IQ

Scion iQ Recalls

All 1 NHTSA recall campaigns on the Scion iQ (2012–2013) — what failed, what it risks, how it gets fixed, and how many years passed before the defect was admitted.

NHTSA campaigns · 1 campaigns · Updated Aug 5, 2026
Quick answer

The Scion iQ has 1 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2012–2013. On average a defect was admitted 0 years after the car was built. The most recalled system is Air Bags (1 campaigns). Owners also filed 22 complaints on this model — see what breaks.

What was recalled on the Scion iQ

Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.

Air Bags 100% 1 Read
2013 Scion iQ · 12V528000 · admitted after 0 years

What's wrong. 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

Risk. 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

Fix. 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

2012 Scion iQ · 12V528000 · admitted after 0 years

What's wrong. 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

Risk. 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

Fix. 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

How long a defect stays unadmitted

Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.

FIG.03·Scion iQ — how fast defects were admitted
MeasureValue
Average gap before admission— years
Slowest campaign0 years
Admitted 5+ years later—%
Campaigns on record1
ROWS 4·SOURCE ForCar, computed from NHTSA campaign numbers

Which iQ years were recalled most

Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.

FIG.04·Scion iQ recalls by model year
Model yearCampaignsMost recalled system
20131Air Bags
20121Air Bags
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

Check your own car

A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.

FIG.05·How to check a recall by VIN
StepWhat you get
Enter the VIN aboveOpen campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA
Check the repair statusWhether the free fix has already been carried out on this car
Book at any franchised dealerRecall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner
ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar
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Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the Scion iQ have?

1 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2012–2013. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.

Is recall work free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.

How do I know if my iQ still has an open recall?

Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.

Why did a defect take years to be recalled?

On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 0 years. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.

Recall campaigns from NHTSA, published as filed. Years elapsed before admission computed by ForCar from the campaign number, which encodes the year it was announced. Last updated Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.