Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Toyota Matrix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 ENGINE BURNS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND HAS NOW STARTING MAKING WHAT APPEARS TO BE EITHER FAULTY LIFTER OR CAMSHAFT NOISES. THE MATRIX BURNS AT LEAST 1 QUART OF OIL FOR EVERY 1000 MILES DRIVEN. I DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND MONITOR THE OIL LEVEL WEEKLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT ON AN INCLINE WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL. I APPLIED SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND IMMEDIATELY PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE CAR RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT OF THIS TYPE. *TR
AS I WAS LEAVING THE HIGHWAY VIA THE EXIT, I STOPPED AT THE END OF RAMP LEADING TO SECONDARY HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE THEN UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO BARELY KEEP IT FROM PROPELLING. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS RETURNED TO NORMAL. *TR
I WAS LEAVING A SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT ON AN INCLINE. THE SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY LESS THAN 2 MPH. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY REVVED LOUDLY, ATTEMPTING TO LUNGE FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED BRAKES WITH SUBSTANTIAL FORCE, BARELY STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL RPMS. I PLACED THE CAR IN DRIVE WITHOUT PROBLEM, RETURNING HOME. *TR
MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX XR WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS SUDDENLY DISPLAYED SEVERE MECHANICAL NOISE FROM THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION AREA. SMOG TECHNICIANS WOULDN'T TAKE LIABILITY TO RUN ENGINE FOR SMOG TESTS TO REGISTER FOR THE COMING YEAR, SO IS NOW REGISTERED AS PLANNED NON-OPERATION UNTIL I CAN GET THE CAR FIXED. GOOGLING "TOYOTA MATRIX TRANSMISSION NOISE" OR "TOYOTA MATRIX ENGINE NOISE" LEADS TO SEVERAL SITES IN WHICH TOO MANY OWNERS ARE EITHER EXPERIENCING COMPLETE ENGINE LOSS DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM" OR TOTAL TRANSMISSION LOSS DUE TO "ADMITTED TRANSMISSION BEARING DESIGN FLAW". I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN ON THE ROADWAY DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FUNCTION AT ANY TIME. THIS CAR IS A GREAT DESIGN FOR FUNCTIONALITY, BUT I AM TOTALLY DISMAYED AND FRUSTRATED THAT AT 120,000 MILES, THE CAR IS OFF THE ROAD FOR SERIOUS ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FLAWS THAT APPEAR TO BE VERY COMMON, CONSIDERING I BOUGHT TOYOTA FOR THE RELIABILITY THAT WE ALL KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT. I HAVE KEPT UP ON THE OIL CHANGES SINCE THEY WERE PRE-PURCHASED FOR 5 YEARS WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND HAVE KEPT FRESH AFTER THE 5 YEARS EXPIRED. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FATE THAT THIS CAR HAS PRESENTED ME, AND THE COSTS THAT I WILL HAVE TO INCUR TO GET IT BACK ON THE ROAD. *TR
THE ENGINE HAD "SLUDGED" AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES (2004 TOYOTA MATRIX). THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAD DONE THE OIL CHANGES ROUTINELY SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR CERTIFIED. THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT USING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE COMPANY (NOT TOYOTA). THE CAR WAS KNOCKING WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM MICHIGAN TO FLORIDA. I CHECKED THE OIL, IT WAS DRY, SO I BOUGHT MORE OIL AND FILLED IT (2 QUARTS). BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, THE OIL STICK AGAIN READ EMPTY, SO I AGAIN FILLED IT. I DID NOT SEE ANY OIL BURNING (THE SMOKE CLOUD). ANOTHER DAY PASSED AND THE OIL WAS EMPTY AGAIN, SO I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THE OIL HAD BEEN CLOGGED. *TR
I HAVE NEVER HAD MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. LAST WEEKEND WHILE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 10 IN AZ FOR A WEEKEND CAMPING TRIP WITHOUT WARNING MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER BEFORE THE SEMI BEHIND ME REAR ENDED ME. I AM THANKFUL TO BE ALIVE AS WELL AS THE INFANT I HAD WITH ME IN THE CAR. WHEN WE TOWED THE CAR TO A MECHANIC HE ACCUSED ME OF DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT OIL BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS FULL OF SLUDGE. THANKFULLY MY FATHER WAS WITH ME AND HE EXPLAINED TO THE MECHANIC THAT I REGULARLY HAVE MY CAR SERVICED AND WE HAD OIL IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. AFTER SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WHY TOYOTA HAS NOT INFORMED THEIR CUSTOMERS SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES AND THE PASSENGERS IN OUR CARS. *TR
MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX AT 87,000 NOW NEEDS A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT IN TO BE DIAGNOSED. P0420 WAS THE CODE. WARRANTY FOR THIS PART IS FOR 80,000 MILES. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS PART IS 1300.00 BY THE DEALER. A NEW TOYOTA REPLACEMENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS BEING INSTALLED TODAY. MY MECHANIC STATES THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TOYTOA MATRIXES AND THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE REPLACING THESE. I KEEP MY CARS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME (LAST CAR 310,000 MILES) AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD NEED REPLACING AT 87,000 MILES. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THE SO CALLED RELIABILITY OF TOYOTA'S AND REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED AND SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO TOYOTAUSA AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THAT THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT A PROBLEM OR TOYOTA WOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE ALREADY. OBVIOUSLY, TOYOTA DOES NOT KEEP TRACK OF THEIR CUSTOMER MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND COMPLAINTS OR THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC ISSUE ON 2003-2004 MATRIXES. *TR
AFTER LAST OIL CHANGE, OIL WAS GEL-LIKE, ENGINE MADE TAPPING NOISE...TOOK TO DEALER WITH A LIST OF OTHER PROBLEMS, AC NOT COLD, HEATER NOT BLOWING HOT, WINDOW JUMPING WHEN ROLLING DOWN, AND TIRES MAKING FUNNY NOISE. WAS TOLD ENGINE NOISE WAS NORMAL, FIXED AC AGAIN, 3RD TIME, HEATER HAD LOOSE PART TIGHTEN, WINDOW PART ORDERED, TIRE HAD FLAT SPOT, LAST TIME WAS WATER IN WHEEL. CRASH DID NOT DAMAGE ENGINE, OR WINDOWS, OR TIRES. *JB
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 .