ScionxD2012Overview/scion/xd/2012/base/

2012 Scion xD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 xD.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2012 Scion xD utilizes a four-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 4.4 quarts of 5W-20 or 0W-20 API oil to achieve EPA fuel economy ratings of 27 city, 33 highway, and 29 combined mpg. Reliability records for this model year indicate only five total owner complaints focused on the electrical system and zero recalls. When viewed across the covered 2006 to 2014 history where reported issues ranged from a low of one in 2006 to a high of 67 in 2008, the 2012 model's minimal reporting positions it as a lower-complaint year for researchers evaluating ownership risk.

Model year2014201320122011201020092008

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy27/33/29 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 9030169011. 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 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.0-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter9030169011 alt 04152YZZA6
Engine air filter178010T030
Spark plug9091901275
Battery2880043262 alt 2880016151
Front wiper blades8522252170 alt 8521252180
Serpentine belt9091602664
Thermostat9091603144 alt 9091603145
Cabin air filter8713902090

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length154.7 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height59.4 in
Wheelbase96.9 in
Curb weight2623 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined27 / 33 / 29 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 xD of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.9–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.90 sec — 2008 Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2008Hatchback 1.8L I-47.90 sec16.40 sec128 hpFWD
2008Hatchback 1.8L I-48.30 sec16.50 sec128 hpFWD
2008Hatchback 1.8L I-48.40 sec16.50 sec128 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-20 / 0W-20 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 27.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.6
Engine Oil5W-20 · 0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.4 qt
Manual Transmission FluidToyota LV MTF
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity4

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11.5 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts66 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts21 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts16 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs16 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub160 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 Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20.0 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Injector Primary Resistance11.6-12.4 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression156-213 PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure3.6 psi @ Idle, 22-59 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0015 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.866 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.748 in
Drum Nominal Diameter9 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
136 ft. lbs.36 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
345 degrees.; Lightly lubricate new cylinder head bolt, threads and flanges with engine oil.45 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
130 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9030 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 10,000 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) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (clean)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (clean) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
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.

The 2012 Scion xD sits firmly in the "mature" phase of the generation's federal record, well past the launch-year spike of 2008 (67 complaints, 5 recalls) and the elevated 2009-2010 period that followed. With only 5 complaints, zero recalls, and no open investigations, the target year is statistically the quietest mid-cycle year in the dataset, and it also marks the start of a three-year stretch (2012-2014) in which no recalls were filed at all. TSB activity remains high at 69 bulletins, but that figure is consistent with the 62-84 range seen across every year from 2008 onward, suggesting ongoing service refinement rather than emerging defects. The few 2012 complaints are spread thinly across electrical, airbag, and fuel/propulsion categories, with no single dominant failure mode, though the 2 crash and 2 fire complaints warrant a pre-purchase inspection of those specific systems. Taken together, the trend arc implies Scion resolved the early-generation recall issues and the car was largely settled by 2012, making it a defensible year to buy—provided you verify the airbag and fuel system components against the listed complaint areas.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
69
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
5
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 5 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Electrical System2
Air Bags1
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Fuel System, Gasoline,Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 69 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-PANT-2024-004-2024-03-04Engine And Engine CoolingThis is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil…
S-TT-0117-202020-12-11VisibilityTT: HVAC drain tube is found to be blocked/clogged.
S-SB-0012-14-Rev2017-08-29EquipmentTSB: REVISION NOTICE August 23, 2017 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include…
S-SB-0035-13 Rev2016-11-10EquipmentTSB: REVISION NOTICE November 10, 2016 Rev1: ? Applicability has been updated to include…
S-SB-0012-152015-06-29Electrical SystemSSB: While a vehicle is in inventory, the battery is subject to conditions that can…

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 xD. 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 2012 xD take?

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

Does the 2012 xD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the xD get?

EPA figures are 27 city / 33 highway / 29 combined mpg.