Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 01105 | 08/01/2005 | 10016624 | U341f transmission solenoid identification. *tt | 09/26/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 00504 | 08/26/2004 | 10009397 | Proper identification of the 5 solenoids used in the u240e/u241e automatic transaxles. *tt | 09/29/2004 | |
| TC00102 | 05/24/2002 | 634029 | Subject regarding automatic transmission fluid requirements. *tt | 09/26/2002 | |
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||||
| 00207 | 08/23/2007 | 10022730 | Abnormal noise from rear differential. *kb | 09/25/2007 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 11/17/2012 | 97700 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. the contact stated that while driving various speeds, there was an abnormal grinding noise when the vehicle was decelerating. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician advised the contact that the transmission would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 97,700. | |||
| 11/17/2012 | 97700 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. the contact stated that while driving various speeds, there was an abnormal grinding noise when the vehicle was decelerating. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician advised the contact that the transmission would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 97,700. kmj | |||
| 11/17/2012 | 97700 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. while driving at various speeds the contact noticed a grinding noise while decelerating. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the transmission would have to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 97,700. da | |||
| 01/01/2012 | 126663 | ||
| Prior to incident, vehicle ran and shifted fine. vehicle was never used for towing or other extreme use. transmission fluid was changed at these mileages: 31,669; 61,023; 92,012; and 105,330. vehicle was otherwise well-maintained, and driven with care by experienced users of manual transmissions. the first three tranny fluid changes done at toyota dealership. on jan. 1, 2012, toyota matrix (2003) , w/manual 5-speed transmission had sudden, severe failure on tollway. roadway was clear. vehicle did not hit anything in the road to precipitate this. vehicle was just starting to decelerate for toll booth when sudden, harsh, grinding, metal-on-metal sound began. car was then unable to shift into first gear, and shifted into second with difficulty. vehicle was pulled over to side of road immediately and towed away. an independent transmission specialist removed & disassembled tranny. diagnosis is: everything in 5th gear is broken. fifth gear literally broke. pinion shaft & everything housing ring gear is also broken. apparently 1st through 4th gears look ok. transmission re-build is advised, using toyota factory parts. estimated cost $3,100. in addition, i had vehicle towed 45 miles from rural site of failure ($160). and i had to rent a car to get home from failure site ($225+). i still must return to fort wayne, in to pick up repaired vehicle when ready. i have now read of widespread tranny failures in matrixes. toyota dealers and toll-free number personnel admit no knowledge of such issues. but, every independent source i've consulted acknowledges these drivetrain issues. since these failures are so common, toyota should take responsibility. a recall, or at least toyota admitting and taking financial responsibility for this is in order. i loved my 1989 camry, but no longer have any trust in toyota. nhtsa, please help us. thank you. | |||
| 12/01/2011 | 92000 | ||
| While driving, the car seized up and locked - dead in the middle of the road. luckily we had taken side streets and not the freeway, where we would have surely been rear ended. my 8-year-old was in the backseat.mechanic is saying a gear blew out and tore through, melting part of the transmission core. we already replaced clutch at 80,000. car is not salvageable. this is very dangerous. we sat (unable to push the car, it was locked up - 6 people tried) in the middle of the street, a few feet from the intersection - nearly hit several times, with flashers on until tow truck could come. this is not the first report of this - it needs to be made public so people can get their transmission looked at and fixed before someone dies. | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 78000 | ||
| Excessive transmission noise in tranny and noise stop when clutch is push in. | |||
| 10/07/2011 | 89000 | ||
| The transmission failed. has been serviced regularly. this seems like it is a common problem with this make and model car. i believe this should be a manufacture recall issue. the transmission could have locked up while driving and caused an accident. looks like it will cost between $2000 and $3000 to repair. this is a problem that should not have happened. | |||
| 05/16/2007 | 65000 | ||
| My 2003 toyota matrix had a failure in the rear main bearing of the manual transmission. the cost was $1800 to rebuild the transmission with new bearings. the problem has occurred again, at 133,000 miles, due to design defect. the transmission oil does not properly reach the rear main bearing, which causes failure. | |||
| 04/25/2003 | 23000 | ||
| The throwout baring in my 2003 toyota matrix xr 5-speed transmission went out at approximately 23,000 miles and caused the transmission to fail. toyota replaced the transmission at the love lexus toyota dealership in st. albans, wv, where the vehicle was purchased brand new with zero miles. this second transmission, at approximately 64,000 miles, failed as well with the same prescribed issue (throwout baring in the transmission). after researching this issue (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0d9b0e/497#msg497) this issue has occurred in a plethora of toyota matrix' 5 - speed transmissions that toyota had placed in the 2003 - 2005 toyota matrix'. please, please, please help recall these transmissions and hold toyota accountable for placing faulty transmissions in these vehicles before another one goes out and i have to fork over another $3200 + for a new transmission. i have receipts to prove all of these claims and will be glad to share any information i need to in order to help a recall come to light. | |||
| 05/16/2007 | 65000 | ||
