← New search

2016 Scion Ia

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Ia years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 17 of 23 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

23 reports
76,000 miles · Mar 13, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED...FIRST THEY SAID BATTERY...WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH START BLINKING (ABS, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, AND OTHERS), THEN THE ENGINE GOES INTO LOW HEAR AND STAYS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. DURING THESE EPISODES THE SPEED ODOMETER IS ERRATIC. ALSO WHEN IN THIS STATE, T…

Read full complaint

SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED...FIRST THEY SAID BATTERY...WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH START BLINKING (ABS, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, AND OTHERS), THEN THE ENGINE GOES INTO LOW HEAR AND STAYS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. DURING THESE EPISODES THE SPEED ODOMETER IS ERRATIC. ALSO WHEN IN THIS STATE, THE REVERSE GEAR DOES NOT ENGAGE. WHEN THIS STARTED IT WAS A ONCE A MONTH PROBLEM, THEN WEEKLY, NOW IT HAPPENS DAILY/HOURLY. IT STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY, MOST OF THE TIME AT STOPS AND LOWER SPEEDS BUT DOES HAPPEN ON FREEWAY TOO.

NHTSA ODI #11186554

40,000 miles · Nov 19, 2018
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH START BLINKING (ABS, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, AND OTHERS), THEN THE ENGINE GOES INTO LOW HEAR AND STAYS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. DURING THESE EPISODES THE SPEED ODOMETER IS ERRATIC. ALSO WHEN IN THIS STATE, THE REVERSE GEAR DOES NOT ENGAGE. WHEN THIS STARTED …

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH START BLINKING (ABS, CHECK ENGINE, TRACTION, AND OTHERS), THEN THE ENGINE GOES INTO LOW HEAR AND STAYS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. DURING THESE EPISODES THE SPEED ODOMETER IS ERRATIC. ALSO WHEN IN THIS STATE, THE REVERSE GEAR DOES NOT ENGAGE. WHEN THIS STARTED IT WAS A ONCE A MONTH PROBLEM, THEN WEEKLY, NOW IT HAPPENS DAILY/HOURLY. IT STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAY, MOST OF THE TIME AT STOPS AND LOWER SPEEDS BUT DOES HAPPEN ON FREEWAY TOO.

NHTSA ODI #11152522

66,000 miles · Oct 11, 2018
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlCrash

I WAS ABOUT TO PARK AT A BURGER KING STORE AT DELANO CALIFORNIA 93215 AND SLOWING DOWN WHEN MY SCION IA SPEED UP MORE AND KEPT ON RUNNING WHILE MY FOOT IS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE. SO I ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE STORE. IT ONLY STOP BECAUSE THE TIRE WHERE ALREADY UP. I TRIED TO REVERSE MY CAR BUT CANNOT MOVE ANYMORE.

NHTSA ODI #11139656

1 miles · Oct 9, 2018
Service Brakes

2016 SCION IA. BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE WHEN APPLIED AFTER COLD START OR LONG PERIOD OF TIME ENGINE IS OFF. NOISE DISAPPEARS AFTER 3-5 BRAKE ATTEMPTS AND BRIEFLY SHOWS UP AGAIN AFTERWARDS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #11139369

110,000 miles · Aug 28, 2018
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SCION IA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. UPON ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK (T-BONED) BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S OLDER SON …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SCION IA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. UPON ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK (T-BONED) BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S OLDER SON SUSTAINED WHIPLASH, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11123000

28,200 miles · Jun 20, 2018
Service Brakes

BRAKES MAKE LOUD NOISE WHEN APPLIED AFTER COLD START OR LONG PERIOD OF TIME ENGINE IS OFF. NOISE DISAPPEARS AFTER 2-3 BRAKE ATTEMPTS AND BRIEFLY SHOWS UP AGAIN AFTERWARDS.

