Transport CanadaCritical
At a glance
What can fail
The engine valve springs may fracture, which can cause the engine to fail or stall and prevent the vehicle from restarting.
This page covers 5 recalls, 178 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2013 Scion Fr-S.
25–28 mpg combined
8.4–9.4 L/100km
Minicompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
The 2013 Scion FR-S draws complaints that center heavily on the engine, which accounts for the large majority of reports filed for this model year. Owners frequently describe unexpected engine stalls or shutdowns while driving, sometimes followed by a knocking sound on restart. A recurring pattern involves the check engine light flashing before the vehicle loses power, and several owners report being told the cause was internal engine failures such as broken valve springs. Powertrain complaints are a distant second, with a smaller cluster of reports covering drivetrain behavior. Steering draws a handful of reports describing sudden, complete loss of steering control during turns, leaving the driver unable to direct the vehicle. The engine stall and internal failure pattern is by far the dominant thread across these complaints.
178
Total Complaints
3
Crash-Related
3
Fire-Related
1
With Injuries
By System
The 2013 Scion FR-S has 5 recalls, the most serious being engine valve springs that can fracture, causing the engine to stall or fail entirely and leave the driver unable to restart the car.
Recalls 2 and 4 address the same rollaway risk and can be treated as one issue: on automatic transmission models equipped with a traditional ignition key (not a push-button start), the key interlock may not prevent the key from being removed while the transmission is still out of Park. If a driver exits the car in that condition, the vehicle can roll away and strike other vehicles or pedestrians. This affects automatic transmission models only. On the electrical side, the ignition system's inability to enforce a Park position before key removal is the core hazard, and prior assembly steps during rail transport left the interlock disconnected on some vehicles, compounding the risk.
There is also a documentation issue affecting early-production FR-S vehicles built in spring 2012: the owner's manual contains an inaccurate description of how the front passenger seat sensor works, along with sections on the airbag system that require clarification. If a passenger or driver reads and follows those inaccurate instructions, the front passenger airbag may not behave as expected in a crash, raising the risk of injury to whoever is sitting in that seat.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine valve springs may fracture, which can cause the engine to fail or stall and prevent the vehicle from restarting.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the engine valve springs.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Engine valve springs may crack, which can cause the engine to malfunction or stall.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the valve springs at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On certain 2013-2016 Scion FR-S vehicles with automatic transmission and traditional ignition keys, the ignition key can be removed even when the transmission is not in Park, which prevents proper rollaway protection.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and correct the ignition key and transmission interlock wiring connections at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The ignition key interlock may not be properly connected, allowing the key to be removed when the transmission is in a gear other than PARK, which could cause the vehicle to move unexpectedly.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and connect the delivery mode connectors to restore proper key interlock function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The owner's manual contains incorrect information about how the front passenger airbag system determines whether to deploy, and other airbag system descriptions need clarification.
What the fix does
Toyota will mail corrected owner's manual inserts to you at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
