Major Problems with 2003 Toyota Matrix Derived from Complaints & Recalls

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Worst 3 complaints of 2003 Toyota Matrix

2003 Toyota Matrix VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Victims: 9 Mileage: 8000 miles

2003 Toyota Matrix AIR BAGS Victims: 2 Mileage: 93000 miles

2003 Toyota Matrix ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Victims: 1 Mileage: 11450 miles

Browse 2003 Toyota Matrix complaints by category

Problems with AIR BAGS, MANUAL TRANSMISSION and CLUTCH ASSEMBLY are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from Toyota Matrix owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
AIR BAGS the 2003 toyota matrix i was driving hit the back of a pick-up truck when the brakes locked up and...	56 ~ 49576 miles
MANUAL TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN toyota matrix 2003 xrs on 2nd transmision and still having problems. clutch is also nasty. many others with same car	33 ~ 86794 miles
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN manual clutch failed at 6500 miles. dealership states this is due to my driving habits even though i have been...	20 ~ 20283 miles
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL while air conditioner is running and normal braking vehicle will surge forward. due to an increase in rpms. please provide	20 ~ 51506 miles
POWER TRAIN i own a 2003 toyota matrix 5-speed with 75k miles on it. serviced every 5k miles by the dealership until...	17 ~ 92963 miles
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN while shifting gears a noise was heard coming from underneath the vehicle. transmission would down shift on its own. consumer...	14 ~ 65233 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER consumer has a complaint about the instrument panel in bright sunlight is blank. *jg ...	11 ~ 24919 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM the instrument panel light was dim which caused impaired vision. *jb...	10 ~ 51976 miles
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING i took the matrix in twice shortly after i bought it because the car would unexpectedly lunge forward while at...	9 ~ 51194 miles
ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING while driving consumer attempted to make turns and steering was very hard. consumer visually noticed a fluid leaking from under...	9 ~ 55217 miles
ENGINE i was exiting on a ramp from the highway. i stopped the car before coming off the ramp on an...	8 ~ 114398 miles
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC problems with parking brake. driver could drive the vehicle for miles with the parking brake engaged without a noticeable drag.	7 ~ 36777 miles
STRUCTURE consumer states the instrument panel has "red lights" and can not be seen in the sunlight. the consumer cannot view...	6
TIRES while driving down highway vehicle started pulling to the right owner then pulled over and tire was completely flat. when...	6 ~ 3333 miles
SEAT BELTS tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. the vehicle was parked when the contact noticed a bolt detached from the...	5 ~ 138703 miles
INTERIOR LIGHTING while driving consumer attempted to make turns and steering was very hard. consumer visually noticed a fluid leaking from under...	5 ~ 2426 miles
STEERING after purchase complained of " steering wander." not only did the dealer carmax toyota not fix the problem but returned...	5 ~ 105773 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE after washing and waxing the vehical i noticed paint the to be blistering in certain spots of the car. the...	4 ~ 11525 miles
SERVICE BRAKES parking brake doesn't hold vehicle on slope. mechanic has fixed twice but problem re-occurs in about two years. this is...	3 ~ 170667 miles
CATALYTIC CONVERTOR > EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM my husband william palmer-taylor bought our 2003 toyota matrix in the boston ma area before joining me in california. because...	3 ~ 62248 miles
POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS > VISIBILITY the front passenger window developed an issue where it would become stuck and promptly make a loud pop as it...	3 ~ 32838 miles
PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) > CLUTCH ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN my car has 30 000 miles and the clutch has burned out. the dealership is refusing to repair without charge	3 ~ 29192 miles
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC went to dealer twice complained about brakes pulling right told they couldn't reproduce problem and the brakes were just "adjusting"	3 ~ 13333 miles
VISIBILITY when the sun visor was pulled down it only came down half way. as a result the driver was blinded...	3 ~ 44933 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM i was slowly pulling into my garage (in the basement of my house) gradually braking as i had done many...	2 ~ 222500 miles
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL i have a toyota matrix 2003. on february 19 2010 i was driving north on highway 101 in california. i...	2 ~ 47513 miles
FRONTAL > AIR BAGS i was involved in an automobile accident and my airbag did not deploy causing me more injury to my neck.	2 ~ 46500 miles
GLASS, SIDE/REAR > VISIBILITY i notice an occasional popping noise when rolling up and down the windows on my 2003 toyota matrix. this concerns	2
LATCH > DOORS > LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES i have a 2003 toyota matrix. there is a thin metal covering on the door handle. the metal has separated...	2 ~ 46121 miles
FRONT > SUSPENSION prematurely the vehicle will get out of alignment. this would cause the steering wheel to pull to the left. dealership	2 ~ 22000 miles
EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING a strong chemical fume entered through the passenger compartment of the vehicle. *jb...	2 ~ 47000 miles
PARKING BRAKE there was no drag when driving with the parking brake fully applied. the consumer was afraid the parking will not	2 ~ 15000 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER while driving consumer attempted to make turns and steering was very hard. consumer visually noticed a fluid leaking from under...	2 ~ 19840 miles
HEADLIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING the auto headlight system that turns the headlights on and off does not function properly. it turns the headlights on...	2 ~ 50 miles
HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM > STEERING returned the new 2003 vehicle to carmax toyota complaining of steering wander. not only did they not fix the problem...	2 ~ 14 miles
EQUIPMENT consumer stated the sun light on the dash board causes severe visibility to see the instrument gauges. problems affects consumers	2 ~ 93500 miles
VISIBILITY/WIPER recall relapse: driver side window off track. needs driver glass bolts 2nd time. toyota recall #: 80a gm recall #:	1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES front passenger door handle shattered on opening door was unlocked this was the second one on this car to shatter...	1 ~ 110102 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE accelerator in 2003 matrix toyota stuck while driving on two separate occasions in the last 6 months while daughter was	1 ~ 85000 miles
LABELS > OTHER > EQUIPMENT 2003 toyota matrix the vehicle odometer currently shows 57 108 miles. on january 24th the clutch went out and would...	1 ~ 56000 miles
DOOR > BODY > STRUCTURE the plastic covering on the drivers side front interior door opening lever has split. this has caused development of a	1
WHEELS front wheel bearing replaced & both rear wheel bearing (hub)assemblies replaced with only 103 000 kilometers on 2003 toyota matrix....	1 ~ 102000 miles
WHEEL BEARING > FRONT > SUSPENSION front wheel bearing replaced & both rear wheel bearing (hub)assemblies replaced with only 103 000 kilometers on 2003 toyota matrix....	1 ~ 102000 miles
AIR CONDITIONER > APPLIANCE > EQUIPMENT dt*: the contact stated since purchase there was an intermittent drip under the vehicle while parked. the contact determined the...	1 ~ 19100 miles
WINDSHIELD > VISIBILITY this morning i discovered a crack in the windshield spanning 3/4 of the length of the windshield across the bottom...	1 ~ 65236 miles
STORAGE > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE dt: 2003 toyota matrix. the consumer states the vehicle is leaking gas from the fuel tank due to internal flapper...	1 ~ 40000 miles
ROTOR > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS i own a 2003 matrix xr000 with 53000 miles. i had the front pads and rotors turned at 33000 miles...	1 ~ 33000 miles
PADS > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS i own a 2003 matrix xr000 with 53000 miles. i had the front pads and rotors turned at 33000 miles...	1 ~ 33000 miles
MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE > EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING tail pipe assembly (catalytic converter inside of muffler) is bad . *aki...	1 ~ 88000 miles
REAR/OTHER > SEAT BELTS i wish to question the safety of seat belt design as my son has now--3 times--gotten so tangled in his...	1
ACCELERATOR PEDAL > VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL consumer was pulling into a parking space and the vehicle accelerated while consumer's foot was on the brakes striking a...	1 ~ 8931 miles
INTERIOR/UNDER DASH > WIRING > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM instrument panel lighting is very poor obstructing the consumer's ability to see speedometer gas gauge and oil pressure. ak la...	1
FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM > STORAGE > FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER toyota matrix 2003 (also applies to pontiac vibe 2003) as instruments are the same. use of all "red" colored instruments...	1
DRUM > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC i had a flat tire and changed it but when i took off the tire the brake drum came off...	1
SWITCH > IGNITION > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM clutch switch which completes circuit for ignition switch is hard to engage especially for my wife when wearing shoes with...	1 ~ 10 miles
DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC front brakes jerk back and forth when applied. *ak...	1
LATCH > HOOD > LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES consumer stated that while driving 55 mph the hood just popped up and smashed the windshield and almost caused an	1 ~ 16100 miles
FRAME AND MEMBERS > STRUCTURE i had a vibration in my dashboard for a month and thought it was the plastic in the dash ......	1 ~ 8000 miles
MECHANICAL > EQUIPMENT after purchase complained of having steering wander. and not only did the dealer not fix the problem but returned the...	1 ~ 27 miles
SEATS the car seats have a white lint and balling front and back. the problem is only getting worse. the material	1 ~ 130 miles
GASOLINE > ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING the air conditioning started to blow hot air then the engine started stalling and the engine check sign came on....	1
RACK AND PINION > STEERING no summary listed for above vehicle. *ak...	1
GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) > AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN when vehicle is parked on and upgrade consumer states the vehicle rolls backwards. the vehicle is an automatic. cause is	1
BEAD > TIRES left front tire is delaminated. the tire size is 215/50 -zr -17. the d.o.t. number is d.o.t. 34815exbm25055-1. provide further	1 ~ 20000 miles

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