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 2006 Toyota Matrix submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 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.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A SHOPPING CENTER. WENT ABOUT 50 YARDS AND THE ENGINE REVVED LIKE IT WAS GOING 100 MPH AND THEN JUMPED FORWARD. SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL IDLING.
I PURCHASED A USED 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX AS IS NO WARRANTY FROM A DEALER IN BOISE, IDAHO. THE DEALER TOLD ME, MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND THAT ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAD 175,262 MILES ON IT, HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A 55,000 MILE ENGINE HE BOUGHT FROM FLORIDA. APPARENTLY THE OLD ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE DEALER ASSURED ME THAT THE CAR WOULD LAST ME A LONG TIME. HOWEVER, AFTER ONLY SIX WEEKS OF DRIVING THE CAR THE ENGINE QUIT AND STRANDED ME IN TRAFFIC. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY TRUSTWORTHY MECHANICS, WHO RAN THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR. I TOOK THEIR REPAIR ESTIMATE TO THE DEALER. HE TOWED THE CAR, WITH MY PERMISSION, TO HIS MECHANIC. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING RECALLS, AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA MATRIX CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2005-2008 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF MY CAR WAS EVER RECALLED, OR THE PROBLEMS FIXED. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME ENGINE AS THE ONE IN THE RECALLS. NOW I'M CONCERNED THAT IF THE CAR DOES GET FIXED, IT MIGHT MALFUNCTION AGAIN WITH ME DRIVING IT, AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.THE DEALER WON'T PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AS IDAHO HAS NO USED CAR 'LEMON' LAW. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN ON A FIXED INCOME. I CAN MAKE THE CAR PAYMENTS, BUT CERTAINLY CAN'T PAY TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED EVERY TIME IT BREAKS DOWN, PLUS I FEEL THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CONCERNS ME SINCE I LIVE ALONE AND HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO DEPEND ON FOR HELP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V384000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
I WAS ON A STEEP HILL AT A STOP SIGN. I HAD LET GO OF THE BRAKE TO STEP ON THE GAS BECAUSE IT WAS MY TURN TO GO AND MY CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS DRAMATICALLY TO THE POINT WHERE MY TIRES WHERE SCREECHING FOR A FEW SECONDS TILL I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE STEEP HILL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, I USUALLY AVOID STREETS THAT HAVE A STEEP HILL BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON A STEEP HILL. I'VE NOTICED THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. *TR
2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE ENGINE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT IDLE AND WOULD NOT RESTART AT TIMES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TECHNICIAN FOUND NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE MASTER TECH DIAGNOSTIC SCANNER. HE ALSO FOUND NO ENGINE SPARK OR FUEL INJECTOR PULSE DUE TO ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. HE FOUND A MAJOR FUEL LEAK AT THE FUEL INJECTOR RAIL. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, FUEL INJECTOR, O-RINGS AND SEALS. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, A YEAR AFTER PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. *JB
TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ALL THE SERVICE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN ILLUMINATING BEFORE THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME WHERE THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE HAS SINCE RECURRED TWICE. AFTER EACH FAILURE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,736 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. SM.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AS WELL AS WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE IGNITION MADE A BANGING SOUND WITHIN THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT AND THE BATTERY WERE ALSO REPLACED AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE OR WHENEVER DRIVING THE VEHICLE STUTTERS AND THEN IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR SERVICE AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIRS. NHTSA RECALL#:10V384000; COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING. MILEAGE 114,522 3 YEAR OLD CAR. ECM MODULE REPLACE. DEALER REPLACE THE UNIT. 871.46 DOLLARS CALL TOYOTA MAIN HEADQUARTERS SPOKE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE.THEY CLAIM THE VEHICLE IS A AWD ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND IT'S NOT ON THE RECALL. I HAVE CHECK TOYOTA MAIN WEB SITE RECALL . ENGINE TYPE IZZ-FE WITH ECM FROM 2005-2008 IS ON THE RECALL . THEY ARE LYING TO ME . A THREE YEAR OLD CAR STALLING OUT AND TRYING TO GET REIMBURSE .TOYOTA IS GIVING ME A RUN AROUND. *TR
