ScionTC2005Overview/scion/tc/2005/base/

2005 Scion TC

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 TC.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2005 Scion TC requires 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil and pairs with a four-speed automatic transmission to deliver EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/27/23 mpg. Ownership data logs 155 total owner complaints for this model year with visibility identified as the top complaint area, accompanied by four issued recalls. When contextualized against the full 2005-2016 model history, the 2005 version resides near the peak of reported issues just below the 161 complaints logged in 2006, indicating a greater prevalence of owner concerns than later years like 2016 which recorded the lowest count of 6.

Model year201620152014201320122011201020092005

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/27/23 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 / turnHEADOEM · 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
Battery2880046120
Front wiper blades8522247020 alt 8521213031
Serpentine belt90916A2005
Thermostat90916A3003 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 / combined20 / 27 / 23 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-30 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-30 · 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 Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.81-0.95 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity4.20-5.20 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
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

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 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) · Driveshaft Flange Yoke Bolts (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
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)
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 2005 Scion tC sits at the very top of this generation's complaint curve, with 155 owner complaints — second only to the 2006 model year's 161 — and is tied with 2006 for the highest recall count (4) while carrying the largest investigation tally of any year in the record (3, versus 1 in 2006 and zero in every subsequent year). Crash-related complaints (25) and fire complaints (3) are both the highest in the dataset, and the top complaint cluster is led by Visibility (37), Structure (17), and Air Bags (14), though the federal record does not specify root causes for any of these categories. TSB activity actually rises after 2005, climbing from 83 to a peak of 125 in 2008, indicating Scion continued issuing technical guidance addressing early-generation concerns even as complaint volume declined. Because the 2005 car is the first-year launch and absorbs the most regulatory scrutiny of the entire lineup, it carries more unresolved exposure than later examples; by 2010 complaints collapse to 20 and stay low through 2016. Concrete takeaway: the 2005 is the least advisable year in this generation to buy used — a 2008 or 2009 example would offer meaningfully cleaner federal paper, with fewer complaints, no open investigations, and the benefit of the model's later refinements.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
83
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
155
Owner complaints
25 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 155 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility37
Structure17
Air Bags14
Unknown Or Other8
Engine7
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Tires5
Vehicle Speed Control5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 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…

06V096000Air BagsReported 03/04/2006

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, DUE TO IMPROPER ASSEMBLY OF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR, WHICH IS USED IN THE SIDE AIR BAG, THE CURTAIN SHIELD AIR BAG, AND THE KNEE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, SOME INFLATORS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INSUFFICIENT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SPECIFIC SRS AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 6, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371, SCION AT 1-866-548-1851, OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 83 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
S-SB-0015-14 Rev2015-05-26EngineSB: Flash reprogramming allows the ECU software to be updated without replacing the ECU…
S-SB-0015-14 Rev2015-05-26EquipmentSB: Flash reprogramming allows the ECU software to be updated without replacing the ECU…
S-SB-0005-152015-05-13EquipmentSSB: The procedure in this bulletin is a general guideline on how to properly diagnose…
S-SB-0005-152015-05-13EquipmentSSB: The procedure in this bulletin is a general guideline on how to properly diagnose…
S-SB-0023-11 Rev2015-04-10Electrical SystemSSB: When servicing interior electrical switches and components, please note the…

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 2005 TC take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2005 TC have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the TC get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.