| My 2003 toyota matrix had a failure in the rear main bearing of the manual transmission. the cost was $1800 to rebuild the transmission with new bearings. the problem has occurred again, at 133,000 miles, due to design defect. the transmission oil does not properly reach the rear main bearing, which causes failure. | |||
| 04/25/2003 | 23000 | ||
| The throwout baring in my 2003 toyota matrix xr 5-speed transmission went out at approximately 23,000 miles and caused the transmission to fail. toyota replaced the transmission at the love lexus toyota dealership in st. albans, wv, where the vehicle was purchased brand new with zero miles. this second transmission, at approximately 64,000 miles, failed as well with the same prescribed issue (throwout baring in the transmission). after researching this issue (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0d9b0e/497#msg497) this issue has occurred in a plethora of toyota matrix' 5 - speed transmissions that toyota had placed in the 2003 - 2005 toyota matrix'. please, please, please help recall these transmissions and hold toyota accountable for placing faulty transmissions in these vehicles before another one goes out and i have to fork over another $3200 + for a new transmission. i have receipts to prove all of these claims and will be glad to share any information i need to in order to help a recall come to light. | |||
| 05/16/2007 | 65000 | ||
| My 2003 toyota matrix had a failure in the rear main bearing of the manual transmission. the cost was $1800 to rebuild the transmission with new bearings. the problem has occurred again, at 133,000 miles, due to design defect. the transmission oil does not properly reach the rear main bearing, which causes failure. | |||
| 04/25/2003 | 23000 | ||
| The throwout baring in my 2003 toyota matrix xr 5-speed transmission went out at approximately 23,000 miles and caused the transmission to fail. toyota replaced the transmission at the love lexus toyota dealership in st. albans, wv, where the vehicle was purchased brand new with zero miles. this second transmission, at approximately 64,000 miles, failed as well with the same prescribed issue (throwout baring in the transmission). after researching this issue (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0d9b0e/497#msg497) this issue has occurred in a plethora of toyota matrix' 5 - speed transmissions that toyota had placed in the 2003 - 2005 toyota matrix'. please, please, please help recall these transmissions and hold toyota accountable for placing faulty transmissions in these vehicles before another one goes out and i have to fork over another $3200 + for a new transmission. i have receipts to prove all of these claims and will be glad to share any information i need to in order to help a recall come to light. | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 35000 | ||
| Clutch began slipping at 35000 miles while still nder warranty. dealer claimed there was no problem and no adjustment required. clutch continued to get worse. on subsequent trips to the dealer, they repeated that there was no problem and that the clutch was normal. an independent shop told me otherwise. the slipping continued to get worse until by 75000 miles it was undrivable. then the dealer said it needed a clutch and that the wear was normal. i have driven manual transmission cars for 40 years and never encountered such a short lifespan on a clutch or a more unresponsive dealer. i have service records indicating that the dealer was notified about the problem within the warranty period and on more than one other occasion and that they did not adequately inspect for this issue. | |||
| 10/03/2011 | 120000 | ||
| 5-speed manual: for the last 10k miles, engine compartment has been making an unusual noise when gas is applied or when downshifting. at 120k miles, problem became much worse and when applying gas, sometimes a loud whirring noise, like a spinning sawblade, comes and goes. mechanic drained transmission and found metal particles. $2200 for rebuilt transmission | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 35000 | ||
| Clutch began slipping at 35000 miles while still nder warranty. dealer claimed there was no problem and no adjustment required. clutch continued to get worse. on subsequent trips to the dealer, they repeated that there was no problem and that the clutch was normal. an independent shop told me otherwise. the slipping continued to get worse until by 75000 miles it was undrivable. then the dealer said it needed a clutch and that the wear was normal. i have driven manual transmission cars for 40 years and never encountered such a short lifespan on a clutch or a more unresponsive dealer. i have service records indicating that the dealer was notified about the problem within the warranty period and on more than one other occasion and that they did not adequately inspect for this issue. | |||
| 10/03/2011 | 120000 | ||
| 5-speed manual: for the last 10k miles, engine compartment has been making an unusual noise when gas is applied or when downshifting. at 120k miles, problem became much worse and when applying gas, sometimes a loud whirring noise, like a spinning sawblade, comes and goes. mechanic drained transmission and found metal particles. $2200 for rebuilt transmission | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 35000 | ||
| Clutch began slipping at 35000 miles while still nder warranty. dealer claimed there was no problem and no adjustment required. clutch continued to get worse. on subsequent trips to the dealer, they repeated that there was no problem and that the clutch was normal. an independent shop told me otherwise. the slipping continued to get worse until by 75000 miles it was undrivable. then the dealer said it needed a clutch and that the wear was normal. i have driven manual transmission cars for 40 years and never encountered such a short lifespan on a clutch or a more unresponsive dealer. i have service records indicating that the dealer was notified about the problem within the warranty period and on more than one other occasion and that they did not adequately inspect for this issue. | |||
| 10/03/2011 | 120000 | ||
| 5-speed manual: for the last 10k miles, engine compartment has been making an unusual noise when gas is applied or when downshifting. at 120k miles, problem became much worse and when applying gas, sometimes a loud whirring noise, like a spinning sawblade, comes and goes. mechanic drained transmission and found metal particles. $2200 for rebuilt transmission | |||