I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX WITH 74K. MY A/C WENT IN AND OUT FIRST, THOUGHT IT WAS THE COMPRESSOR, THEN IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS NOT QUITE GETTING THE HORSEPOWER I HAD PREVIOUSLY. THEN ON THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND THE CAR DIES SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY (TWICE), SCARED THE YOU KNOW WHAT OUT OF ME. BEEN DEALING WITH TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA (NOT GREAT) BUT THEY OK'D IT TO A LOCAL DEALER IN UNION CITY GA,(VERY NICE). THEY TOLD ME TOYOTA HAD OK'D PUTTING IN A NEW ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE DUE TO RECALL THAT I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT. THEY PUT IN THE MODULE 09/08/2010 BUT TELL ME THAT THIS MAY NOT BE THE CORRECT FIX AS TOYOTA HAVE NOT INFORMED THE DEALERS OF WHICH IS THE CURRENT RECALL FIXING MODULE. THEN THEY TELL ME THEY ARE UNSURE IF THEY WILL HAVE TO CHANGE IT AGAIN BECAUSE TOYOTA MAY BE GETTING A NEW PART AND I WILL GET A LETTER. THIS DOES NOT INSTILL CONFIDENCE AFTER 4 SUDDEN STALLS WHILE MOVING (TWO DYING SUDDENLY ON THE HIGHWAY). I NOW HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL TOYOTA DEEMS IT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO LET ME KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. WHAT GALLS ME IS THEY SENT OUT A PRESS INFO THING AUGUST 26TH ACKNOWLEDGING 3 ACCIDENTS, 12 DAYS LATER MY 2006 MATRIX DIES TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD'VE BEEN KILLED. THEY STILL HAVE NOT INFORMED ME THE CAR OWNER DESPITE HAVING MY PHONE NUMBER, E-MAIL AND HOME ADDRESS. TAKE THIS RECALL SERIOUSLY IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR
2006 TOYOTA MATRIX, 50,000 MILES. HEAT SHIELD REARMOST HANGER ASSEMBLY FAILED. LOUD RATTLE AS SHIELD RESTED ON EXHAUST PIPE. TEMPORARY FIX: WIRE FROM TANK STRAP AROUND SHIELD TO KEEP SHIELD FROM RESTING ON PIPE. PLASTIC HANGER ASSEMBLY SPLIT, CAPTIVE NUT SEPARATED, SHIELD DROPPED TO PIPE. I REGARD IT AS A DESIGN FLAW. PLASTIC WAS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE PRESSURE TO HOLD NUT IN PLACE AS WELL AS TO SUPPORT LOAD. EVIDENCE OF LONG TERM CRACKING, DIRT IN CRACK SURFACES. ESTIMATE TO REPAIR FROM DEALER, $100, POSSIBLY INCLUDES BOTH LABOR AND PARTS COST. OTHERWISE, IS A GOOD PRODUCT, TAKE TO DEALER EVERY 5000 MILES FOR APPROPRIATE MAINTENANCE. *TR
CAR STALLED WHILE PROCEEDING INTO AN INTERSECTION WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. CAR WOULD THEN NOT RESTART FOR 10-15 MINUTES WHILE TRAPPED IN THE CENTER LANE OF A BUSY 4 LANE ROAD. *TR
ENGINE STALLED IN MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOW AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OUT. THE DEALER MADE A REPAIR AND TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM. *TR
1/2 HEAT SHIELD DROPPED ONTO TOP OF EXHAUST PIPE MAKING A LOUD HORRIBLE NOISE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ENTERING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED; HOWEVER, IMMEDIATELY AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE GEAR, THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED REPEATEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000. UPDATED 8/25/10 *CN UPATED 08/27/10 UPDATED 08/30/10*JB
2006 TOYOTA MATRIX STALLED WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT WOULD START, BUT THEN IT WOULD STALL IN APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE. I TRIED TO START IT MANY TIMES, BUT IT WOULD STALL AFTER A MINUTE. TOWED CAR TO TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ECU. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE DRIVER STATED THAT IN 2008 HE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED SEVERAL RELATED COMPLAINTS. THE CONTACT HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE WHILE HIS VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,126 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE ENGINE DIED. POWER BRAKES AND STEERING FAILED SO STOPPING WAS DIFFICULT. THE ENGINE REFUSED TO START FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. TOYOTA REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER UNIT AT NO COST TO ME THE NEXT DAY. *TR
