2005 Toyota Matrix complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION MAD E A THUMPING NOISE WHEN APPROACHING A STOP. HE SUSPECTED IT WAS THE SOUND OF THE TRANSMISSION CHANGING GEARS. ALSO, THERE WA S VIBRATION THAT FOLLOWED THE NOISE. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK UPDATED 09/16/09 *BF UPDATED 09/17/09.*JB

I WAS DRIVING AND DISCOVERED THE A/C IN MY BRAND NEW 2005 TOYOTA (STILL UNDER WARRANTY) MATRIX WAS BLOWING WARM AIR INSTEAD OF COLD. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. AFTER LOOKING OVER THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR PRICE. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS WAS "A ROCK HAD BOUNCED UP INTO THE ENGINE AND PENETRATED THE CONDENSER" DEALERSHIP INFORMED MY PART AND LABOR WASN'T COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. I POINTED OUT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE NO PROTECTION (I.E. SHIELD) TO THE A/C CONDENSER. FILE COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA OF TORRANCE CA AND GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO SAY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER THE REPAIRS. I POINTED OUT THE LACK OF PROTECTION AND DESIGN FLAW. *NM

CLUTCH FAILURE IN 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX XRS W/6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. FAILURE OCCURRED AT 21,300 MILES, AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY BURNING SMELL DETECTABLE IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TOYOTA REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. TOYOTA DISTRICT MANAGER REFUSED TO CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE. *NM

WE OWN A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX AWD XR WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED MOON ROOF. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 2 TIMES FOR A RATTLE IN THE ROOF. 1ST DIAGNOSIS: FOUND ROOF SUPPORT TO BE SLIGHTLY LOOSE DUE TO LACK OF SPOT WELD, BENT LIP OF SUPPORT DOWN AND APPLIED FOAM TO ALL POINTS OF CONTACT. 2ND DIAGNOSIS: SUPPORT BRACES ARE LACKING INSULATION AND SEALER, CAUSING THEM TO BE NOISY OVER BUMPS. VEHICLE IS BACK FROM THE 2ND REPAIR AND STILL HAS THE RATTLE NOISE. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE ROOF SUPPORTS NOT BEING CORRECT IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS MAY MAKE THE CAR LESS STRUCTURALLY SOUND NOW OR IN THE FUTURE AS THE INSULATION WEARS DOWN. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS LACK OF INSULATION A PROBLEM THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING IN THE CARS. *JB

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

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

DT: THE CLUTCH WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS/TO ENGAGE THE STARTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO WORK THE CLUTCH BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THE FLOOR AREA ,AND THE WHEEL WELL MADE A HUMP IN THIS AREA. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A FOOT REST THAT THE CONSUMER HAD REMOVED BECAUSE IT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED. TWICE IT PUT THE CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION ALTHOUGH, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN AUGUST 2004. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 2004. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER THEY BASICALLY TOLD HIM THEY COULD NOT FIND THE STALLING PROBLEM. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM BASICALLY THE SAME HING. THE CONSUMER STATED HE BELIEVED THAT THE AREA PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

I PURCHASED MY 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX 5/7/05. 1 WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I EXPERIENCED A INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM. EVEN AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS BY TOYOTA TO FIX THE PROBLEM IT IS STILL CURRENT. IT USUALLY HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM. IT USUALLY CRANKS 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE STARTING. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT ALL AND I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY BACK AND RETRY TO START THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE CLAIMS THEY CANNOT GET THE PROBLEM TO DUPLICATE WHEN THEY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THEIR POSSESSION BUT WHEN I LAST HAD MY CAR THERE THE CAR TOOK ABOUT 7 SECONDS TO START AND THE SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMS THAT IS NORMAL FOR THE MATRIX ENGINE TO CRANK. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE WITH A BRAND NEW VEHICLE.*JB

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX XR WITH 16" ALLOY WHEELS. I HIT A COBBLESTONE SIZED ROCK IN THE ROCK WITH THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE TIRE LOST PRESSURE BECAUSE THE ALLOY WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF LIKE A BAGEL SLICED DOWN THE MIDDLE. TOYOTA WOULD NOT FIX THIS AS A WARRANTY ITEM INDICATING THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE SERVICE PERSONNEL HAD EVER SEEN A WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF. I'VE CONTACTED TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT BUT THEY ALSO INDICATE THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE AND REFERRED ME TO THE DEALER CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER WHO GIVES THE SAME EXPLANATION. I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN THESE ALLOY WHEELS BUT HAVE FOUND NO OTHER REPORTS OF SUCH DAMAGE ON THE NHTSA SITE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS INCIDENT IS DOCUMENTED IN CASE THESE WHEELS ARE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.

CAR HAS INTERMITTENT TROUBLE STARTING WHEN IT IS WARM. HAD IS ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND ONCE IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER 5TH ATTEMPT. USUALLY HAVE TO START IT TWO TIMES BEFORE IT STAYS RUNNING. LUCKILY I HAVE ROAD SIDE ASSITANCE WITH VEHICLE. *AK

COMMON INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE. WHEN ENGINE IS WARM IT TAKES LONGER FOR IT TO START, APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. TOYOTA CORP SAID THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAVE NO PLANS TO REMEDY THE SITUATION.*AK

RE: TOYOTA SEAT BELT EXTENDER POLICY COMPLAINT. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT PASSENGERS CAN NOT RIDE IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE SEAT BELT EXTENDERS AND THE PERSON(S) WOULD NEED TO COME TO THE DEALERSHIP IN PERSON TO BE MEASURED FOR THE SEAT BELT EXTENDERS. *TC *JB

MY WIFE BOUGHT A NEW 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX ON JULY 24, 2004. FIVE DAYS LATER, WITH ONLY ABOUT 85 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AS SHE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. WHAT WAS WORSE, SHE WAS ON A HILL AND THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. *AKWE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THAT DAY AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ACTUATOR HAD FAILED AND WAS LEAKING. WE DON'T MIND WAITING FOR THE SPARE PART TO COME IN AND EVERYTHING IS UNDER 100% WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE 2004 COROLLA THEY GAVE HER AS A LOANER, WITH ABOUT 1,200 MILES ON IT, ALSO HAD THE SAME FAILURE ON JULY 30TH. WE RETURNED THAT CAR TODAY ALSO. *AK