2004 TOYOTA MATRIX Complaints

I'M VERY HAPPY WITH MY MATRIX EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. THE HUB CAPS ARE SO LOSE. I'M CONSTANTLY PUSHING THEM BACK ON TIGHTER. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS AND 3 HUBCAPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF, WITHINS DAYS OF ME MAKING SURE THEY WERE TIGHT ENOUGH. WHEN THEY FLY OFF MY CAR, ALL THE PIECES THAT HOLD THEM ONTO THE RIM ARE BROKEN OFF AND THEY ARE USELESS. I HAVE LOST 3 HUBCAPS IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS!*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END CRASH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

LOW SPEED BRAKING VEHICLE MOVES EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. SEVERAL SERVICE VISITS TO DEALER FOR BRAKE REPAIRS, REPLACED ABS SENSOR, BRAKE PADS, TURNED ROTORS, ALIGNMENTS AND TIRE ROTATIONS.*AK

THE FRONT SPOILER ON THE MATRIX IS CONSTANTLY GETTING SCRAPED UP ON DRIVEWAYS. IT IS TOO LOW. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO PUT A WHOLE NEW BUMPER ON THE CAR, AT MY COST. THE SPOILERS ARE LISTED AS A OPTION, BUT WHERE I AM FROM IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A XR WITHOUT THEM INSTALLED. THE CAR IS LESS THEN A YEAR OLD, AND ALREADY LOOKS BAD. WHO WOULD THINK THEY WOULD DESIGN A CAR THAT WOULD CONSTANTLY GET ALL SCRAPED UP. IT WOULD BE NICE IF THIS "OPTION" WAS TRULY A OPTION.*AK

I BOUGHT A SET OF 4 "TIRE MINDER" BRAND 28-32 PSI TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING VALVE CAPS AT BROOKSTONE ON JUL 27, 2004. I INSTALLED THEM ON THE TIRES OF A NEW 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX ACCORDING TO THE PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS. (NO VALVE EXTENSTIONS AND MAKING SURE "O" RING WAS IN PLACE, PRESSURE MEASURED BY 2 GUAGES AT 30 PSI.) ALL THE CAPS HELD PRESSURE AND WORKED CORRECTLY FOR APPROX 24HRS. THEN THE FIRST CAP FAILED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY RELEASING THE AIR WITHIN SECONDS. APPROX 12 HRS LATER THE 2ND CAP FAILED IN SIMILAR FASHION. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT BENG DRIVEN AT THE TIME OR ELSE AN ACCIDENT MAY HAVE RECURRED. I REMOVED THE REMAINING 2 CAPS. I CONTACTED BROOKSTONE AND REPORTED THE ISSUE. THEY OFFERED TO REFUND MONEY BUT NO OTHER ACTION. I STILL HAVE THE CAPS. I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND THEM TO A TESTING LAB FOR ANALYSIS. *AK

WE HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX XRS THE CLUTCH WENT OUT AT 13,000 MILES. DEALER SAID IT WAS DRIVER ERROR. WE HAVE ANOTHER CAR WITH A CLUTCH THAT HAS 165,000 MILES WITHOUT ANY CLUTCH PROBLEMS. THE CLUTCH SMELLS LIKE IT IS BURING AGAIN AND THE DEALER SAID IT IS FROM THE OLD CLUTCH EVEN THOUGH THEY REPLACED IT.*AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED,CAME DOWN LONG WINDING HILL AT 55 MPH, HIT BRAKES AN STEERING WHEEL SHOOK LEFT TO RIGHT QUITE ALOT.*AK

2004 TOYOTA MATRIX PURCHASED 12/8/03 IS SUPPOSED TO GET AT LEAST 26 MPG IN CITY TRAFFIC. MINE CONSISTENTLY GETS NO MORE THAN 21 MPG. DEALER CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG BUT SOMETHING IS, EITHER FALSE ADVERTISING FOR THE ENTIRE MATRIX LINE OR SOMETHING WITH THIS CAR. I WOULD NOT HAVE TRADED A PAID UP 99 COROLLA THAT GOT 26 MPG FOR THIS CAR, HAD I KNOWN IT WOULD COST ME FAR MORE TO RUN (AS WELL AS TO FINANCE). *LA

FRONT WHEELS VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IF SNOW SLUSH FREEZES IN LOW PROFILE STEEL WHEEL RIMS. THIS HAPPENED TWICE THIS WINTER TO ME, I FIRST THOUGHT A WHEEL WEIGHT CAME OFF THE SHAKE WAS SO BAD, THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED IT OUT AN SAID IT WAS ICE INSIDE THE BACK OF THE WHEEL RIM, HE MELTED IT OUT AN IT WAS FIND. IT HAPPENED AGAIN LATTER ON IN THE WINTER YOU ONLY FEEL THE SHAKING IF YOU BRING THE CAR UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED,I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH WHEEL RIMS BEFORE AN I LIVE IN UPSTATE N.Y. WHERE WE GET ENOUGH SNOW. WHEN THE ICE MELTS OR BREAKS OUT OF THE BACK OF THESE DEEP DISH RIMS THE WHEELS STOP SHAKING, I CONSIDER THIS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BE FORE SOME ONE GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 TOYOTA 4WD MATRIX. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK