Seven problems related to power train have been reported for the 2005 Toyota Matrix. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Only 94,000 miles, fully dealer maintained, 5 speed manual transmission. Traveling at expressway speeds and loud screeching/banging from transmission. Was able to drive 6 more miles to dealership, but moved to right lane and went slower. Still was able to shift, lower gears weren't engaging properly and car started dying on the road. Dealer diagnosis for $100 is that it needs an entire new 5 spd trans and clutch assembly, although clutch seems fine. I've driven manual trans for over 40 yrs. This car never even had a clutch repair. Research on the web indicates that this is a known point of failure that Toyota has chosen not to fix and the potential danger of having this transmission blowing out at high speed could have caused a major crash on the highway had I not been skilled at getting the car into a safe area.
Reporting suspicious car behavior, in response to recent concern for car hacking and cyber attacks on cars.
Car moves forward smoothly but doesn't move in reverse gear.
I was driving to work one morning and I heard a loud grinding and whining sound coming from what sounded like the engine. I came to a red light and got out to see if I could see anything out of the ordinary but saw nothing. I then got back in and put it in gear to go and nothing I would let out the clutch and it wouldn't move. I tried to put it in reverse to move it out of the street and when I would let off the clutch it would pop out of gear it wouldn't stay in reverse. I had to get it towed and found out that it was my transmission. I did some research and found many people with the same problem. Evidently Toyota made a bad design with the 5 speed transmission and one of the bearings dose not get lubricated and burns out falling apart and ruining the entire transmission. Toyota claims that they know nothing about this and will not fix this.
Transmission went out in 2005 Toyota Matrix.
After reaching 94,000 miles mark like what some other Toyota Matrix owners experienced, there was a harsh in the transmission when you shift to reverse and the check engine light is on.
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Matrix. While driving approximately 65 mph on normal road conditions, pressure was applied to the accelerator pedal followed by harsh shifting and excessive vibration. The check engine warning indicator illuminated intermittently on the instrument panel. The vehicle has not been repaired. The contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure and current mileages were 82,000.