2004 TOYOTA MATRIX Complaints

BOTH FRONT AXLES NEEDING REPLACED, CRACK, 2004 LESS THEN 70,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE NO ACCIDENTS. *TR

2004 MANUAL TOYOTA MATRIX XR 1. I WAS HEARING A VERY SLIGHT TINKLING SOUND WHEN AT LOW RPMS IN 2ND, 3RD AND 5TH GEARS. WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PRESSED THE SOUND WENT AWAY. THE SOUND WAS OCCURRING FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE FAILURE. 2. COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR AND THERE WAS A WHIRRING SOUND, A CLUNK, AND THE CAR JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. COULD NOT GET INTO 1ST, 2ND, 5TH, OR REVERSE. WHEN CAR IS NEUTRAL IT IS STILL IN GEAR. WE HAD SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE TOWING THE CAR AS I HAD TO BE INSIDE THE CAR WITH THE CLUTCH DOWN AS THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER PUSHED IT. 3. REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH ATTEMPTING TO STOP; THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW WAS ACTIVATED, FOLLOWED BY A CLUNKING AND RATTLING NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED IN DECEMBER OF 2008 UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V162000 (VISIBILITY:GLASS,SIDE/REAR). THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW OPERATED CORRECTLY BEFORE THE RECALL REMEDY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

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. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE CONTACT OPENED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITH HER LEFT LEG EXTENDED OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR. UNEXPECTEDLY, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED REPEATEDLY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RAPIDLY ACCELERATE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A MAILBOX AND TREE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE WHEN ENTERING A DITCH. THE CONTACT SUFFERED TORN LIGAMENTS TO THE LEFT LEG. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED; AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN AND BE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER SIDE VIEW MIRROR AND FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

THE CAR HAS A CONTINUOUS GRUMBLE FROM CLUTCH AREA, TOYOTA SAYS IT HAS A INPUT SHAFT BEARING FAILURE. ESTIMATED REPAIR $3500.00. *TR

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. *TR

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. IT HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND HAVE BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ON AUGUST 20, 2010, DRIVING 30-35 MILES PER HOUR, THE FRONT AXEL BROKE! I DID NOT RUN OVER A POT-HOLE, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT---NOTHING TO REMOTELY CAUSE THE FRONT AXEL TO BREAK. IT IS VERY UPSETTING HAVING TO PAY FOR A REPAIR THAT IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR AND NOW BEING TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND THE PART TO REPAIR THE CAR. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONE. WENT TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. TOLD THE GAS CAP/FUEL PIPE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD POSSIBLE CORROSION. WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. DID NOT LOCATE THE EXACT PROBLEM, CHARGED ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX, 73,000 MILES, EXTENDED "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY. *TR

THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED" AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES (2004 TOYOTA MATRIX). THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAD DONE THE OIL CHANGES ROUTINELY SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR CERTIFIED. THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT USING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE COMPANY (NOT TOYOTA). THE CAR WAS KNOCKING WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM MICHIGAN TO FLORIDA. I CHECKED THE OIL, IT WAS DRY, SO I BOUGHT MORE OIL AND FILLED IT (2 QUARTS). BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, THE OIL STICK AGAIN READ EMPTY, SO I AGAIN FILLED IT. I DID NOT SEE ANY OIL BURNING (THE SMOKE CLOUD). ANOTHER DAY PASSED AND THE OIL WAS EMPTY AGAIN, SO I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THE OIL HAD BEEN CLOGGED. *TR