2007 Toyota MATRIX: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING A FRONT END COLLISION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 5,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10193910 at NHTSA ↗

POTENTIAL FAILURE - EXECESSIVE TIRE WEAR. I HAD THE TOYOTA MATRIX TIRES ROTATED AT THE DEALERSHIP AT 5,000 MILES WAS NEVER TOLD THAT I HAD, WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN VERY NOTICABLE WEAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I HAD THE TIRES ROTATED AGAIN AT 21,000 , AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE TIRES HAD VERY EXECISIVE WEAR FROM A THE FRONT END BEING OUT OF ALINEMENT. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER AND A CAREFUL DRIVER. I BELIEVE THIS CAR WAS OUT OF ALINEMENT FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE ALERTED ME OF MY 5,000 CHECK UP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10195395 at NHTSA ↗

IN AUGUST 2007, I BEGAN TO SMELL GAS INSIDE MY CAR WHEN DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX . THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR HAD FAILED, CAUSING THE SEALS ON THE FUEL INJECTORS TO FAIL. MY SERVICE CENTER REPLACED THE FUEL RAIL AND INJECTOR SEALS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT OTHER MATRIXES HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS, LEADING ME TO WONDER WHETHER THIS HEALTH AND SAFETY PROBLEM RESULTS FROM FAULTY DESIGN. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 52,799 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206893 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. WHENEVER SHE ACTIVATES THE WIPERS, THE MARKS LEFT ON THE WINDSHIELD ARE THICK ENOUGH TO PREVENT HER FROM SEEING THE ROAD. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND OFFERED THEM PICTURES OF THE MARKS ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES, AND ADVISED HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN DURING RAINY CONDITIONS FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO DRIVE DURING RAINY CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF …

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222387 at NHTSA ↗

HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX--WAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD AND HAD APPROX 17000 MILES. NOTICE THE TIRE LOOKED LOW ON AIR ONE DAY--REMOVED THE TIRE TO CHECK FOR NAILS OR DAMAGE AND FOUND NO--SO TOOK THE TIRE TO A GARAGE AND THEY PUT THE TIRE IN A WATER BATH AND FOUND A LEAK ON THE SIDE WALL--I TOOL THE GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRE TO A GOOD YEAR DEALER--AS THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL TIRE ON THE CAR--THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRE--SO DECIDED TO BUY A NEW SET OF MICHELINS. WHEN THE GOODYEAR TIRE WAS REMOVED FROM THE RIM THE MECHANIC SHOWED IT TO ME AND THE BEAD …

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239225 at NHTSA ↗

PREMATURE EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON REAR OF 2007 TOYOTA MATRIX AT 40,000 MILES. ADVISED BY LOCAL NTB TIRE STORE THAT REAR TIRE/WHEEL ALIGNMENT IS OUT OF SPECS WHILE FRONT ALIGNMENT WAS PERFECT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244489 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2007 MATRIX . THE DRIVERS SEAT KEEPS LOWERING ON ITS OWN. I CRANK IT UP 8 CRANKS. AFTER 2 DAYS OF DRIVING, IT LOWERS 2 CRANKS. IF I LET IT GO, IT WILL LOWER ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT LIFTER BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. THE SEAT IS LOWERING BECAUSE THE CRANK(LEVER) THAT RAISES AND LOWERS THE SEAT RUBS AGAINST THE SEAT CUSHION. AFTER A SHORT WHILE (1 OR 2 DAYS OF DRIVING) IT LOWERS BECAUSE MY WEIGHT ON THE CUSHION PUSHES THE CRANK(LEVER) DOWN. I AM 195LBS. THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE TO PLACE A WO…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266060 at NHTSA ↗

1. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING HARDER AND HARDER. 2. THE TIRE'S SIDEWALL WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED ON BOTH SIDES, AS IF IT WERE DEFECTIVE. 3. THE TIRE WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AS OF LAST MONTH. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 18,789 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286362 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2010-02-03 (February 3, 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 BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

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 MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.

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.