2005 Scion Xb

SUBJECT: 2005 SCION XB STRUCTURAL SAFETY ITEM AFTER PURCHASE OF THE ABOVE AUTOMOBILE IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE IS NO MECHANICAL WAY TO OPEN THE REAR TRUNK DOOR. IT HAS NO KEY, NO EXTERNAL HANDLE, AND NO CABLE RELEASE. ENTRY AND EXIT IS DEPENDENT SOLELY ON THE BATTERY-POWERED WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL. IF THAT SHOULD FAIL OR BREAK, ONE HAS TO CLIMB INTO THE REAR AND REMOVE A PANEL SECURED WITH FASTENERS TO RELEASE THE LOCK. CONSIDER - SOUTH FLORIDA WITH NUMEROUS WATER-FILLED CANALS - ACROSS ALLIGATOR ALLEY CARS RUN INTO CANALS OFTEN, NOSE-FIRST. DRIVER HAS NO WAY TO RELEASE REAR LOCK. YOUR OFFICE RECENTLY ISSUED A DIRECTIVE TO INSTALL EMERGENCY INTERNAL LOCK RELEASES FOR NORMAL CAR TRUNKS. HOW DID THE SCION PASS INSPECTION? I TRIED CONTACTING THE SCION ORGANIZATION ON THIS SUBJECT, AND WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SUBJECT. SHOULD YOU CONCUR WITH MY REPORT, PERHAPS SCION COULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE A FIX. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS SIDE SWIPED THEN HIT A ROCK WALL WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT END. THIS OCCURRED AT 65 MPH AND THE DAMAGE WAS BETWEEN THE CORNER AND HEADLIGHTS. THE SEATBELTS WERE WORN, BUT THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC.

THE SCION TC WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS A MAJOR FLAW WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD AND DRIVEN SLOWLY. THE ENGINE BUCKS AND JERKS VIOLENTLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP. IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN WHEN DRIVEN SLOWLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. THE VEHICLE WILL BUCK AND JERK, VIOLENTLY SOME TIMES, UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE NEEDLE MOVES. IT HAPPENS IN SUMMER AND WINTER AND IS OK WHEN THE ENGINE IS EVENTUALLY WARMED UP. THE DEALER CAN DO NOTHING FOR IT AS THE COMPUTER PROGRAMMING IS FIXED BY TOYOTA. *NM

THERE IS A DRIVING PROBLEM WITH A NEW CAR WHEN STARTING IT WITH A COLD ENGINE. THE VEHICLE BUCKS AND JERKS WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED UNTIL THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT PRODUCE TROUBLE CODES. THEREFORE, THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS OPERATING NORMALLY ALTHOUGH THE JERKING AND BUCKING IS QUITE DISRUPTIVE AND NOT AT ALL NORMAL. *AK

THE FIRST NIGHT THAT I DROVE IT, I WAS IN THE HILLY COUNTRY AND NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WITH LOW BEAM ON THE LIGHT DOES NOT SHINE ANY HIGHER THAN ABOUT 3 FEET OFF THE GROUND. GOING DOWN THE HILL THE LIGHTS ONLY SHINE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, NOT UP THE OTHER SIDE LIKE A NORMAL VEHICLE. WHEN I REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, MY WIFE SCREAMED AT ME. THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WAS A LARGE BUCK. THE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE HIM. WITH ANOTHER CAR COMING I COULDN'T USE MY BRIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER A FEW DAYS LATER BECAUSE THEY HAD ONLY 2 MECHANICS AND COULDN'T HANDLE ANYMORE WORK. THEY CALLED ME THAT FRIDAY AND TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN MONDAY. NO-ONE AT THAT DEALERSHIP KNEW HOW THE LIGHTS WERE SUPPOSED TO WORK. NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUCKS THEY SELL. THE MASTER MECHANIC WORKED ON IT TWICE. HE TOLD ME THAT HE DROVE HIS DAUGHTERS TUNDRA AND THAT WHAT I HAD DESCRIBED WAS FACT. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE COMPLAINTS. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHY IT WAS LIKE THAT. AFTER 3 TELEPHONE CALLS TO TRY AND GET SOME SATISFACTORY AFTER THE SALE CUSTOMER SERVICE, FROM A DEALERSHIP WHERE THERE IS NONE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP CLOSED MY CASE. I WILL NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. TOO DANGEROUS. *JB

