Transmission Noise problems of the 2004 Toyota Matrix

My car started making a weird noise. When the clutch was pushed in, the noise would stop. 3 weeks later I had to go to work so I got on the highway and the noise was getting louder and louder. My front wheels locked up and my transmission shot me out of gear. A car almost hit me which would of cost my life. I will never buy a Toyota again. It costs $2000 to fix. Hopefully you guys do something before someone gets seriously injured.

My 2004 Toyota Matrix xr with manual transmission has suddenly displayed severe mechanical noise from the engine/transmission area. Smog technicians wouldn't take liability to run engine for smog tests to register for the coming year, so is now registered as planned non-operation until I can get the car fixed. Googling "Toyota Matrix transmission noise" or "Toyota Matrix engine noise" leads to several sites in which too many owners are either experiencing complete engine loss due to "oil sludge problem" or total transmission loss due to "admitted transmission bearing design flaw". I will not drive this car again on the roadway due to the possibility of sudden and complete loss of transmission function at any time. This car is a great design for functionality, but I am totally dismayed and frustrated that at 120,000 miles, the car is off the road for serious engine and transmission flaws that appear to be very common, considering I bought Toyota for the reliability that we all know so much about. I have kept up on the oil changes since they were pre-purchased for 5 years when I bought the car, and have kept fresh after the 5 years expired. Very disappointed with the fate that this car has presented me, and the costs that I will have to incur to get it back on the road.

Manual transmission failed on my 2004 Toyota Matrix. Started making clunking and grinding noises and fifth gear stopped providing forward movement. I was able to use lower gears.

Driving home from work, heard a grinding noise drove to the mechanic we use and was told the transmission is bad and needs to be replaced.

Transmission failure on 2004 Toyota Matrix with manual transmission. The transmission is 4 years old and seems to have experience a bearing failure. Problem begins with loud rattling noise in the engine, which eventually leads to transmission failure as stated by similar owners. I discovered the chronic problem after reading a internet forum with 26 pages of the similar users with the same issues. . Read more...

I purchased the vehicle used in 2007 with 15,000 miles on it. Within a year the transmission went out. Got this repaired by the dealership and within a year the transmission went out again. I have been doing research on this model year Matrix to see if it was just my car doing this, but it looks like there have been other people with 2004 Matrix that have the same problem. What happens is parts of the fly wheel or clutch dysfunction. It makes the car stop and it makes a grinding noise. It happened once while I was on a remote section of highway and the other time I was starting my car in the morning to leave for work. My car has close to 70,000 miles on it now, but as I stated previously, it happened at around 20,000 miles the first time, which is unusual for a Toyota, or any car for that matter. Parts were replaced by the dealership both times, but I'm scared it's going to happen again. I do not trust this vehicle to drive over extended periods or miles.

2004 Toyota Matrix xr, the vehicle has a problem with the steering, there was a noise coming from the steering yoke, consumer states the steering did not feel right, the consumer had taken the vehicle to the dealer to be repaired, the dealer told the consumer that the problem was because the splash guard was dragging, the dealer put two pins in the splash guard, because the pins were missing, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealership again to be repaired, the dealer told the consumer that the problem is with the steering yoke, previously the transmission had went out on the vehicle, the transmission seemed to have a loud noise coming from it. The consumer took it to the dealer. There was damage to the case and the dealership replaced the transmission because the vehicle was still under warranty. The vehicle is currently at the dealership waiting for a yoke replacement. The dealership told the consumer that it is on back order, all these problems occurred during normal driving conditions. According to the dealer the steering was not still under warranty the first time the consumer took it to the dealer. The vehicle is no longer under warranty now, the vehicle was purchased in may 2003. The clicking noise is still present when turning the wheel.