NHTSA ODI #11102895

12,000 miles · Apr 1, 2018
EnginePower Train

FOUR TIMES NOW( ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS) AFTER SHIFTING THE CAR INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE MADE HORRIBLE GRINDING SOUNDS AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH VIOLENTLY AS I ATTEPMPTED TO BACK UP. IT EVENTUALLY STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY SHIFT THE CAR INTO REVERSE SO I COULD LOOK UNDER THE HOOD WHILE…

Read full complaint

FOUR TIMES NOW( ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS) AFTER SHIFTING THE CAR INTO REVERSE THE ENGINE MADE HORRIBLE GRINDING SOUNDS AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH VIOLENTLY AS I ATTEPMPTED TO BACK UP. IT EVENTUALLY STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. ON ONE OCCASION I WAS ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY SHIFT THE CAR INTO REVERSE SO I COULD LOOK UNDER THE HOOD WHILE THE CAR WAS GRINDING AND LURCHING. I SAW THE ENGINE START TO VIBRATE AND THEN DUMP FORWARD AND THEN REPEAT THAT CYCLE. I DO HAVE VIDEO OF THE EVENT ON MY PHONE BUT I AM NOT ABLE TO DOWNLOAD IT TO THIS LAP TOP.

NHTSA ODI #11082332

22,000 miles · Aug 29, 2017
Wheels

IS DIFFCULT TO BUY TIRES FOR THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE DEALERS NEVER HAVE IN STOCK THIS SIZE TIRE TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE TO ORDER FOR YOU NEVER HAVE IN STOCK OTHER TIRE DEALERS HAVE TO ORDER FOR YOU ALSO MORE EXPENSIVE TO ORDER

NHTSA ODI #11020378

4,000 miles · Aug 3, 2017
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SCION IA. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE WHILE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAVID WILSON'S TOYOTA OF LAS VEGAS (3255 E SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89104 (702) 457-2000), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPL…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 SCION IA. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE WHILE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DAVID WILSON'S TOYOTA OF LAS VEGAS (3255 E SAHARA AVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89104 (702) 457-2000), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE NO LONGER OWNED THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE ACCELERATION ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000. ...UPDATED 10/19/17 *BF UPDATED 12/12/2017*JS

NHTSA ODI #11012571

9,851 miles · Jun 28, 2017
EngineUnknown Or Other

@ 9851 MILES, PICKED UP THE CAR FROM AN OIL CHANGE (IN NOV. 2016.) NOTICED A LIGHT SHAKING WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AT STOP LIGHT. THE ISSUE CONTINUED RANDOMLY, AT FIRST NOT VERY OFTEN, THEN STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN AND BECAME MORE AND MORE INTENSE AT TIMES. CAR IS AT 18,029 MILES (6/28/17,) AND IT STILL CONTINUES TO…

Read full complaint

@ 9851 MILES, PICKED UP THE CAR FROM AN OIL CHANGE (IN NOV. 2016.) NOTICED A LIGHT SHAKING WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AT STOP LIGHT. THE ISSUE CONTINUED RANDOMLY, AT FIRST NOT VERY OFTEN, THEN STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN AND BECAME MORE AND MORE INTENSE AT TIMES. CAR IS AT 18,029 MILES (6/28/17,) AND IT STILL CONTINUES TO RANDOMLY HAPPEN. HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT, NO SERVICE/ENGINE LIGHTS OR CODES. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SERVICE ADVISOR WITNESSED THE PROBLEM IN THE SERVICE BAY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS "CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE VEHICLE (BUT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR THE FIRST 9851 MILES,) AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD I PUT "BAD GAS" IN IT (ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN DRIVEN 8,358 MILES SINCE IT STARTED AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TYPES OF GAS FROM NUMEROUS GAS STATIONS PUT IN THE VEHICLE.) IT STILL HAPPENS RANDOMLY, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE AC IS ON OR OFF, HOW LONG IT BEEN DRIVEN, THE TYPE OF GAS THAT IS IN IT, OR WHAT THE TEMPERATURE IS OUTSIDE. MANUFACTURERS REP COULD NOT "RECREATE" THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, ARBITRATOR SAID THE 20 OR SO VIDEOS I RECORDED OF THINGS SHAKING IN MY VEHICLE WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, WAS NOT "CREDITBLE EVIDENCE." I WOULD LIKE THE ISSUE I'M EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR TO BE POSTED ON THE NHSTA WEBSITE UNDER PROBLEMS, JUST IN CASE OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11001922

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.