Scion Recall Check by VIN: xB, tC, FR-S, xD, iQ Campaigns

To check Scion recalls by VIN, run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and then call any Toyota dealer, because Toyota still handles every Scion recall and service visit even though the brand ended in 2016. On a used Scion in mid October 2026, the campaigns that matter most are the passenger air bag inflator recalls on the 2008-2015 xB, the valve spring recall on the 2013 FR-S, and a few smaller seat and air bag sensor items on the xD and iQ.

Toyota announced on February 3, 2016 that Scion would fold back into Toyota, and its own press release said service and repairs would continue at Toyota dealership service departments. The 2017 FR-S, iA, and iM were rebadged as Toyotas, and the tC ended production in August 2016. So when you shop a 2016 iM or a 2017 Corolla iM, you are looking at nearly the same car under two badges, and the recall file can sit under either name. When we pulled Scion data from NHTSA on October 13, 2026, there were more than 30 campaigns on file, and the newest Scion-specific air bag filing was from late 2019.

How to check a Scion VIN

Read the VIN off the dash plate and the driver door jamb, and confirm it matches the title. Our guide to checking recalls by VIN on NHTSA explains what "incomplete" and "remedy not yet available" mean. Then give the same VIN to a Toyota service desk. Most Scion recalls were filed by Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing, and our Toyota recall check by VIN guide covers the shared campaign codes. Two Scions were built by other companies: the FR-S came from the Subaru partnership, and Consumer Reports notes the iA was Mazda-built and later sold as the Toyota Yaris. Their recalls can show up under Subaru or Mazda filings too.

xB passenger air bag inflators

The second-generation xB, sold from 2008 until production ended in December 2015 according to Toyota's Scion fact sheet, is the Scion with the longest air bag recall list. 16V-340 covers about 1,754,517 Toyota, Lexus, Scion, and Pontiac vehicles, including 2008-2011 xBs registered in hot, humid states, whose passenger frontal inflators can rupture in a crash after years of humidity and temperature cycling. 18V-024 adds the 2013 xB in those states plus 2009-2010 xBs elsewhere, and 19V-005 covers about 1,299,448 vehicles, including 2010-2015 xBs, split into three regional zones.

Then there is the repeat. 19V-741 covers about 928,220 vehicles, including 2008-2012 xBs, that already had an inflator replaced under an earlier recall with an inflator of the same design. Those replacements can degrade the same way, so Toyota replaces them again. So, honestly, a seller saying "the air bag recall was done" on an xB is half an answer. Ask which campaign, and check that 19V-741 is closed too. Our Takata air bag recall guide explains why these inflator campaigns come in layers.

FR-S engine and key recalls

The FR-S shares its engine with the Subaru BRZ, and the big one there was filed by Subaru. 18V-772 covers about 165,534 2012-2014 Impreza, 2013 BRZ, XV Crosstrek, and 2013 Scion FR-S vehicles whose engine valve springs can fracture, causing a malfunction or a stall. Toyota notified the FR-S owners, and dealers replace the valve springs. Our Subaru recall check by VIN guide covers the BRZ side of the same campaign. Automatic FR-S cars with a regular key also had 16V-075, about 25,706 2013-2016 cars where the key could come out without the shifter in Park, fixed by correcting the interlock wiring.

FR-S cars get modified a lot. A valve spring recall that was never done on a tuned car is a real risk, and a shop-installed engine swap can make the recall record confusing. If the seller cannot show dealer paperwork, have a Toyota or Subaru dealer confirm by VIN before you hand over money.

xD, iQ, tC, and the rest

The xD, sold from 2008 to 2014, shares 14V-169 with the Yaris: about 472,388 cars, including 2008-2010 xDs, where the springs in the seat rails can break. The tiny iQ has 12V-528, about 11,153 2012-2013 cars where the occupant classification sensor cable for the passenger seat can be damaged by sliding the seat, which can affect the passenger air bag. The tC had a 2015 recall, 15V-228, for 114 Release Series 9 cars with accessory coil springs where rear suspension parts may not have been tightened. Older xA and first-generation xB cars have fewer safety campaigns on file, plus some aftermarket lamp and dealer-installed cruise control recalls. Run them anyway.

Beyond recalls: title, flood, and price

A cheap Scion is an easy car to rebuild after a wreck and resell without saying so. A recall check will not show flood damage, a salvage brand, or rolled miles. Pull a history report and compare owner count, mileage, and title states with what the seller tells you. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX report through us is about $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle about $6.75, versus roughly $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. A "free full CARFAX" offer is a bait page, not a report.

Sources

• Toyota Newsroom: Scion brand to transition to Toyota
• Toyota Newsroom: Scion fact sheet
• Consumer Reports: Scion
• NHTSA: recall 16V-340 (passenger inflator)
• NHTSA: recall 19V-741 (replaced inflators)
• NHTSA: recall 18V-772 (FR-S valve springs)
• NHTSA: recall 14V-169 (xD seat rails)