Automatic Transmission problems of the 2003 Toyota Matrix

Abs, brake, & service engine lights came on. Took it to midas, they replaced speed sensors. When I got car back it shifted gears (automatic) funny & hesitated significantly shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Immediately returned car to midas. They re-diagnosed & suggested I take it to Toyota dealer (john elway's crown Toyota). They said it was speedometer cluster & replaced it which did not resolve my problem so declined to pay & asked them to put back my old speedometer cluster. They didn't & didn't charge me for the new one. Had car towed back to midas. They disconnected speed sensors & told me it was drivable. Got on freeway next day & car wouldn't shift from 3rd to 4th gear, engine revved to 6000 rpms, got off freeway & called midas corporate to complain. They said they would have franchise owner call me. He called but did not identify himself as the person I originated dealt with at midas shop, I know this because I called the number they called from & it was the midas shop. Went to midas, today (8/27/10), they asked me to bring car in tomorrow & they would put back old speed sensors & see what happens. They think it's the car's computer but in the meantime I'm out a thousand dollars.

My 2003 Toyota Matrix xr sometimes accelerates uncontrollably. Usually when I am cruising at highway speeds, when I let off of the gas pedal, the car's throttle still feels like it's in the open position, causing the car to speed up instead of slowing down. It almost feels like if the cruise control is turned on and the car is trying to maintain speed. My cruise control was turned off during each of these incidents, and there was no indication that they were turned on at the time of the incidents. This problem occurs once every few months and I usually don't pay attention to them. The car will accelerate for a few seconds then eventually the throttle will close and the car will slow down and then I will apply the brakes gently. I have informed my Toyota dealer of this but they usually just brush the complaint off and say they couldn't find any problems. I personally think it's an electronics issue where the cruise control system override the manual system without the input of the driver.

Transmission went bad before 100,000 miles.

I was pulling into a parking spot at an apt. Complex; I had my foot on the brake so as not to hit the curb; the car became airborne, jumped the curb and landed onto a children's playground stopping just short of hitting a tree. I still had my foot on the brake, now pressed to the floor. I asked my passenger to get out of the car, I then backed up over the curb and back onto the macadam.

I had my '03 Toyota Matrix xrs serviced on 08/08/08 at a Toyota dealership in berkeley, CA. They told me everything was fine, and I have never had any problems with my car. The next day (today, as I write) I was driving on I-80 eastbound past reno, nv and my speed dropped 20mph for no reason. My car then began to smoke, and I pulled over to find a trail of transmission fluid behind my car and my engine service light on. After the tow back to reno, the Toyota dealer service station told me they weren't receiving any response from my transmission and that it would be upwards of $6,000 to repair. I have never had one, single problem with my car and have had it serviced regularly. It has 66,000 miles and was serviced yesterday. I find this outrageous, unsafe, and deceptive.

2003 Toyota Matrix, 64000 miles and the transmission went out, bought it used 10/2007 certified Toyota and thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. Just took it into the dealer and they stated the transmission fluid was dirty and had metal shavings in pan also hydraulic went out and had a faulty sensor in trans axle. Dealer will replace it but thank goodness we had the extended warranty and will we have the same problem with the replacement???? we purchased this car for our daughter because Toyota is suppose to be reliable, but we have never had a transmission go out in any of our other cars and we usually keep them for 10 years. . . . .

While driving my car, it will start to miss out and then stall. Upon restarting, the engine light comes on. I took it to the dealer where they replaced the computer. That helped for about 6 months and then problem recurred. I took it back to the dealer and we then replaced the ignitors. Once that was complete the car ran fine for 2 months. Now it is happening again, and is very dangerous. It happened to me today for instance while I was in the middle of an interstection making a a turn. When the car stalls, I have limited steering. This also happens to me while I'm on the interstate. Clearly there is a severe problem with this car that goes beyond the computer and ignitors. It is very dangerous to drive, but I have no choice since it is the only car that I have.