2009 Scion Xb: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2009 Scion Xb: 10 recalls, 140 owner complaints and up to 24 mpg combined.
Recalls
10 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Body & structure Vehicle recall #08V451000 · 2008 · 67 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 113, "hood latch system." it has been determined that should the primary hood latch be released or fail, the plastic upper radiator grill garnish could release the secondary latch and cause the hood to open.
Why it matters: During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver possibly cause the hood to strike the roof or the windshield increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the sports grill installation and install additional clips to ensure the radiator grill garnish is properly secured. The recall began on October 6, 2008.
Equipment Vehicle recall #09V223000 · 2009 · 27,080 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims."
Why it matters: Incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2009.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V035000 · 2010 · 271,417 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: This does not meet the standard requirements.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Equipment Vehicle recall #10V036000 · 2010 · 153,418 vehicles
What's wrong: 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Why it matters: A driver May overload a vehicle which May increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. The safety recall began on May 27, 2010.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #12V491000 · 2012 · 2,519,424 vehicles
What's wrong: The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process May cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.
Why it matters: If the switch overheats, it May melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their…
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #15V689000 · 2015 · 1,814,284 vehicles
What's wrong: During the manufacturing of the power window master switch (pwms), grease lubricant May have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Why it matters: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch May cause a short circuit and the switch assembly May overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the pwms circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V340000 · 2016 · 1,754,517 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Scion xb and Lexus is f, 2007-2008 Toyota yaris, 2006-2008 Lexus is250 and Lexus is350 and 2007-2008 Lexus es350 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on December 6, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V006000 · 2017 · 577,875 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Virgin islands, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, Toyota is recalling certain 2009 Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, yaris hb, Scion xb, Pontiac vibe, Lexus, es350, is250, is350, and is-f vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V024000 · 2018 · 628,018 vehicles
What's wrong: S. Vi or "zone a." Toyota is also recalling certain 2010 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix, yaris, 4runner, Lexus is250, is350, is250c, is350c, es350, is-f, gx460, and Pontiac vibe vehicles sold, ever registered, in the states of az, ar, de, dc, il, in, ks, ky, md, mo, ne, nv, nj, nm, nc, oh, ok, pa, tn, va, and wv or "zone b." Toyota is also recalling certain 2009 Scion xb, Toyota corolla, corolla matrix,…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began on January 29, 2018.
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #19V741000 · 2019 · 928,220 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles had their driver or passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator. The recall began November 20, 2019.
1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Brakes (hydraulic) Equipment recall #18E091000 · 2018 · 544 vehicles
What's wrong: Over time, the brake hoses in these kits May fatigue and fail.
Why it matters: Failure of a brake hose will reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Toyota will notify all known owners of the Scion xb and Scion tc vehicles upon which an involved optional trd brake kit could have been installed. If the vehicle is equipped with one of the trd brake kits, it will be replaced with a standard equipment brake kit, free of charge. The recall began…
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 5 mention a fire, 16 injuries and 1 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Airbags (74): the most common themes are deploys unexpectedly / inflator (8), fails to deploy (6).
- Engine (24): the most common themes are excess oil use (9), leaks (6), warning light on (5).
- Electrical (9): the most common themes are electrical failure (4), fire / smoke (3), door / lock issues (2).
- Speed control / throttle (9): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (2), sudden acceleration (2).
The 2009 Scion Xb has 140 owner complaints, ranking #3 of 13 Xb model years for complaints (1.7× the average Xb year). Complaints peaked in 2017 (55 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 75,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (339 complaints, 8 recalls), 2010 (55 complaints, 7 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S4) | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 28 | 24 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Scion Xb.
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FAQ
Does the 2009 Scion Xb have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 10 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Scion Xb, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2009 Scion Xb problems?
Owners have filed 140 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are airbags (74), engine (24), electrical (9).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Scion Xb get?
EPA ratings run up to 24 mpg combined (2.4 L, Manual 5-spd), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2009 Scion Xb repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.