| 05/31/2006 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 2003 toyota matrix xrs transmission problems, slipping gears or clutch while under load, recurring problem for the duration of owning the car. it is very unsafe on the highway as it does not get up to or maintain speeds. filed a complaint with toyota with no response. toyota said there was no problem with it when i took it in to get looked at, but it was slipping the whole drive home and since then. i believe there is a definite problem with the transmission and i am not the only one that believes this, how many people must complain or does someone have to die for them to take some action? *tr | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Driving down the highway our (03 toyota matrix, manual trans), (north bound i-45 conroe, texas) the car abruptly started a thumping slapping sound. from the frount end. asap! pulled to the side of the road, stopped and turned the car off. my husband arrived, to figure out the problem. he had me turn the car on without starting and pushed the vehicle. the thumping, slapping sound is coming from under the engine. to be continued. *cn | |||
| 08/17/2007 | 75000 | 1 | 04/23/2003 |
| I own a 2003 toyota matrix 5-speed with 75k miles on it. serviced every 5k miles by the dealership until 60k, and has had regular oil changes and all manufacture suggested maintenance. purchased new by me from toyota & scion of lake city in seattle. on 6/17/2007, i was driving on state route 520 through east king county (divided, limited access highway). the car suddenly began making a loud high-pitched noise, then lurched to a sudden stop. i was able to pull off the highway but if i hadn't been right next to the exit when the noise started, i would have frozen in a lane of traffic moving at 60 mph. i had literally 90 seconds to deal with the sudden loss of the drive train, and absolutely no advance warning to any impending mechanical failure. currently, toyota is reviewing whether they will extend the power train warranty (60k/5year) to cover my car. *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 10 | ||
| Own a 2003 toyota matrix-1st owner of this car. this car was purchased with 9 miles in it. when it was first purchased within 2 days there was a noise coming from the transmission bearings. the vehicle was taken back to the toyota dealer where purchased and the technicians said there was no noise. the noise never went away and the dealer just ignored it-never fixed it. also, the back seat belt would get stuck for no reason, this was also brought to the attention of the dealer techs, but also nothing was wrong up to this date, the seat belts keep getting stuck and my kids use it that way. another defective thing about this car were the sensor daylights, once the car was turned off, the lights automatically would go on and of course the next day the battery was dead. this was brought to the attention on the dealer and finally, they decided to fix something of this car. i was told that it was a defect from the manufacturer. | |||
| 07/29/2010 | 135000 | ||
| Abs, brake, & service engine lights came on. took it to midas, they replaced speed sensors. when i got car back it shifted gears (automatic) funny & hesitated significantly shifting from 2nd to 3rd. immediately returned car to midas. they re-diagnosed & suggested i take it to toyota dealer (john elway's crown toyota). they said it was speedometer cluster & replaced it which did not resolve my problem so declined to pay & asked them to put back my old speedometer cluster. they didn't & didn't charge me for the new one. had car towed back to midas. they disconnected speed sensors & told me it was driveable. got on freeway next day & car wouldn't shift from 3rd to 4th gear, engine reved to 6000 rpms, got off freeway & called midas corporate to complain. they said they would have franchise owner call me. he called but did not idetify himself as the person i originately dealt with at midas shop, i know this because i called the number they called from & it was the midas shop. went to midas, today (8/27/10), they asked me to bring car in tomorrow & they would put back old speed sensors & see what happens. they think it's the car's computer but in the meantime i'm out a thousand dollars. | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 80000 | 1 | |
| My 2003 toyota matrix xr sometimes accelerates uncontrollably. usually when i am cruising at highway speeds, when i let off of the gas pedal, the car's throttle still feels like it's in the open position, causing the car to speed up instead of slowing down. it almost feels like if the cruise control is turned on and the car is trying to maintain speed. my cruise control was turned off during each of these incidents, and there was no indication that they were turned on at the time of the incidents. this problem occurs once every few months and i usually don't pay attention to them. the car will accelerate for a few seconds then eventually the throttle will close and the car will slow down and then i will apply the brakes gently. i have informed my toyota dealer of this but they usually just brush the complaint off and say they couldn't find any problems. i personally think it's an electronics issue where the cruise control system override the manual system without the input of the driver. *tr | |||
| 10/11/2009 | 42000 | 1 | |
| I was pulling into a parking spot at an apt. complex; i had my foot on the brake so as not to hit the curb; the car became airborne, jumped the curb and landed onto a children's playground stopping just short of hitting a tree. i still had my foot on the brake, now pressed to the floor. i asked my passenger to get out of the car, i then backed up over the curb and back onto the macadam. *tr | |||
| 12/18/2009 | 99960 | 1 | |
| Transmission went bad before 100,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 10/06/2009 | 175160 | 1 | |
