4.7% of complaints about the 2005 Toyota Matrix came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 8.5 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (103 complaints), typically at 10.8 yr or about 92,000 miles.
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON VARISTORS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.
THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
I WAS HALTED IN THE LEFT TURN LANE OF A 6 LANE HIGHWAY BEHIND ANOTHER CAR ALSO WAITING TO TURN. MY CAR(1,600 MILES) WAS IDLING IN DRIVE. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE BEGAN RACING AND BY VIRTUALLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE I PREVENTED FORWARD MOVEMENT AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS I SLIPPED IT INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN I DID THAT, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO RACE ALL THE MORE - VIRTUALLY SCREAMING. I FINALLY THOUGHT TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THE CAR PROMPTLY RESTARTED AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR AGAIN. THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FROM THIS PROBLEM IS HUGE. *JB
STARTED CAR TO GO TO WORK AND ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT THE FIRE BURNED THE ENGINE AND BURNED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR BURNING THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD AND DASH. *NM
TL*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.
CLUTCH STARTED SLIPPING JUST BEFORE 30000 MILES. DEALER SAID WITHIN NORMAL OPERATION. CLUTCH NOW AT 33000 MILES AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE, STATING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I FEEL THE CLUTCH IS DEFECTIVE AND THE DEALER WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I HAVE 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND I DON'T ABUSE A CLUTCH. *NM