NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2012–2015

Scion iQ recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 24 owner complaints for the Scion iQ, covering model years 2012 to 2015. The 2012 model year drew the most complaints (17), and Engine is the component owners name most often.

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

Decode your Scion iQ VIN

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

1 recall campaign on file
24 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
4 model years with data (2012–2015)

most complaints: 2012 (17 for that model year)
top component: Engine (9 complaints)
latest recall 12V528000 (reported Nov 8, 2012)

7 complaints reporting a crash (29.2%)
0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
4 complaints reporting an injury (16.7%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Scion iQ complaints by model year

4 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2012 model year has the most complaints: 17 of 24, or 70.8%. Next come 2013 (5) and 2014 (1). The fewest are for 2015, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Scion iQ complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Scion iQ complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting an injury
2012	17	4	3
2013	5	1	1
2014	1	1	0
2015	1	1	0
All model years	24	7	4

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

Most-reported Scion iQ components

top 10 · NHTSA categories

Engine is the component named most often, in 9 complaints (37.5% of all 24), followed by Structure (7) and Air Bags (6).

Components named most often in Scion iQ complaints (top 10)

Components named most often in Scion iQ complaints (top 10)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Engine	9	37.5%
Structure	7	29.2%
Air Bags	6	25.0%
Unknown or Other	3	12.5%
Vehicle Speed Control	3	12.5%
Power Train	2	8.3%
Steering	2	8.3%
Exterior Lighting	1	4.2%
Seat Belts	1	4.2%
Service Brakes	1	4.2%

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 iQ recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name iQ, newest first. The only campaign, 12V528000, covers model years 2012 and 2013.

1 recall campaign

Scion iQ recall campaigns covering each model year
2012: 1 campaign	2013: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 12V528000
Reported Nov 8, 2012
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-Inactive; Air Bags
Model years 2012–2013
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Scion IQ vehicles manufactured July 31, 2011, through October 12, 2012. The cable for the Occupant Classification System (OCS) may become damaged when sliding the passenger seat forward or backward.
Consequence:
If the cable for the OCS becomes damaged, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy:
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover on the OCS weight sensor cable. The recall began on December 20, 2013. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Filed by Toyota Motor Corporation

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. 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
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What 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 iQ questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Scion iQ have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Scion iQ, covering model years 2012 to 2015. The campaign, 12V528000, was reported on November 8, 2012 and is filed under “Air bags”. The 2012 and 2013 model years are covered by the most campaigns (1 each).

Which Scion iQ model year has the most complaints?

The 2012 model year, with 17 of the 24 complaints in NHTSA’s file (70.8%). The next are 2013 (5) and 2014 (1). 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 iQ complaint?

Engine is the component named most often: 9 complaints, or 37.5% of all 24. Structure (7) and Air Bags (6) 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 iQ?

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 iQ complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 24 complaints, 7 report a crash, 0 a fire, 4 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.

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 FR-S 2013–2016 · 7 recalls · 201 complaints
Scion xA 2004–2007 · 5 recalls · 125 complaints
Scion xD 2006–2014 · 7 recalls · 117 complaints
Scion iM 2016 · 1 recall · 12 complaints

All Scion models and WMI codes Look 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.