| My wife was driving on the interstate in our 2003 toyota matrix with two of our three young children in the car when she heard a loud bang and felt what she describes as the car jumping off the ground. she slowed the car down to a crawl, exited the interstate and limped it home. presently it sits in the yard and will only move forward. in fact, even in neutral the car can't be pushed backward. upon searching for answers on the internet i found a forum with what appears to be dozens of people who have had transmission failures with 2003 to 2005 matrixes. i am filing this complaint because my wife came close to going off the road when the transmission failed and it appears that toyota is aware of the issue but won't take any action to remedy it. they had a recall on the windows because it was a safety issue but i can't imagine that a broken window would have scared my wife as much as the bang she described and the jerking of the car it caused. thank you. *tr | |||
| 10/25/2008 | 75000 | 1 | |
| Toyota differential failed at 100k. according to the mechanic, the problems must have been existent for a significant amount of time. *tr | |||
| 08/09/2008 | 66000 | 1 | |
| I had my '03 toyota matrix xrs serviced on 08/08/08 at a toyota dealership in berkeley, ca. they told me everything was fine, and i have never had any problems with my car. the next day (today, as i write) i was driving on i-80 eastbound past reno, nv and my speed dropped 20mph for no reason. my car then began to smoke, and i pulled over to find a trail of transmission fluid behind my car and my engine service light on. after the tow back to reno, the toyota dealer service station told me they weren't receiving any response from my transmission and that it would be upwards of $6,000 to repair. i have never had one, single problem with my car and have had it serviced regularly. it has 66,000 miles and was serviced yesterday. i find this outrageous, unsafe, and deceptive. *tr | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 58000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 toyota matrix auto transmission, that has 58,000 miles on it. a month ago the 1st and reverse gears started to slip and was hard to get into gear. i took it to the toyota dealer and they said they couldn't find anything wrong. i left the dealer and it started again. 2 days later i was not able to get it in to reverse at all. i took it to a transmission shop since the 'check engine' light came on and they checked the codes and looked at the transmission. the engine needs to be rebuilt now and will cost me $2400. i love this car. i baby it all the time. i change the oil regular and always keep up on the maint. i don't understand how a transmission can go out on a car that is only 5 yrs. and 4 mo. old and only 58,000 miles on it ! i did call toyota and they said nothing was reported and all was fine. i asked them to pay for the fix and they said the warranty was only 5yrs. 60,000 miles. i'm over by 4 mo. i found a website that has about 10 other people with this same yr and make car that had transmission issues. *tr | |||
| 03/18/2008 | 64000 | 1 | 10/21/2007 |
| 2003 toyota matrix, 64000 miles and the transmission went out, bought it used 10/2007 certified toyota and thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. just took it into the dealer and they stated the transmission fluid was dirty and had metal shavings in pan also hydraulic went out and had a faulty sensor in trans axle. dealer will replace it but thank goodness we had the extended warranty and will we have the same problem with the replacement???? we purchased this car for our daughter because toyota is suppose to be reliable, but we have never had a transmission go out in any of our other cars and we usually keep them for 10 years..... *tr | |||
| 06/04/2005 | 47079 | 75 | 12/27/2003 |
| While driving my car, it will start to miss out and then stall. upon restarting, the engine light comes on. i took it to the dealer where they replaced the computer. that helped for about 6 months and then problem recurred. i took it back to the dealer and we then replaced the ignitors. once that was complete the car ran fine for 2 months. now it is happening again, and is very dangerous. it happened to me today for instance while i was in the middle of an interstection making a a turn. when the car stalls, i have limited steering. this also happens to me while i'm on the interstate. clearly there is a severe problem with this car that goes beyond the computer and ignitors. it is very dangerous to drive, but i have no choice since it is the only car that i have. | |||
| 06/18/2004 | 2 | ||
| While driving 20 mph vehicle stalled. vehicle was towed to the dealership, and mechanic determined that automatic transmission failed. automatic transmission was repaired, but the problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 02/11/2004 | 1 | ||
| While shifting gears a noise was heard coming from underneath the vehicle. transmission would down shift on its own. consumer was able to drive the vehicle home. the next day, vehicle would start up but the transmission would not engage. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined transmission needed to be replaced due to worn out parts.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| When vehicle is parked on and upgrade, consumer states the vehicle rolls backwards. the vehicle is an automatic. cause is unknown. please provide any further information. ts | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/18/2008 | 56000 | 1 | 08/08/2005 |
| 2003 toyota matrix the vehicle odometer currently shows 57,108 miles. on january 24th, the clutch went out and would not shift into gear. the car was towed ($45) to our mechanic at polly's shell in nashville and we paid the following amount to have the clutch replaced: clutch set: $268 additional parts: 42 tow: 45 labor: 455 oil: 38 the total bill with other items came to more than $900.00. a copy of the original receipt is enclosed. when we examined the clutch, the pressure plate disc had broken into four equal parts. in addition to our regular mechanic, other mechanics at polly | |||
| 07/30/2007 | 105000 | 1 | 06/03/2004 |
| I own a 2003 toyota matrix that on july 30, 2007, had a little over 105,000 miles on it. driving either in town or on the highway a clinkiing sound was noticed by drivers and passengers along with an intermittent increased difficulty in shifting gears. on july 30, 2007, driving on the highway the clinking noise become more pronounced. i parked my vehicle to do some errands and came back the car would start, but would not enter into any gear. the car was locked in a gear that was not neutral. i was stranded about 30 miles from my home and had to call a towing company to come and tow the vehicle to the iowa city toyota company. from there, toyota inspected my 2003 toyota matix and found that the gear teeth in the manual transmission has completely eroded and broke off. toyota had to replace the full transmission and clutch costing close to $3000. *tr | |||