*****ATTENTION***** *****SCION XB SEAT BELTS VERY DANGEROUS FOR LITTLE KIDS********* REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS LOCKING TO THE POINT OF EXTREME PAIN AND SUFFOCATION. THE BELT MECHANISM ONCE LOCKED IT CONTINUES TO RACHET BACKWARD TO ITS LOCKING STATE SO THAT IF ONE LEANS BACK ON THE SEAT YOU BECOME GLUED TO IT. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT GIVE IN FORWARD WHICH MAKES DIFFICULT TO REACH THE UNLATCH BUTTON. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN!. MY SON (7 YRS OLD) FELL ASLEEP WHILE ON THE FREEWAY ONLY TO WAKE UP WITH HIS SEAT BELT LOCKED, I SUGGESTED TO LEAN BACKWARD ON THE SEAT TO GIVE IT SOME SLACK AND THEN TO PULL FORWARD, TO MY SURPRISED THE SEAT BELT BECAME TIGHTER. ONCE I PULLED OVER IT HAD BECOME SO TIGHT AROUND MY SON'S CHEST THAT IT WAS CAUSING HIM PAIN AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO UNLATCH IT BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PUSH THE BUTTON DOWN. THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REMOVE THE REAR SIDE PANEL (BEHIND THE BACK SEAT) AND REMOVE THE ENTIRE LOCKING MECHANISM FROM THE CAR FRAME. IT'S BEEN TWO DAYS SINCE THE INCIDENT AND THE BELT IS STILL LOCKED. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!! AND IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN IN A FENDER BENDER, FIRE OR AN ACCIDENT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF NOT DEATH... I'M VERY CONCERNED WILL GET RID OFF THIS CAR..... I WILL BE FILING A COMPLAINT TO THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

THE DRIVER DOOR DETENT ON THE 2005 SCION XB VIN JTLK324154008954 DOES NOT HOLD ON A MODEST INCLINE, CREATING A SERIOUS INJURY HAZARD. REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALER (RIVERHEAD TOYOTA). RESPONSE: "VEHICLE NOT DESIGNED TO. NO PROBLEM FOUND". THE DEALER IS WRONG. THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A COMBINATION OF 2 PROBLEMS -- AN INADEQUATE DETENT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE DOOR COMBINED WITH APPLICATION OF EXCESSIVE WHITE GREASE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO DESIGN A STRONGER DETENT AND ALL SERVICE PERSONNEL NEED TO BE WARNED NOT TO APPLY ANY GREASE TO THE DETENT AND TO REMOVE ANY GREASE APPLIED AT THE FACTORY OR IN PRIOR SERVICE. *NM

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT (MAY APPLY TO REAR BELTS AS WELL) RETRACTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE BELTS APPEAR TO HAVE A LIMIT SET ON THEM THAT IS TOO SHORT FOR THE VEHICLE CONFIGURATION. A SIMPLE ACT SUCH AS LEANING FORWARD SLIGHTLY IN THE PASSENGER SEAT TO OPEN THE GLOVE BOX CAN CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO LIMIT UP AND BEGIN IT'S LOCK DOWN. IT THEN BEGINS TO RATCHET BACKWARDS AND WILL NOT GIVE IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION AT ALL. IF THE PASSENGER LEANS BACK IT TIGHTENS FURTHER, AND BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE FROM THE LATCH MECHANISM. THE ONLY OPTION IF THE LIMIT IS ACCIDENTALLY REACHED IS TO UNDO THE SEAT BELT, LET IT ALL THE WAY BACK, AND PULL IT OUT AGAIN. MY WIFE AND I OFTEN FIND OURSELVES HAVING TO DO IT WHILE ON THE FREEWAY OR IN OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, BECAUSE OF THE RATCHETING ACTION. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. THE DRIVER'S BELT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEMS TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WITHOUT THIS LIMIT AND RATCHET BACK SYSTEM. DRIVER'S SIDE HAS NO ISSUES FOR THE SAME PERSON DOING ACTIONS THAT MAY REACH EVEN FURTHER THAN THE PASSENGER MIGHT NORMALLY DO. ALSO, PAINT VERY EASILY CHIPS AND SCRATCHES. LEANING AGAINST THE CAR TOO HARD, OR ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING A FINGERNAIL ON IT CAUSES SEVERE WHITE SCRATCHES TO APPEAR ON MY DARK RED SCION XB. *NM