2005 Toyota MATRIX: complaints, problems and recalls

MY WIFE BOUGHT A NEW 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX ON JULY 24, 2004. FIVE DAYS LATER, WITH ONLY ABOUT 85 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AS SHE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. WHAT WAS WORSE, SHE WAS ON A HILL AND THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. *AKWE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THAT DAY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ACTUATOR HAD FAILED AND WAS LEAKING. WE DON'T MIND WAITING FOR THE SPARE PART TO COME IN AND EVERYTHING IS UNDER 100% WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE 2004 COROLLA THEY GAVE HER AS A LOANER, WITH ABOUT 1,200 MILES ON IT, ALSO…

Owner-reported narrative. 85 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083161 at NHTSA ↗

RE: TOYOTA SEAT BELT EXTENDER POLICY COMPLAINT. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT PASSENGERS CAN NOT RIDE IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE SEAT BELT EXTENDERS AND THE PERSON(S) WOULD NEED TO COME TO THE DEALERSHIP IN PERSON TO BE MEASURED FOR THE SEAT BELT EXTENDERS. *TC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10097825 at NHTSA ↗

COMMON INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE. WHEN ENGINE IS WARM IT TAKES LONGER FOR IT TO START, APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. TOYOTA CORP SAID THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PLANS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10103021 at NHTSA ↗

CAR HAS INTERMITTENT TROUBLE STARTING WHEN IT IS WARM. HAD IS ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND ONCE IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER 5TH ATTEMPT. USUALLY HAVE TO START IT TWO TIMES BEFORE IT STAYS RUNNING. LUCKILY I HAVE ROAD SIDE ASSITANCE WITH VEHICLE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116777 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX XR WITH 16" ALLOY WHEELS. I HIT A COBBLESTONE SIZED ROCK IN THE ROCK WITH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE TIRE LOST PRESSURE BECAUSE THE ALLOY WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF LIKE A BAGEL SLICED DOWN THE MIDDLE. TOYOTA WOULD NOT FIX THIS AS A WARRANTY ITEM INDICATING THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE SERVICE PERSONNEL HAD EVER SEEN A WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF. I'VE CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT BUT THEY ALSO INDICATE THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,070 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130323 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX 5/7/05. 1 WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I EXPERIENCED A INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM. EVEN AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS BY TOYOTA TO FIX THE PROBLEM IT IS STILL CURRENT. IT USUALLY HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. IT USUALLY CRANKS 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE STARTING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT ALL AND I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY BACK AND RETRY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE CLAIMS THEY CANNOT GET THE PROBLEM TO DUPLICATE WHEN THEY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THEIR POSSESSION BU…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131178 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CLUTCH WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS/TO ENGAGE THE STARTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO WORK THE CLUTCH BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THE FLOOR AREA ,AND THE WHEEL WELL MADE A HUMP IN THIS AREA. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A FOOT REST THAT THE CONSUMER HAD REMOVED BECAUSE IT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED. TWICE IT PUT THE CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION ALTHOUGH, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN AUGUST 2004. THE SECOND T…

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134314 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS HALTED IN THE LEFT TURN LANE OF A 6 LANE HIGHWAY BEHIND ANOTHER CAR ALSO WAITING TO TURN. MY CAR(1,600 MILES) WAS IDLING IN DRIVE. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING AND BY VIRTUALLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE I PREVENTED FORWARD MOVEMENT AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS I SLIPPED IT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN I DID THAT, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO RACE ALL THE MORE - VIRTUALLY SCREAMING. I FINALLY THOUGHT TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THE CAR PROMPTLY RESTARTED AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR AGAIN. THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FROM THIS PROBLEM IS HUGE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134676 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-08-26 (August 26, 2010)

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON VARISTORS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.

Consequence: THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 2010 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT AND RECALL. THIS INTERIM NOTIFICATION WILL INFORM OWNERS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTIFICATION WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE FREE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.