Vehicle was accelerating on highway when knocking was heard and engine failire occurred. Was coasted to a stop and oil was checked. No oil in the vehicle. New engine needed for vehicle. Vehicle is at 80,000 and oil changes were maintained. No oil leaks visible.
2010 Toyota Scion tC engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2010 Toyota Scion tC have filed 7 NHTSA complaints about the engine at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2006 Scion tC | 18 |
| 2007 Scion tC | 6 |
| 2008 Scion tC | 5 |
| 2010 Scion tC (this page) | 7 |
When does it fail?
Of the 7 engine complaints filed for the 2010 Toyota Scion tC, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Engine accounts for 35% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 3 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
I took my car to Toyota on August 7th 2021 and was informed my car needed a new engine due to losing three quarts of oil. The employee then informed me my car was under recall but they would be unable to fix the problem because the recall had expired. I never received a letter in the mail instructing me to take my car in for repairs due to this recall.
Warranty Enhancement Program –Part Replacement for Excessive Oil Consumption (NEVER INFORMED OF THIS ISSUE) I just found out that this expired on 3/27/2020 but Toyota mentioned this was created by your department. and within this letter we never received they are not willing to fix my car since it just started happening to my car. I took it to the Toyota dealership because I kept getting my oil…
Engine is burning at least 1 quart of oil per week and estimated driving miles per week is between 200 miles to 300 miles. There is no major oil leaks anywhere that I can see and there is no oil on the floor where the car is parked.
My car is burning oil, like a quart per week I always maintain the oil level, not leaks I just want to know if Toyota can help me, I am a third owner of this car has 94000 miles
Excessive oil consumption leading to motor loss. This seems to be a known issue for vehicles that are regularly maintained and scheduled oil changes every 3-5,000 miles. It seems it should be handled as a recall by Toyota if this many vehicles are having the same issue. Excessive oil consumption began around 90k miles. At 148k, vehicle was requiring more oil than I was able to put in. Engine…
Warranty Enhancement Program – ZE7 OIL Leak Certain 2007-2010 Scion tC Extension of Warranty Coverage for 2AZ Engine Oil Consumption Toyota is now announcing the part replacement phase of Warranty Enhancement Program ZE7 for vehicles exhibiting excessive engine oil consumption. Eligibility for part replacement under this Warranty Enhancement Program is dependent on a Toyota dealer performed…
Had engine trouble with your 2010 Toyota Scion tC?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2010 Toyota Scion tC?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 7 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 7 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 114,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Toyota/Scion tC.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.