YearToAvoid

2016 Scion FR-S Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

No verdict

Complaint Index

0/100

#4 most-complained of 4 FR-S years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2016 Scion FR-S has 3 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 0 out of 100 — #4 highest of 4 FR-S model years. The most reported problem area is engine (1 complaints, 33% of the total).

Complaints
3
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
26
22.5 city / 31 hwy

Top 2016 Scion FR-S problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine1 (33%)
  2. Fuel System1 (33%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain1 (33%)
2016 Scion FR-S complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2019Aug 2024
3 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2019 to Aug 2024; peak Feb 2019 (2).

2016 Scion FR-S recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V420000Jun 9, 2016Other4,253 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

  2. NHTSA 16V236000Apr 22, 2016Other94 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Yaris, Rav4, Land Cruiser and 4Runner vehicles, and Scion FR-S, iM, and TC vehicles manufactured January 28, 2016, to March 14, 2016. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

    Risk: An incorrect label may result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide them a corrected label to be installed over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET16A.

  3. NHTSA 16V075000Feb 10, 2016Electrical System25,706 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Toyota Scion FR-S vehicles manufactured March 13, 2012, to January 14, 2016 and equipped an automatic transmission and ignition key. Vehicles with a push-to-start button are not affected. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible to remove the ignition key without the transmission being in the "Park" position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the transmission is not in the "Park" position, the vehicle could roll away increasing the risk of a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ignition key/transmission interlock wiring connections, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0E.

2016 Scion FR-S fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
26 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,075
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2016 compared with other FR-S years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002013201420152016
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2014Good335226.5
2015Caution6714326
2016No verdict03326

All Scion FR-S years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Scion FR-S a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Scion FR-S ranks #4 of 4 among FR-S model years (Complaint Index 0/100). It has 3 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Scion FR-S?
The most reported problem areas are engine (1 complaints), fuel system (1 complaints), and transmission & powertrain (1 complaints).
Does the 2016 Scion FR-S have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2016 Scion FR-S, most recently reported 2016, covering other and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2016 Scion FR-S?
EPA rates the 2016 Scion FR-S at 26 MPG combined (22.5 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,075. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.