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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2013–2016

Scion FR-S recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 201 owner complaints for the Scion FR-S, covering model years 2013 to 2016. The 2013 model year drew the most complaints (179), and Engine is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Scion FR-S VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 7 recall campaigns on file
  • 201 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 4 model years with data (2013–2016)
  • most complaints: 2013 (179 for that model year)
  • top component: Engine (151 complaints)
  • latest recall 18V772000 (reported Nov 1, 2018)
  • 4 complaints reporting a crash (2.0%)
  • 4 complaints reporting a fire (2.0%)
  • 1 complaint reporting an injury (0.5%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Scion FR-S complaints by model year

4 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2013 model year has the most complaints: 179 of 201, or 89.1%. Next come 2015 (14) and 2014 (5). The fewest are for 2016, with 3 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Scion FR-S owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 2013–2016Column chart of 201 complaints across 4 model years. The highest is 2013 with 179. The full figures are in the table below the chart.2013: 179 complaints17920132014: 5 complaints520142015: 14 complaints1420152016: 3 complaints32016
Scion FR-S complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Scion FR-S complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
20131793310
201450000
2015141100
201630000
All model years2014410

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Scion FR-S components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Engine is the component named most often, in 151 complaints (75.1% of all 201), followed by Power Train (24) and Fuel/Propulsion System (9).

Components named most often in Scion FR-S complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Scion FR-S complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Engine15175.1%
Power Train2411.9%
Unknown or Other105.0%
Fuel/Propulsion System94.5%
Steering94.5%
Engine and Engine Cooling52.5%
Air Bags42.0%
Service Brakes42.0%
Electrical System31.5%
Seat Belts31.5%
Wheels31.5%
Structure21.0%
Suspension21.0%
Vehicle Speed Control21.0%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)10.5%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Scion FR-S recalls

7 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name FR-S, newest first. The 7 campaigns cover model years 2013 to 2016. The 2013 model year appears in the most campaigns (4).

  • 7 recall campaigns
Scion FR-S recall campaigns covering each model year
2013: 4 campaigns2014: 2 campaigns2015: 3 campaigns2016: 3 campaigns
Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 18V772000

    Reported

    Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine

    Model year 2013

    Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Subaru Impreza, 2012-2013 Impreza Stationwagon, 2013 Subaru BRZ, XV Crosstrek and Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles. The engine valve springs in these vehicles may fracture causing an engine malfunction or a possible engine stall.

    Consequence:
    An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Subaru will notify their owners. Toyota will notify the FR-S owners. Dealers will replace the valve springs, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Subaru owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-844-373-6614, Toyota owners may contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-888-270-9371. Subaru's number for this recall is WTY-84.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  2. NHTSA campaign 16V420000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels

    Model years 2015–2016

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Consequence:
    An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  3. NHTSA campaign 16V236000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels; Tires

    Model year 2016

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Consequence:
    An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  4. NHTSA campaign 16V075000

    Reported

    Electrical System › Ignition; Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch

    Model years 2013–2016

    Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured March 13, 2012, to January 14, 2016 and equipped an automatic transmission and ignition key. Vehicles with a push-to-start button are not affected. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible to remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the "Park" position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Consequence:
    If the key can be removed from the ignition when the transmission is not in the "Park" position, the vehicle could roll away increasing the risk of a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition key/transmission interlock wiring connections, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0E.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  5. NHTSA campaign 14V828000

    Reported

    Equipment

    Model years 2014–2015

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, RAV4, Scion FRS, and XB vehicles. The affected vehicles may have accessories installed by SET, such as running boards or other items, that were incorrectly installed. The accessory attaching fasteners were not tightened with the proper torque, possibly causing the accessory to detach from the vehicle.

    Consequence:
    Accessories that detach from a vehicle may result in a vehicle crash and/or personal injury.
    Remedy:
    SET will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the affected bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET-14B.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  6. NHTSA campaign 13V123000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Labels

    Model year 2013

    Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Consequence:
    An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
    Remedy:
    Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

  7. NHTSA campaign 12V255000

    Reported

    Equipment › Other › Owners/Service/Other Manual

    Model year 2013

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured from March 22, 2012, through May 14, 2012. The owner’s manual contains an inaccurate description of the actual operation of the front passenger occupant classification system. Other portions of the owner’s manual, describing the air bag system, require clarification. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, “occupant crash protection.”

    Consequence:
    If a user reads and follows inaccurate owner’s manual information, this could lead to an increased risk of injury to a front passenger seat occupant under certain crash conditions.
    Remedy:
    Toyota will notify owners, and will mail corrected inserts for the owner’s manuals, free of charge. The safety recall began on July 3, 2012. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-866-707-2466.

    Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Scion FR-S questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Scion FR-S have?

NHTSA lists 7 vehicle recall campaigns for the Scion FR-S, covering model years 2013 to 2016. The most recent, 18V772000, was reported on November 1, 2018 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 2013 model year is covered by the most campaigns (4).

Which Scion FR-S model year has the most complaints?

The 2013 model year, with 179 of the 201 complaints in NHTSA’s file (89.1%). The next are 2015 (14) and 2014 (5). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Scion FR-S complaint?

Engine is the component named most often: 151 complaints, or 75.1% of all 201. Power Train (24) and Fuel/Propulsion System (9) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Scion FR-S?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Scion dealer.

How many Scion FR-S complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 201 complaints, 4 report a crash, 4 a fire, 1 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Scion models

6 models · most complaints first

The Scion models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Scion VIN decoder with every Scion model page, WMI code and VIN note.

  • Scion xB 2003–2015 · 15 recalls · 1,047 complaints
  • Scion tC 2005–2016 · 10 recalls · 693 complaints
  • Scion xA 2004–2007 · 5 recalls · 125 complaints
  • Scion xD 2006–2014 · 7 recalls · 117 complaints
  • Scion iQ 2012–2015 · 1 recall · 24 complaints
  • Scion iM 2016 · 1 recall · 12 complaints

All Scion models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.