Table 1 shows one common equipment related problems of the 2008 Toyota Matrix.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Equipment problems |
The seller of this vehicle rolled back the odometer to 135,000 when the carfax reports in April of 2024 the car was at 200,000 miles.
Takata recall Toyota send me a safety recall notice (interim notice) re front passenger airbag initiator module. They had the audacity to say that "until the remedy becomes available in your location, we recommend that you do not operate the vehicle with an occupant in the front passenger seat"!!! that is unacceptable, especially since we live in an area that receives lots of humidity (Toyota says they are prioritizing part replacements in geographic locations that are subject to consistently high absolute humidity, but they do not list which areas they think this applies to. Where we live certainly meets the high moisture criteria). Our complaint is that Toyota should replace the parts now!!), please insist they rectify their defective airbags now for our car in this high-humidity locale. On another note, this Toyota vehicle has been nothing but trouble: water pump replaced not long after purchase (when car was basically still brand new), hub caps that fall off constantly, and most frustrating of all, a vibration/noise from the front end that the dealer refused to fix. The dealer misdiagnosed the noise/vibration by replacing the wrong front wheel bearing. When we told them the noise persisted, the Toyota dealer said the warranty was over & would not fix their previous error!! now Toyota unscrupulously sends an interim notice of a defect that could kill a passenger in our car. As before, please make Toyota fix the airbag now so we can use the car safely now!.
We bought the car used in GA August 2012, 3 months later the engine would come on but electrics wouldnt, wouldnt move out of park. The dealer couldnt re create the problem to find out what was wrong so we delt with it for months until the power shut off on the hwy. It scared us. It quickly shut back on thank god but we been in touch with corporate and the dealership without any luck or help on fixing it. Finally July they said it was the ecm and tried to charge us to fix it. 3 weeks later the stalling continued. We were sent here by a friend and just now 2 years later find out about the recall. We also found out the same dealership where we took to fix it that couldnt identify the problem was the same one that fixed it initially for the recall. Now corporate and the dealership is denying that they fixed the ecm in July though I have an invoice stating so. Also, denying there was ever a recall. Its dangerous and terrifying to drive not knowing when and where the engine will stall. It was fixed 2012 a few months before we bought it, fixed again this passed July supposedly but is still stalling so its a reoccuring problem. Hopfully the proper procedure is followed to ensure the safety of my family and who ever the next owner will be.
The front windshield wipers don't work correctly. Sometimes they remain on in high speed, sometimes slow. Sometimes they just stop. We have to take the fuse out to drive on clear days, as they will just come on when they feel like it. Also, the front washer fluid no longer works. In addition to those issues, the heat shield dropped while we were getting gas one day and rattles so loud it's unbearable. I had to wire it up.
Sudden acceleration in 2008 Matrix automatic: first known failure. Car brought new in September 2007; odometer: 6000 miles. While driving approximately 35 mph on even straight smooth roadway, there was a sudden acceleration to greater than 70 mph. When brakes were applied, they depressed to floor without any effect. Car continued to accelerate rapidly. Shifted to neutral without success. Car slowed after being placed in reverse. Coasted to a stop. Placed gear in 2 and drove slowly home - approximately 1/2 mile. Floor mats were not near either pedal and were kept stationary by hooks designed to keep mats from shifting. Called Toyota service department: told that floor mats were the problem; talked to service managers who stated that the sequence of events described were impossible, no problems were known to exist for Matrix and greater than 99% of sudden acceleration problems were due to driver error. After a discussion, the car was evaluated by the service department. The following was reported: floor mats held in proper place no objects on floor normal brake pedal operation normal accelerator pedal operation health check - powertrain, chassis, electrical, network systems - ok computer codes - no abnormalities found normal throttle body inspection tires with normal wear & function problem was not duplicated on test drive. Was told that the car is functioning normally in all areas and has no problems. Implied that my experience was a misperception or misrepresentation. Assessment: there was a significant malfunction in the Matrix which could have led to critical injuries or loss of life. Only due to the traffic flow at precisely that moment, no one was injured. The Toyota service departments denied that the problem exists. Recommendation: sudden unexpected acceleration should be investigated until an answer /solution is found. The findings should be shared with the public. The cost for repairs should be paid by Toyota.