| 04/08/2008 | 36800 | 1 | 12/21/2006 |
| Original '03 toy. matrix xrs mfg. clutch burnt out @ 37k mi of normal (not racing) driving. clutch assembly had to be replaced. no burning smell - just higher revving, no power. i have been driving sticks for 18+ yrs (mostly toyotas - this is not normal)! *tr | |||
| 11/11/2007 | 1 | 05/07/2007 | |
| I bought a used 2003 matrix in may of 2007. in november (90k miles), i started noticing that the transmission was slipping. when i took it to the dealer where i bought it, they said that i needed a new clutch ($1200). i was shocked because i have driven stick shifts for over 15 years now & have never had to replace a clutch. found another mechanic to install the new clutch for $800. he informed me that this is not the first time the clutch had been replaced in this car. apparently the clutch in the 2003 matrix is made to burn out every 50k miles! toyotas are supposed to have a better reputation than this !@#$%! *tr | |||
| 10/19/2003 | 3500 | 1 | 09/27/2003 |
| Clutch on the 2003 toyota matrix xrs smokes and slips and has since 3500 miles. *ak | |||
| 06/22/2006 | 2 | ||
| Been having problems with my clutch - on hills, you can smell it burning. the breaking point has gradually been getting further and further out. i learned how to drive on a clutch and have been driving one for almost 20 years. this should not be happening at 30k miles. *jb | |||
| 03/31/2006 | 20 | ||
| 2003 toyota matrix - clutch burns too easily. i learned how to drive on a std, have driven them for 15 year and never had this burning problem. this is one that needs to be addressed by toyota. *nm | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 30500 | 1 | 06/13/2002 |
| Driving under normal conditions you can smell the burning coming from the clutch which is normal after a couple days of driving whe it started to turn out to months it became skeptical....the clutch began to slip a lot takes long to catch on..nothing was done to correct problem for now until clutch goes out.....the burning smell still continues | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 1 | 09/25/2004 | |
| I have an 2003 toyota matrix xrs. clutch started slipping and you can smell it most of the time. has 53,000 miles. i have driven many standards over the years and never had this much trouble with a manual transmission. the last clutch i had to replace was on a 1991 suzuki swift that had over 220,000 miles. toyota used to be a good vehicle. they really need to fix this issue. have read lots of problems from other people on http://www. matrixowners.com. *ak | |||
| 12/29/2004 | 32500 | 1 | 11/17/2002 |
| The clutch on my 2003 matrix failed at 32,000 miles. i've owned manual transmission cars all my life and have never had this happen until at least 65,000 to 85,000 miles were put on the vehicle. toyota refuses to replace the clutch blaming me for improper driving technique and or abuse. it's nice to see that im not the only one with this problem. hopefully in the near future toyota will be held responsible for the defective clutch. *nm | |||
| 06/09/2004 | 100 | 1 | 08/31/2002 |
| I have had problems with my clutch since i bought my car new in aug 2002. it is hard to get it to go into reverse and first gear at times. i have taken it to the dealership and they cant make it happen so they cant fix it. the clutch pedal had developed a squeak that they were able to correct. the clutch in this car is not right. it sometimes smells horribly as well. i have read several complaints from other people at www.matrixowners.com . *ak | |||
| 03/04/2004 | 1 | ||
| Premature clutch failure, the clutch start slipping around 15000 miles, the dealer said will not replace clutch due to wear and tear. have another 92 corolla for 6 years with clutch never had a problem. others are complaining about that matrix xrs clutch too, not just only me. feels like toyota betrayed their customers.*ak | |||
| 02/20/2004 | 34000 | 1 | 03/19/2002 |
| At 34,000 miles the clutch began slipping. toyota stated that it was from misuse, that my wife was driving it improperly. my wife, age 57, has been driving clutch cars all her life and averages 100,000 miles per clutch. the tires are still good and worn evenly, which shows lack of abuse. toyota has not stood by their vehicle on this one, we're apparently on our own for the repair. so much for the 60,000 mile warranty.*ak | |||
| 01/27/2004 | 28000 | 1 | 07/06/2002 |
| My clutch went out at 29k miles. this is not acceptable. i have been drving a stnd for years now and never had this problem. the clutch on the 2003 toyota matrix xrs is a design error and should be recalled. too many people have had this problem for it to be drving habits. toyota should take care of it's customers and rectify this situation!*ak | |||
| 06/30/2003 | 33500 | 7 | 06/30/2002 |
| Annoying squeak when clutch is disengaged. this as occurred since purchase date. clutch slave cylinder has been replaced, lubed approximately 7 times, clutch set replaced. still squeaking! *la | |||
| 10/22/2003 | 11262 | 2 | 11/21/2002 |
| I own a 2003 toyota matrix xrs and the engine intermittently shuts off when i push in the clutch. this happens on city streets when i am going slow. today it happened twice when i was slowing to make a right turn. it has happened many many times since i bought the car last november. i have been unable to get it to happen with anyone from the selling toyota dealer or from the toyota region in my car. i do have at least 4 witnesses who have been in my car when it happened. i know of another matrix owner in southern calif with the same problem. another matrix owner in kansas had the same exact problem in 2002 and he got toyota to replace the throttle body and the problem has not resurfaced. i am at my wits end as to how to get my car fixed. it is dangerous and i am going to cause an accident one of these days. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks. *la | |||
| 08/07/2003 | 13000 | 1 | |
| Toyota matrix 2003 xrs on 2nd transmision and still having problems. clutch is also nasty. many others with same car having simmilar problems. www.matrixowners.com has a forum with at least 30 people with probelms alone.*ak | |||
