NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Scion IQ Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Scion IQ has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 17 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Scion dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Scion IQ. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2012 Scion IQ owner complaints

Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Scion IQ, describing incidents dated September 29, 2012 to September 23, 2023.

Most-cited components

Structure 6 complaints
Air Bags 4 complaints
Engine 4 complaints
Unknown or Other 3 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 2 complaints
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint

Of the 17 complaints on file, 4 report a crash; across all 17 complaints, owners report 3 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11549951 · Filed October 14, 2023
have a 2013 Scion IQ (auto/cvt). I had the 'check engine' and 'trac control' lights come on a few years ago.. I was driving on city streets. All I noticed was that the car didn't respond as it should when I gave it gas. ( nothing drastic ) I ran the codes. It said the gas pedal was the problem. I…
ODI #11536296 · Filed August 3, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Scion iQ. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, another vehicle made a left turn, causing the contact to crash into the other vehicle; however, no air bags deployed. The contact was injured on her back and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The…
ODI #11418531 · Filed May 25, 2021
The paint of the body is defective

Read all 17 complaints

Occupant Classification System Cable

NHTSA #12V528000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported November 8, 2012 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Potentially affected: 11,153 vehicles

Owners notified December 20, 2012 · Vehicles built July 31, 2011 – October 12, 2012 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Scion IQ. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

17 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Scion IQ.

Air Bags; Seat Belts; Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11549951

Incident: September 23, 2023 · Filed: October 14, 2023

have a 2013 Scion IQ (auto/cvt). I had the 'check engine' and 'trac control' lights come on a few years ago.. I was driving on city streets. All I noticed was that the car didn't respond as it should when I gave it gas. ( nothing drastic ) I ran the codes. It said the gas pedal was the problem. I removed the pedal assembly. (it's easier to unplug it that way. I unplugged it and looked at the inside of the plug. All looked fine. Plugged the pedal back in and all was good then. (I'm sure I avoided a $500 bill ) Same problem just occurred a few years later. I didn't bother running the codes. I just unplugged/re-plugged the pedal. Saved another $500. Here's a scary one. I was driving the car the first light snow of the year. On a city street, going slow on level road. Just maintaining speed..... not slowing ..... not speeding up...... not turning. All of a sudden

Air Bags

ODI #11536296

Crash 1 injury

Incident: July 25, 2023 · Filed: August 3, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Scion iQ. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, another vehicle made a left turn, causing the contact to crash into the other vehicle; however, no air bags deployed. The contact was injured on her back and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,189.

Structure

ODI #11418531

Incident: May 25, 2021 · Filed: May 25, 2021

The paint of the body is defective

Exterior Lighting; Engine

ODI #11394418

Incident: July 18, 2017 · Filed: February 3, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SCION IQ. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO RUDY LUTHER TOYOTA (8805 WAYZATA BLVD, GOLDEN VALLEY, MN 55426) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Structure

ODI #11341445

Incident: June 1, 2019 · Filed: July 25, 2020

PAINT BEGAN PEELING ABOUT 13 MONTHS AGO AND NOW HAS BEGUN TO RUST IN THE OPEN METAL AREAS.

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #11338204

Crash

Incident: July 7, 2020 · Filed: July 8, 2020

I GOT INTO 2 ACCIDENTS IN 3 DAYS WHILE PARKING INTO OR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE FIRST ACCIDENT 07/04/2020, MY CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE AND SUDDENLY IT ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO WORK. MY VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED AFTER CRASHING INTO THE CAR BEHIND ME. THE SECOND ACCIDENT HAPPEN 7/7/2020 WHILE PULLING FORWARD INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND BRAKES FAILED TO WORK AGAIN. I CRASHED INTO A CEMENT POLE WHICH STOPPED MY VEHICLE. I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THESE 2 DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS OCCURRED? MY VEHICLE WAS JUST REPAIRED OVER A WEEK BC THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. THE MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM WAS FROM A CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT WAS CLOGGED, SO HE REPLACED IT WITH A NEW OEM PART. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS BLOWING HOT ALSO, SO THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE AIR COMPRESSOR IN CAR AT THE SAME TIME. I WISH TO FILE A REPORT BASED ON THE "SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" DANGER.

Structure; Engine

ODI #11315440

Incident: October 15, 2019 · Filed: March 1, 2020

PAINT IS COMING OFF OF CAR IN DIFFERENT PLACES & TO MUCH OIL CONSUMPTION EVEN AFTER CHANGING EGR VALUE HAVE TO ADD OIL TO OFTEN.

Structure; Unknown or Other

ODI #11232377

Incident: July 1, 2019 · Filed: July 16, 2019

PISTON ARE BURNING A QT OF OIL PER 200 MILES OR LESS AND PAINT FLAKING ON CAR

Structure

ODI #11173297

Incident: January 15, 2018 · Filed: January 31, 2019

THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE ENTIRE CAR. THE BODY SHOP SAID IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, MODEL & COLOR. WHY WON'T TOYOTA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?

Engine

ODI #11061619

Incident: October 5, 2017 · Filed: January 10, 2018

STARTING BACK IN OCTOBER TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD CAR HAD NO OIL. I BRING MY CAR IN FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGES, SO WAS NOT SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON, SO I DISMISSED IT... BROUGHT CAR BACK TODAY 01/10/18 HAD THEM CHECK THE OIL LEVELS AND THE CAR NEEDED 2 1/2 LITTER OF OIL... I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE PISTONS... PLEASE RECALL

Other Scion IQ model years

Check your 2012 Scion IQ VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Scion IQ at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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