Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Toyota Matrix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE SIDE OF THE CAR THAT HOLDS THE WINDSHIELD TOGETHER IS A BLIND SPOT. WHEN PEOPLE ARE CROSSING THE STREET YOU CAN'T SEE THEM. I ALMOST HIT SOME ABOUT THREE TIMES BECAUSE OF HOW THE WINDOW IS MADE. THE SUN VISOR IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO BLOCK THE SUN MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THEY TO MAKE BETTER VISORS THAT ACTUALLY BLOCKS THE SUN. *TR
THE PLASTIC COVERING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT INTERIOR DOOR OPENING LEVER HAS SPLIT. THIS HAS CAUSED DEVELOPMENT OF A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAUSED ME TO CUT MY FINGER WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. *NM
YOUR CRASH TESTING GAVE THE 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX XR AWD FIVE STARS FOR SIDE IMPACT REGARDING HEAD INJURY POTENTIAL FOR DRIVER. WE USED YOUR RATINGS WHEN SELECTING A USED CAR IN AUGUST 2005. ON APRIL 1, 2006 MY 29 YEAR OLD SON HIT A TREE ON DRIVER DOOR. HE SUFFERED FRACTURED SKULL, BROKEN NECK AND OTHER INJURIES. HE WAS KILLED INSTANTLY. PLEASE SEE WWW.MEM.COM; SEARCH LAST NAME RENFREW. PLEASE GOOGLE BRETT RENFREW AND READ SOME OF THE NEWS REPORTS. BESIDES CRASH WORTHINESS, WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CAR CAREENED OFF THE ROAD. *NM
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WOULD BECOME UNREADABLE DUE TO GLARE FROM THE SUN AT ANY TIME. THIS CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER. *AK
REAR SPOILER CRACKED. DEALER STATED THAT IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY.*AK
WHEN THE SUN VISOR WAS PULLED DOWN IT ONLY CAME DOWN HALF WAY. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER WAS BLINDED BY THE SUN. THE DASHBOARD HAS CHROME TRIM SO WHEN BRIGHT LIGHT HITS THE CHROME IT BLINDS THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER FEELS ITS A POOR DESIGN. *NM
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WHEN THE SUN WAS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. *TS *JB
AFTER WASHING AND WAXING THE VEHICAL I NOTICED PAINT THE TO BE BLISTERING IN CERTAIN SPOTS OF THE CAR. THE BLISTERING WAS CAUSED BY BIRD DROPPINGS. THIS IS KIND OF STRANGE THAT THIS POOR QUALITY PAINT WOULD BE DAMAGED ON 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. I WOULD EXPECT TOYOTA TO HAVE PROTECTED IT'S VEHICLES WITH PAINT THAT IS NOT EFFECTED BY BIRD DROPPINGS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN TO OTHER VEHICLES. THIS SUGGEST THAT TOYOTA PAINT IS OF POOR QUALITY. WHEN I APPROACHED THE DEALER THAT SOLD ME CAR, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I DON'T EVEN HAVE THIS CAR A YEAR. GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!I WILL NEVER BY A TOYOTA VEHICLE AGAIN. *AK
WHEN THE SUN LIGHT REFLECTED ONTO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IT MADE THE DIGITAL CONSOLE UNREADABLE. THE CONSUMER SPENT $180 TO HAVE THE WINDOWS TINTED IN ORDER TO HAVE A BETTER VIEW OF THE PANEL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT REFUSE TO FIX. *AK *CB *NLM
I HAD A VIBRATION IN MY DASHBOARD FOR A MONTH AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE PLASTIC IN THE DASH ... UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS A STRUCTURE DEFECT IN THE FRAME THAT NEEDS TO BE WELDED. I HAVE NOT HAD MY CAR FOR 8 DAYS AND IT IS STILL TOTALLY APART AT A BODY SHOP. I AM DISCUSSED. *NLM
CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. *AK *JB
CONSUMER STATES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS "RED LIGHTS" AND CAN NOT BE SEEN IN THE SUNLIGHT. THE CONSUMER CANNOT VIEW THE ODOMETER AND OTHER SETTINGS. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE PANEL IS RECESSED, MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO VIEW WHILE DRIVING. MR THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THEY HAD TAKEN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT, FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT, THE NUMBERS, DIALS, AND THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COULD NOT BE SEEN. (AND WERE BLANK AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK) THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING PROPERLY, AND THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-ENGINEERED. SAFETY HAZARDS EXISTS ON ALL 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. *SCC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .