There are 37 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2008 Scion xBin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I am writing to report significant safety concerns regarding my 2008 Scion [include model, e.g., tC or xB]. After purchasing the vehicle, I discovered multiple serious mechanical and structural defects that make the car unsafe to operate on public roads. 1. Suspension/Struts – The struts are severely worn and are causing premature and uneven tire wear. This creates a major risk of tire blowout or loss of control while driving. 2. Motor Mount – The engine mount is missing screws and bolts, which results in excessive engine movement. This could lead to engine damage or failure while in motion. 3. Alignment – The vehicle’s alignment is completely off, causing the car to pull while driving and further worsening tire wear and handling. 4. Brakes and Rotors – The brakes are nearly nonfunctional, and the rotors are warped and damaged, severely reducing stopping power and increasing the risk of a crash. 5. License Plate Mount – The vehicle has no designated place to mount a rear tag/license plate, which makes it illegal to drive and difficult to comply with state requirements. 6. Missing Headlight – One headlight is entirely missing, significantly reducing visibility at night and making the vehicle a danger to myself and others Fuel System – The fuel system is contaminated and requires flushing. This is causing performance issues, engine hesitation, and raises concerns about potential engine damage or stalling. I have been quoted over $2,500 in repairs just to bring the vehicle to a safe operating condition by 4 mechanics I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this matter and determine whether these issues represent a pattern of neglect, safety violations, or improper sales practices, especially if other owners have reported similar problems. Thank you for your time and attention to this serious matter.
I TURNED ON MY CAR AND WAS SLOWLY BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL ICON LIT UP. THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PARK THE CAR ON THE STREET. I'M UNABLE TO USE THE CAR FOR ANYTHING ELSE AS I CAN BARELY STEER AT ALL.
POWER STEERING SHUT OFF AND THE LIGHT IS ON ON THE DASHBOARD WITH THE BREAK LIGHT TOO. CAR WAS OK AND THEN START TO DRIVE IT ON HIGHWAY AND ALL AT A SUDDEN THE STEERING LIGHT WENT UP AND HE BRAKE LIGHT TOO AND IT SHUTED OFF THE POWER STEERING
POWER STEERING WENT OUT. GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS IT IS HAPPENING TO MANY 2008 SCION XB OWNERS. FROM PARKED, TURN KEY TO START, POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKS AND WARNING LIGHTS FLASH. TOO MANY 2008 SCION XBS ON THE ROAD TODAY ARE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER.
I WAS BACKING UP INTO THE GARAGE WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST ALL THE USE OF THE POWER STEERING
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED DURING DRIVING. POWER STEERING LIGHT REMAINS ACTIVATED.
TAKADA INFLATORS. WHILE DRIVING MY POWER STEERING WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER INCLUDING PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. IN MOTION ON 110 FREEWAY GOING 60 M PH WENT I LOST CONTROL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE THE FAILURE WAS MILEAGE WAS 110.00.
ELECTRONIC STEERIN MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE DASH ARE A DANGER TO PEOPLES LIVES AND CAN GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THESE MODULES ON A 2008 MALIBU, 2009 SATURN AND MANY OTHER VEHICLES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTUERS OF THE AUTO HAVE ISSUED A TSB ON THIS ITEM WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. IF THIS MATTER IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF ASAP SOMEONE WILL LOSE THIER LIFE! JUST A MATTER OF TIME! I HAVE 35 YEARS MECHANIC EXPERIENCE ON VEHICLES AND 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE ON JET ENGINES WITH THE GOV. THESE SAME TYPE MODULES ARE BEING USED ON CURRENT MODEL VEHICLES OF ALL MAKES AND SHOULD BE DEEMED UNSAFE! ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO HABDLE YOUR VEHICLE AFTER FAILURE IS A DANGER TO LIVES AND MANUFACTUERS ARE AWARE OF THIS. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ISSUED TSB'S IF THEY WERE NOT AWARE! READ ONLINE IN FORUMS AND COMPLAINTS THIER HAS BEEN CRASHES RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES!
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO LOCATION AND PARKED. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, RESTARTED AND BEGAN TO PULL AWAY, STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL ASSIST IN THE STEERING DISAPPEARED MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. HAD TO HAVE STEERING ECM REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,063.
STARTED THE CAR AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND IT HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA SPECIALTY MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING ECU HAD FAILED AT IT COULD ONLY BE FIXED PROPERLY AT THE DEALERSHIP.
ON 9/14/15 AROUND 7AM MY POWER STEERING WAS WORKING GREAT, BUT 30 MIN. WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON I SAW THE STEERING WHEEL WARNING INDICATOR HAS TURNED ON. NOT KNOWING ANYTHING I DROVE MY CAR TO AN AUTOBODY TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE ELECTRIC MECHANISM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND TO BRING MY CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. LATER THAT DAY I DROVE MY CAR TO THE DEALER WITH A REALLY STIFF STEERING WHEEL. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALER CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THE POWER STEERING WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS INOPERATIVE, SO I HAD THEM REPLACE THE PART AND THE TOTAL HAS PUT A HOLE IN MY WALLET. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE JULY 2007 AND IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN 10 YEARS YET THAT PART IS NOT FUNCTIONAL ANYMORE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ONE OTHER OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
TODAY (APRIL 23, 2015) I STOPPED AT A STORE, EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AFTER RETURNING TO MY CAR I STARTED IT AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE AND REALIZED I HAD NO POWER STEERING AND NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT WAS ON. I TOOK IT TO SEARS AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT IT WAS THE ECU. I WAS TOLD BY SEARS THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO BRING IT TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. I DROPPED IT OFF ABOUT AN HOUR AGO AND AM WAITING TO GET HIT WITH THE REPAIR COSTS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,619.
2008 SCION XB. POWER STEERING FAILURE AS A RESULT OF POWER SUPPLY RELAY FAILURE. LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED UPON START UP. POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ON. WAS TOLD AT LOCAL GARAGE THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT COULD ONLY BE ADDRESSED AT DEALERSHIP. CAR WILL NEED TO BE DRIVEN TO DEALERSHIP, BUT WITHOUT POWER STEERING IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I AM LUCKY THIS DID NOT OCCUR UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. WHAT A LEMON. *TR
I DROVE THE VEHICLE ON SATURDAY EVENING AND EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS. RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE ON SUNDAY TO ATTEND CHURCH AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT FUNCTION. I CHECKED THE FUSES AND THEY WERE NOT BLOWN. THE VEHICLE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING UNIT WORKING. I LIVE FORTY (40) MILES FROM A DEALER REPAIR SHOP. IT WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A WRECKER SERVICE PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND HAUL TO THE DEALER. *TR
LOST POWER STEERING WHILE MAKING A U-TURN. WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL BY STEERING HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL! ALMOST CRASHING ONTO ANOTHER CAR. FOUND OUT THAT THEY'RE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS IN REGARDS TO THIS MATTER ONLINE. SCION WOULD NOT RECALL, OR INVESTIGATE FURTHER. COST OF REPAIR, TOW, DIAGNOSTIC IS IN THE $1500+! *TR
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE PARKED. WHEN I PARKED THE CAR MY STEERING WORKED. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND PRECEDED TO BACK UP, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT APPEARED AND IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 37 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026