmed that the #2 control arm bolt head was broken from the left front to lower sub frame. After looking for the part online my search results were mainly other Scion owners who were experiencing the same thing unfortunately.”

   NHTSA complaint #10511041, filed 2013-05, 122,210 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Sudden stalling or loss of power while driving

   • 10 complaints (15%)
   • median 61,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2010–2020

   Complaints describe the engine stalling or cutting out with little or no warning, sometimes at highway speed or when pulling away from an intersection, and one vehicle would not restart afterward. Diagnoses reported by owners included a failed ignition coil, fuel system trouble and, in another case, a water pump bearing failure that threw the drive belt. In some cases the vehicle resumed normal operation after cooling down or after a battery change and ECM calibration. Reported from about 3,000 to 116,000 miles, with several occurrences at highway speed.

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition coils, battery and fuel system have been serviced and whether any check-engine codes have been stored. During a test drive, watch for hesitation, shaking or a sudden drop in power.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Approximately 1 month ago, I had exited from the freeway and came to an intersection. As I pressed the accelerator to drive through the intersection, the car stalled. I turned the ignition to the off position and put the car in park inorder to attempt to re-start the car. The car continued to crank even when I took my hand off of the ignition. I had the car towed to toyota to diagnose and fix the problem. Invoice indicated that battery was changed and that tech performed ECM calibration and fuel injector service. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10336560, filed 2010-06, 34,000 miles

   “I was driving and all of a sudden the check engine would come on and the vehicle would start shaking and slow down for maybe a couple of seconds then it would drive normal, sometimes either the same day or in a couple of days the check engine light would shut off and vehicle would drive normal again, this happened about 4/5 times, I took it to a mechanic, but when I did the check engine was off and he found nothing wrong with it, (not really sure if he even did a diagnostic on it) he stated maybe it was just a temporary gliche. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10762155, filed 2015-09, 39,104 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Power window switch and interior electrical faults

   • 7 complaints (10%)
   • median 73,500 mi at 7.6 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2013–2020

   Owners report windows that operate intermittently and a power window master switch that needed replacement, in at least one case after the vehicle had already been remedied under a window switch recall. Other complaints describe warning lights coming on together, gauges and accessories acting up, and stalling or jerking at low speed after the dash lights appear. Dealers replaced the master switch or asked for further diagnostic time. Reported from roughly 60,000 to 135,000 miles, including one vehicle where the switch failed again well after the recall repair.

   Recall 12V4910002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle every window up and down from both the driver and passenger switches. Ask whether recall 12V491000 for the power window master switch was completed and whether the switch has been replaced since.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was turning on a left on a major street to small street. Alll cars in the opposite direction was stopped due to a street light a block away. It was a 2 lane street along with street curb parking. Both cars on each lane had stopped for me n as I was turning left another car appeared suddenly and as I pressed the break it didn't work right causing me hit the car”

   NHTSA complaint #11022248, filed 2017-09, 130,000 miles

   “My warning lights on the dash are coming on and causing the car to lock up, jerk, and stall while in motion in slower speeds usually when at a street sign and going into a turn, a stop light also going into a turn on main hwys and worse of all in neighborhoods prior to my getting to the hospital. I'm not in good health and go for testing and treatment regularly. Plez help I know y'all are aware of this thing but it's not a recall yet. Plez fix my car. I'm on disability due to cancer.”

   NHTSA complaint #11354731, filed 2020-09, 86,000 miles

Buying note. The 2008 xD is an older small car, so check the brake warning-light and ABS history carefully and confirm all open recalls were completed. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the front suspension bolts, window switches and stored diagnostic codes is worthwhile before buying.

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.