June 19, 2007 I noticed that my muffler was louder than usual and noticed that the tip of my muffler was missing. I own a Scion 2005 Xb release series 2.0 vehicle. There were 2500 of these cars manufactured and they have a special DC sport exhaust system. The dealer initially told me that I would have to replace the entire exhaust system and that it would not be covered under the warranty. Upon looking at the web site entitled scionlife.com, I found a forum that contained many Scion Xb release series 2.0 owners whose muffler tips had come apart. I provided this information to the dealer. The noise inside my vehicle can be oppressive when I step on the gas pedal. July 6, 2007 the dealer states that he is ordering a muffler and that it will be covered under the warranty. As of July 19, the part is still on order. After seeing the number of people that have experienced the same problem with the muffler on these vehicles, I believe that it is a defective muffler and should be recalled before someone is injured by a flying muffler tip. The manufacturer should replace these mufflers with a safer and more reliable exhaust system.

- Manchester, MO, USA

I was driving southbound on Delaware state highway 1 towards ocean city, Maryland, maintained a constant speed of 50 mph when the tail pipe on the Scion Xb 2005 released series 2.0 fell off without warning. It bounced against the road, flew up, and hit the SUV driving behind me in the windshield. Fortunately, the windshield did not crack, and the driver, after we both pulled to the side of the road, drove off without incident. I was unable to find the tail pipe. The vehicle has approximately 45,000 miles on it, and has been kept in excellent working condition with frequent routine maintenance. However, I note that poor welding on the tail pipes of the release series 2.0 has been recorded frequently online. See, www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?T=105750. Only 2500 of the cars with this muffler were produced, and over a dozen complaints were easily observable online. I was happy that the car behind me was an SUV instead of a motorcycle, as the flying tailpipe could have seriously injured a motorcycle driver. I am presently attempting to replace the part, but my local dealership informed me that it wa sno longer available. Scion has replied that the dealer needed to search for the part number via the VIN number, and I am awaiting the result on this count.

- Ellendale, DE, USA