| 05/06/2003 | 15000 | 1 | 05/26/2002 |
| Premature clutch wear caused by heavier vehicle.original clutch was intended for the toyota celica gts 2 door. the same clutch is now being used for the matrix xrs 4 door wagon wich is approx. 200+ pounds heavier than the celica. www.matrixowners.com has several posts from owners all over the us and canada reporting the same issue. the clutch is starting to show failure at 15,000 miles and dealers are refusing to cover this under warranty.*ak | |||
| 04/20/2003 | 6500 | 1 | 12/21/2002 |
| Manual clutch failed at 6500 miles. dealership states this is due to my driving habits, even though i have been driving stick-shifts for 10 years, and even though i have never worn down a clutch in 150k miles of driving them. cost me $1277, which was a *discounted* price!! *nlm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY - PEDAL/LINKAGE | |||
| 11/17/2004 | 38000 | 1 | |
| While driving. clutch failed at 38,000 miles. contacted the dealer. however, the problem recurred. *ak | |||
| 06/04/2004 | 19575 | 8 | |
| Numerous times i have been unable start the vehicle due to being unable to push the clutch in far enough. i have had to remove my shoes to be able to push the clutch in far enough for the switch to activate and start the vehicle. i also have had problems when in traffic and the 'self-adjusting' clutch fails and stalls the vehicle.*ak | |||
| 05/26/2004 | 30000 | 1 | 09/29/2002 |
| My car has 30,000 miles and the clutch has burned out. the dealership is refusing to repair without charge to me. they want $1084. my car is only 2 years and i'm the original owner. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 11/14/2010 | 93000 | ||
| Manual transmission failure in a 2003 toyota matrix. mostly highway miles, maintained regularly at the dealer. noticed a noise and took it to the dealer and they said everything was fine. a few thousand miles later, there was a high pitched whine out of fifth gear. upon stopping and restarting, pretty much all the forward gears were grinding, popping, squealing. repair at the dealer was quoted $2500 for a used transmission and $3200 for a new! about half the value of the car. | |||
| 07/01/2010 | 76000 | ||
| I recently noticed a strange extra noise in my transmission, noise is a low purring sound and at lower speeds in lower gears. | |||
| 05/14/2010 | 70268 | ||
| 2003 toyota matrix xr manual transmission - 70,000. the transmission needs to be completely replaced. subtle engine knocking, more noticeable when lift foot off accelerator. sudden onset while exiting freeway- rpms hovered when shifted into neutral, difficult to put in 1st on start, then horrible noise when started moving forward then completely seized in place. whole process in less than 60 miles. assessed at private shop and then dealership which quoted over $4,000. corporate/regional district office offered no assistance, compensation, or acknowledgment of issue. this is a frequent problem that has been reported in numerous cases in the 5-speed matrix and pontiac vibe. | |||
| 05/31/2006 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 2003 toyota matrix xrs transmission problems, slipping gears or clutch while under load, recurring problem for the duration of owning the car. it is very unsafe on the highway as it does not get up to or maintain speeds. filed a complaint with toyota with no response. toyota said there was no problem with it when i took it in to get looked at, but it was slipping the whole drive home and since then. i believe there is a definite problem with the transmission and i am not the only one that believes this, how many people must complain or does someone have to die for them to take some action? *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 66000 | 1 | |
| Whilst driving at 55 mph the transmission started to grind and then locked up. at 66,000 miles the transmission was shot. reading on edmunds this appears to be a common problem. here is the link. http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/webx/.f0d9b0e i had to put a used transmission in at a cost of $2,000 and suspect the same failure will happen with this one. i'm filing a complaint now due to the amount of other matrix drivers this is happening too. *tr | |||
| 08/26/2009 | 81000 | 1 | |
| My 2003 toyota matrix has a manual transmission. a bearing in the transmission started to fail (noise) at 80,000 miles. this type of failure is common for both the matrix and the pontiac vibe (identical car). luckily i had it changed before any accident occurred. neither toyota nor gm are providing any customer support despite numerous complaints regarding the 2003 manual transmission. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| Noticed and increasing grinding noise coming from the transmission. had the transmission fluid changed also having the mechanic look for metal shaving with none found. took to transmission specialist who confirmed the differential was going to fail soon and advised to not drive the car until repaired. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 175000 | 1 | |
| A rattling noise started under the car. it would disappear when the clutch pedal was pushed down. over a 2 day period, the noise became very loud and became more like a clacking noise, but not constant. we took the car to a transmission specialist. the transmission is shot and we've ordered a new transmission. i told the technician there were lots of reports about the '03 and '04 transmissions. when the service technician spoke to toyota about any frequency of this happening with the '03 matrix, toyota said they hadn't had any reports on it. (i understand they fixed problems by '05) this is the 3rd toyota we have had. never had transmission problems. i hope the replacement transmission does not have the same problems. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2010 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Driving down the highway our (03 toyota matrix, manual trans), (north bound i-45 conroe, texas) the car abruptly started a thumping slapping sound. from the frount end. asap! pulled to the side of the road, stopped and turned the car off. my husband arrived, to figure out the problem. he had me turn the car on without starting and pushed the vehicle. the thumping, slapping sound is coming from under the engine. to be continued. *cn | |||
