2008 Toyota MATRIX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
38 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
35,169 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 30 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 38 complaints (28.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 23.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 10.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 10.5% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 10.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 5.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Steering | 4 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Engine | 2 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 11; Electrical System: 8; Air Bags: 4; Steering: 4; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 3; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Engine: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 11 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 3
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2010 | 14 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2008: 6; 2010: 14; 2011: 4; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 5; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10305295 · 2010-02-04 (February 4, 2010)
THE BRAKES ON MY 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX FAILED AGAIN JANUARY 30, 2010. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT DEPRESS FOR A MOMENT AND THEN ONCE THE PRESSURE IS TAKEN OFF AND REAPPLIED IT WILL ENGAGE. IT HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT STARTED SEPT. 2009. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE CASE WENT TO ARBITRATION AND WAS FOUND IN FAVOR OF TOYOTA. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES AFTER ARBITRATION. THEY KEPT IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND PUT 4 MILES ON THE VEHI…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305295 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10305907 · 2010-02-04 (February 4, 2010)
I'M READING ABOUT THE RECENT RECALL OF THE TOYOTA PRIUS INVOLVING BRAKE PROBLEMS - A MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY WHILE TRAVELING OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, POTHOLE OR BUMP. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN MY 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. I'D LIKE TO GO ON RECORD THAT THIS PROBLEM EXTENDS TO MATRIX MODELS. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED WITH IBS BRAKES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10243429 · 2008-09-25 (September 25, 2008)
WITHOUT WARNING MY 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. I'M TOLD I NEED A NEW ONE, AND MY CAR HAS ONLY 60,560 MILES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 60,560 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243429 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10321870 · 2010-03-24 (March 24, 2010)
TOYOTA MATRIX XR 2008:BOUGHT NEW. ONE DRIVER CAR. TWENTY-TWO MONTHS OF DRIVING WITH 11,000 MILES ON IT. TOOK TO DEALER ON MARCH 12, 2010 BECAUSE LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY HARMONIC EQUALIZER ON FRONT AXLE WHICH CAUSED SCARING ON AXLE AND INSIDE TRANSMISSION INSTALLED NEW AXLE AND TRANSMISSION. TEN MINUTES AFTER PICKING UP CAR AFTER FIRST PROBLEM CORRECTED: CAR LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING. NEARLY KILLED BY SEMI-TRUCK BUT AVOIDED ACCIDENT. DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY COMPUTER. DEALER INSTALLING NEW COMPUTER NOW. UPDATED 03/29/10…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10321870 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10311527 · 2010-02-17 (February 17, 2010)
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO I DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER IN OUR PARKING LOT AT WORK. IT WAS STORMING WITH THE WIND BLOWING AS WELL. WHEN I DROVE THROUGH THE PUDDLE, MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST STEERING. THEN ENGINE NEVER STOPPED. ONCE I TRAVELED A FEW YARDS, THE STEERING STARTED WORKING AND THE BATTERY LIGHT WENT OFF. IT HAPPENED ANOTHER 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE I EVER LEFT MY WORK FACILITY. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I TOLD THEM SOMETHING MAKES ME LOSE STEERING ASS…
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311527 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10343697 · 2010-07-16 (July 16, 2010)
SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN 2008 MATRIX AUTOMATIC: FIRST KNOWN FAILURE. CAR BROUGHT NEW IN SEPTEMBER 2007; ODOMETER: 6000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON EVEN STRAIGHT SMOOTH ROADWAY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION TO GREATER THAN 70 MPH. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY DEPRESSED TO FLOOR WITHOUT ANY EFFECT. CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT SUCCESS. CAR SLOWED AFTER BEING PLACED IN REVERSE. COASTED TO A STOP. PLACED GEAR IN 2 AND DROVE SLOWLY HOME - APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE. FLOOR MATS WERE NOT NE…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10343697 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10246310 · 2008-10-22 (October 22, 2008)
2008 TOYOTA MATRIX XR....CAR DRIFTS SEVERELY TO THE LEFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS...ESPECIALLY WHEN IN THE LEFT LANE. I REALIZE THERE IS A CROWN TO EVERY ROAD, BUT OUR OTHER VEHICLES DO NOT DO THIS ON THE SAME STRETCH OF HIGHWAY IN ANY LANES. TO GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE SEVERITY, AT 65+MPH, THE CAR WOULD BE IN THE MEDIAN WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS WITHOUT THE CONSTANT RIGHTWARD PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I DID NOT NOTICE THE DRIFT ON THE TEST DRIVE AT THE DEALER. FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THE NEW ROADWAY NEAR THE DEALER IS NEARLY PERFECTLY FLAT. ALSO, TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246310 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10818759 · 2016-01-07 (January 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE STARTED BUT SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. AS TIME WENT ON, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILUR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10818759 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10821292 · 2016-01-20 (January 20, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT PROGRESSED INTERMITTENTLY FOR THREE YEARS. IN ADDITION, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FLICKERED, VARIOUS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL LIGHTS RANDOMLY ILLUMINATED, AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE EXTREMELY TIGHT. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE FAILURE REC…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,318 miles reported. Look up ODI 10821292 at NHTSA ↗