2004 TOYOTA MATRIX Complaints

CLUTCH FAILURE AT 5100 MILES; --- COMPLETE-- REPLACED BY DEALER AT 8600 MILES---- CLUTCH FAILURE. DEALER REFUSES TO DEAL WITH WARRANTY. TELLS ME THAT IT IS MY FAULT, " I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION". INDICATES THAT MY WIFE AND I ARE "RIDING" THE CLUTCH AND PERHAPS "RACING" MENTIONED VEHICLE. AFTER A COMBINED DRIVING EXPERIENCE OF NEARLY 3/4 OF CENTURY ON DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS WITH ZERO PROBLEMS, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT THE CAUSE OF MY CLUTCH FAILURES ARE MY DRIVING ABILITIES OR HABITS. DEALER SERVICE MENTIONS THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF HISTORY OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. INSTEAD WISHES TO PASS THE "BLAME" AND CAUSE ONTO THE CUSTOMER. *JB

I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX ON NOVEMBER 10, 2003. THE FIRST DAY I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHICH HAS A SLIGHT SLOPE, THE BUMPER DRAGGED ON THE DRIVEWAY. EVEN GOING VERY SLOWLY, I REALIZED THAT THE FRONT END OF THIS VEHICLE WAS ENTIRELY TOO LOW. ON NOVEMBER 17, PULLING OUT FROM A STORE, I NOTICED IT WAS STILL DRAGGING AND THE DRIVE WAS NOT AS MUCH OF A SLOPE AS MY DRIVE. I NOTIFIED CLASSIC TOYOTA WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 17 ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I WENT IN TO SPEAK WITH THEM ON NOVEMBER 22 SINCE I LIVED AN HOUR AWAY. I WAS TOLD THAT ONCE I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE FRONT BUMPER, THEY NOTICED THAT IT WAS COMING A PART. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I TOOK IT TO THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT. THE GENTLEMAN THERE TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE BUMPER AND HE HAD REPLACED SEVERAL. HE SAID THEY EVEN HAD TO REPLACE THE ONES ON THEIR OWN LEASE CARS AND BECAUSE OF THE CONSTANT COMPLAINTS. THIS FRONT BUMPER IS BARELY 2 INCHES FROM THE GROUND. TOYOTA TOLD ME TO JUST PARK ON THE ROAD WHENEVER TO AVOID ANY SLOOPS. I AM 20 YEARS OLD AND WAS VERY PROUD OF PAYING FOR MY FIRST VEHICLE. TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOTHING. I HAVE TAKEN ALL NECESSARY CARE TO USE MY VEHICLE IN THE MANNER IT WAS INTENDED, JUST DRIVE IT AND MY ABILITY TO DO THIS IS IMPAIRED BY THEIR DESIGN DEFECT. THE PARTS DEPARTMENT WILL CHANGE THE BUMPER OUT TO THEIR OTHER MAKE FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT THEY ARE CHARGING ME FOR IT. *LA

DASHBOARD REFLECTS OFF THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IMPAIRS VISIBILITY. *AK IMAGES REFLECTED ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY/NIGHT. *PH *JB