| 11/29/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| The transmission on my 2003 toyota matrix died after 100,000 miles and it's a manual. i purchased the car used and it had about 70k miles on it. i had a transmission fluid flush at about 80k. the car started making noises and then i couldn't shift it into gear and then it completely died. i had to have a new/rebuilt transmission put into the car for about $2,500. apparently this is fairly common with the matrix and i don't think it's specific to the 2003 car. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Grinding noise began, shortly thereafter the transmission failed. i've replaced the transmission twice already and cannot afford to replace it again. the car now sits as i continue to make payments on it. *tr | |||
| 12/27/2009 | 88000 | 1 | |
| While driving down the highway one evening, an odd clicking sound was heard from the front end of our 2003 toyota matrix (manual transmission with 88,000 miles). the sound was louder with acceleration. after getting off the highway, the sound was noted to be louder in higher gears, and absent when the clutch was pressed down. the vehicle was brought in for service at our local toyota dealer the next morning. after paying a $95 diagnostic fee, we were told the vehicle needed a new transmission at the estimated cost of $3300, with nothing being covered by any warranty or recall. we brought the car to a transmission specialist for a rebuild. the bearings, rings, and two transfer gears were replaced, along with the clutch, at a cost of $2100. it is noted that the mechanic had a delay in getting the parts due to a manufacturer back order, reportedly from a high demand due to many others with the same problem with this make/model car! this is our first toyota, which we bought due to their good reputation. it has been regularly maintained and subjected to only normal driving conditions. we have never had a vehicle with transmission problems and are shocked that this expensive repair was needed on such a young car. toyota should be held responsible for covering the cost of what appears to be widespread transmission failure due to defective/inferior parts used on this vehicle! *tr | |||
| 12/12/2009 | 103000 | 1 | |
| After normal driving and wear and tear (103,000 miles), manual transmission on 2003 toyota matrix has gone bad, resulting in a needed replacement of the transmission, clutch, and clutch plate. *tr | |||
| 12/14/2009 | 138000 | 1 | |
| I heard a scraping and grating noise as i exited the freeway that i thought was some trapped debris under the front end or in the wheel well. i pulled into a gas station to investigate, finding a loose plastic plate ( a recurring problem with the cheap plastic screws and fasteners used) i rigged something to hold it up and get home. after a few more blocks the sound intensified and the car began to shudder and shake and i heard a pop. i pulled over, got towed home, and the next morning had it towed to a shop. the mechanic informed me that my transmission was shot and would need to be replaced. the car only has 140,000 miles on it, and i do not drive it like some crazed maniac. an internet chat room has recorded lots of matrix owners with the same transmission issues...i am going to need a new transmission and a new clutch. *tr | |||
| 10/03/2009 | 92000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2003 toyota matrix with a manual transmission. the car only has 92,000 miles and the tranny needs to be replaced due to a bad bearing. from my research on the web i have seen this happen to many others. i spoke to a repair shop that does rebuilds and he informed me that toyota had gotten bad bearings and used them on a series of transmissions and they tend to go bad around 80k to 120k miles. he himself has rebuilt many. *tr | |||
| 08/29/2009 | 94542 | 1 | |
| My 2003 toyota matrix completely broke down in the middle of a highway. the transmission is dead at 94,542 miles. toyota refuses to take responsibility. *tr | |||
| 08/10/2009 | 115000 | 1 | |
| After 200 mile round trip, noticed a grinding noise when accelerating. took matrix to dealer, who told us the bearings in the transmission were bad, and needed replaced. 2003 matrix, 115,000 miles (mostly highway, we have a long commute to work) bearings replaced and clutch work done for $2063. when asked about this, was told sometimes things break. *tr | |||
| 06/03/2009 | 63000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. while driving at any speed, the contact hears a ticking sound coming from the transmission. prior to the noise, the transmission would slip gears occasionally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 63,000. | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 130000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. the contact stated that the transmission bearings were faulty. while driving at an unknown speed, she heard an odd sound coming from the engine compartment. the dealer found failure with the transmission and verified that the bearings needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not willing to assist with the repairs. through online research, the contact discovered that the manual transmission failures were common for her year, make, and model vehicle. the failure and current mileages were less than 130,000. | |||
| 03/09/2009 | 105000 | 1 | |
| 2003 toyota matrix manual 5 speed transmission has completely come apart due to being built with bad throw out bearings. loud rattling noise began 6 months ago even though the transmission and the entire vehicle has been maintained flawlessly. two weeks ago, on march 9, 2009 my boyfriend was driving on the 15 freeway going north when the car began to make a horrible rattling noise. my boyfriend pulled the car over to safety off the freeway and took a look. he knew it was the tranny, he didn't need to see anything...the first clue was that it would not go into 1st or reverse gear at all. we had to get it to a place that we could park it legally, so he started it in second gear and the car wailed and whined and sounded like metal was breaking apart as the car literally limped it's way the entire short ride. warranty good for 100,000 miles, but my car is out of warranty at 105,000 miles. toyota will not acknowledge the fact that the entire 2003 matrix line is experiencing this issue, and will not even do anything as a goodwill gesture. a brand new tranny from toyota is $4000+/-, and the problem will most certainly happen again - as i have seen many, many people attest to. a rebuilt transmission is less $...toyota needs to be held accountable for this. my car could have been involved in an accident due to this failure on the freeway, to say nothing of the fact that it's very scary and unsafe to leave your vehicle on the side of the road, as well as breaking down in the middle of the night. *tr | |||
