ScionTC2009Overview/scion/tc/2009/base/

2009 Scion TC

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 TC.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2009 Scion tC arrives with a 4-quart oil capacity spec'd for 5W-20 or 0W-20 API grades, paired to a four-speed automatic that delivers 21/29/24 mpg city/highway/combined. Owner-reported issues total 60 for the year, with the engine emerging as the leading complaint category and three recalls on record. Across the 2005–2016 model run, 2009 sits well below the 2006 peak of 161 complaints and above the 2016 low of six, placing it in the middle of the nameplate's reliability arc — a year that reflects typical wear patterns rather than systemic trouble.

Model year201620152014201320122011201020092008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 575 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZF1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 575 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLLOEM · verified
Tire size215-45ZR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZF1
Engine air filter17801YZZ03
Fuel filter233000A020
Spark plug9008091180
Front wiper blades8521213031 alt 8522247020
Serpentine belt9091602600 alt 9091602601
Thermostat9091603136 alt 163250T030
Cabin air filter885685201083

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 29 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the TC of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.4–8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2005 Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2005Hatchback 2.4L I-47.40 sec15.70 sec160 hpFWD
2005Hatchback 2.4L I-47.60 sec15.90 sec160 hpFWD
2005Hatchback 2.4L I-48.00 sec15.90 sec160 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-20 / 0W-20 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.7
Engine Oil5W-20 · 0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-90 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts72 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts27 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs14 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub195 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.73-.86 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.51 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance575 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Engine Compression145-189 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure4.4 psi @ Idle, 38 psi @ 4000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.007-0.011 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.015-0.019 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 29 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 34 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.984 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.984 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.906 in / 0.295 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9015 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Across the generation, federal records show a consistent downward trend in complaints, dropping from a peak of 161 in 2006 to just 6 in 2016. The 2009 model year falls within this improvement arc, recording 60 complaints, which is a notable decrease from the 86 reported for 2008. While it shows progress over earlier years, it still exhibits higher complaint volumes than the 2010 model, which saw only 20. For 2009, the most frequent complaint areas include the engine (13), air bags (7), and vehicle speed control (6), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. The year recorded 3 recalls, 0 investigations, 15 crash complaints, and 1 fire complaint. Because it represents a significant improvement in reported reliability over the initial production years, this is a good year to buy.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
118
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
60
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 60 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine13
Air Bags7
Vehicle Speed Control6
Visibility5
Tires3
Structure3
Power Train2
Steering2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

10V035000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 03/02/2010

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD… Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S…

09V223000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 15/06/2009

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM… Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 118 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
S-TT-0117-202020-12-11VisibilityTT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
ZE7 Phase 2 POL12017-01-12Engine And Engine CoolingWarranty Policy Bulletin: Toyota has received some reports where vehicles may exhibit…
ZE72016-08-04EquipmentWARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN (POL14-12): ADDED THE SHORT BLOCK RELEASE AUTHORIZATION FLOW…
ZE7_Warranty Pol2016-08-04EngineWarranty Policy Bulletin (POL14-12): Added the Short Block Release Authorization Flow…
POL14-122016-06-24EquipmentWARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN (POL14-12): TOYOTA HAS RECEIVED SOME REPORTS WHERE VEHICLES MAY…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific TC. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 TC take?

4 qt of 5W-20 OR 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 TC have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the TC get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.