| 02/23/2009 | 98000 | 1 | |
| Own a toyota matrix 2003 xr have been hearing odd sounds for about 6 months. had mechanic do a check and couldn't find anything. never stopped to think it could be the transmission on a manual transmission with less than 100k miles. a week later, driving on highway in the middle of the night, heard a loud explosion type sound and swerved off the road. mechanic said its a bad bearing in the transmission. toyota has yet to respond to my complaint. the entire transmission needs to be replaced. *tr | |||
| 07/24/2008 | 101600 | 1 | |
| Our son's 2003 toyota matrix had it's transmission completely fail 2 nights ago. he had an extended warranty ( 100,000 miles). unbelievably he was 1600 miles over his warranty. i looked on the internet and found dozens and dozens of complaints about 2003 and 2004 matrix transmissions. our son is a rather poor college graduate who can't afford the $3300 it will take to replace the transmission and clutch. i would like some advise on how to pursue some action against toyota. there should be a way to pursue consideration for this type of situation something is wrong here! please respond if you can... *tr | |||
| 01/19/2008 | 63050 | 1 | |
| My 2003 toyota matrix xr with a 5 speed manual transmission had a complete transmission failure. i was traveling on interstate i-565 in light traffic. the car was in fifth gear and cruise control was set at about 70 mph. after being on the interstate for about 3-4 minutes, the car started decelerating. so i responded by canceling cruise control and pressing the accelerator to the floor with no effect. the car continued to decelerate. so i downshifted to fourth gear and pressed the accelerator to the floor. again the car continued to decelerate. so i pulled over and stopped the car on the shoulder of the interstate. i turned the car off and started it back on. the engine started normally, but i could not put the gear shifter into any gear. i pressed the accelerator to rev the engine up and the engine made a high pitched, weaning sound. so i turned the car off and tried to push the gear shifter into gear with the car off and was not able to get it into any gear. i had the car towed to a transmission shop and they inspected it and determined that the transmission had completely failed. the odometer reading on the car when this incident occurred was approximately 63,050 miles. toyota's powertrain warranty on this car is 60,000 miles. i contacted toyota to ask for goodwill assistance because it is so unusual for a manual transmission in a toyota to completely fail at such a low mileage. however toyota was unwilling to provide any assistance. i purchased a new transmission from the local toyota dealer and had it installed by an independent transmission shop. the cost of the transmission was $2,343.17 (including tax) and installation costs were $450. so this failure cost me a total of $2,793.17. *tr | |||
| 06/06/2008 | 57000 | 1 | |
| 2003 toyota matrix transmission failure after 57,000 miles. extended warranty company replaced it with a used rebuilt transmission. i've seen many complaints online about this same thing happening on the manual transmissions of the 2003/2004 models. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2007 | 105000 | 1 | 06/03/2004 |
| I own a 2003 toyota matrix that on july 30, 2007, had a little over 105,000 miles on it. driving either in town or on the highway a clinkiing sound was noticed by drivers and passengers along with an intermittent increased difficulty in shifting gears. on july 30, 2007, driving on the highway the clinking noise become more pronounced. i parked my vehicle to do some errands and came back the car would start, but would not enter into any gear. the car was locked in a gear that was not neutral. i was stranded about 30 miles from my home and had to call a towing company to come and tow the vehicle to the iowa city toyota company. from there, toyota inspected my 2003 toyota matix and found that the gear teeth in the manual transmission has completely eroded and broke off. toyota had to replace the full transmission and clutch costing close to $3000. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2008 | 72900 | 1 | |
| Transmission completely ruined at 72,000 miles 5 speed manual toyota matrix 2003. *tr | |||
| 01/22/2008 | 70000 | 2 | |
| I have a 2002/03 toyota matrix that had the transmission replaced at 70k miles. it was covered under warranty. the car has 130k miles now and i am being told the bearing in the transmission is bad. *tr | |||
| 07/26/2007 | 80000 | 1 | 12/26/2002 |
| Was traveling from illinois to colorado, transmission began failing, grinding. made it to colorado, had to have entire transmission replaced around ($4300, out of warranty). no help from toyota. toyota transmission failure at 80,000 miles? c'mon, what's up with that? *tr | |||
| 10/21/2007 | 50650 | 1 | 05/06/2002 |
| Main bearing in the manual transmission failed. needed new transmission and clutch. toyota canada and my dealer covered 60% of cost 5mth past warranty. *tr | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 1 | 09/25/2004 | |
| I have an 2003 toyota matrix xrs. clutch started slipping and you can smell it most of the time. has 53,000 miles. i have driven many standards over the years and never had this much trouble with a manual transmission. the last clutch i had to replace was on a 1991 suzuki swift that had over 220,000 miles. toyota used to be a good vehicle. they really need to fix this issue. have read lots of problems from other people on http://www. matrixowners.com. *ak | |||
| 08/07/2003 | 13000 | 1 | |
| Toyota matrix 2003 xrs on 2nd transmision and still having problems. clutch is also nasty. many others with same car having simmilar problems. www.matrixowners.com has a forum with at least 30 people with probelms alone.*ak | |||