THE ECU ON MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX DIED SUDDENLY, AFTER THE ECU FAILED THE CAR TO HALT IMMEDIATELY. LUCKILY FOR ME THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON A FREEWAY , IN WHICH CASE I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED AND POSSIBLY SERIOUSLY INJURED. WHEN MY CAR WAS TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP , THE TECH AT THE SERVICE DESK GUESSED THAT IT WAS THE ECU AS HE HAD SEEN QUITE A FEW OF THESE FAIL. AFTER TESTS THEY DETERMINED IT WAS THE ECU. THE ECU WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL BUT THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION. THE ENGINE STARTED TO STALL OUT. I SLOWLY PULLED OVER, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, PUT THE KEY ON THE OFF POSITION AND I TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS WORKING BUT IT WOULD NOT START. I DID THIS PROCESS FIVE MORE TIMES TO NO SUCCESS. I FINALLY CALLED AAA AND WAS TOWED HOME. THE NEXT DAY, MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, THE VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT UP BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. SO, I BROUGHT IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE ENGINE CONTROL COMPUTER. *TR
46,686 MILES AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACES AS IT WAS A DEFECTIVE GASKET- HARD WITH BUBBLES- I HAVE THE GASKET. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL, BUT TOYOTA WOULDN'T REIMBURSE COSTS OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
WAS DRIVING THE CAR NORMALLY TO WORK AS I HAVE FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN WITH A VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT. TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO ALLOW THE CAR TO ROLL FORWARD AND THE CAR TOOK OFF ABOUT 4-6 FEET INTO THE CAR IN FRONT. THE ONLY SIGN OF A PROBLEM WAS THE RPMS JUMPED SLIGHTLY AS THE CAR TOOK OFF. TRIED USING THE BRAKE BUT IT COULDN'T HOLD THE CAR. MINOR DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND NO DAMAGE TO VEHICLE STRUCK. CALLED THE DEALER, WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN. WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR THEY SAID IT WAS FINE AND I NEEDED NEW ROTORS. ASKED ABOUT WHY THE CAR JERKED FORWARD, WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT SINCE THEY WERE NOT THERE. FRUSTRATED, TOOK THE CAR TO BE PRIVATELY INSPECTED ELSEWHERE, AGAIN, COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. MECHANIC COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE CAR JERKED FORWARD. WAS TOLD TO MONITOR CRACKLING NOISE I COMPLAINED ABOUT JUST IN CASE IT BECAME WORSE, AT CURRENT TIME WAS FINE BUT COULD BE EARLY SIGN OF A TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER PROBLEM. CAR HAS CURRENTLY 39,855K AND HAS HAD 2 NEW BELT TENSIONERS INSTALLED, 1 NEW BELT, AND 1 NEW TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER REPLACED. HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED OF BRAKE PROBLEMS, INCLUDING THE FEELING OF BEING REAR-ENDED AT A LOW SPEED, AS WELL AS THE CAR JERKING FORWARD WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE CAR ALSO ON OCCASION CONTINUES TO GAS ENGINE EVEN AFTER GAS PEDAL HAS BEEN RELEASED, WHEN BRAKE OR GAS IS TAPPED THE CAR RESUMES TO NORMAL OPERATION. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND CAR WAS FINE. *TR
I HAD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND COULDN'T GET INSPECTION. DEALER SAID I NEED NEW TRANSMISSION AND HAD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY REPLACE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AGAIN. *TR
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT FAILED AND BEEN REPLACED ON THE 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CAR HAD JUST RECEIVED A VERY THOROUGH 30,000 MILE CHECKUP AND THERE WERE NO CAUSES FOR THE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND IT ALMOST COST ME MY LIFE. THE ECU SPONTANEOUSLY QUIT WHILE IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE, AT 6:30 PM PITCH DARK, IN HEAVY COMMUTER TRAFFIC IN THE BOSTON BELTLINE OF RT 128. THE BRAKES WERE AS HARD AS CONCRETE, AND THE CAR DECELERATED SO FAST THAT I COULD NOT CHANGE LANES AND I WAS LEFT WITH AN ELECTRONICALLY DEAD CAR IN THE HIGH SPEED LANE - AT NIGHT. I CALLED THE STATE POLICE. *TR
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. AFTER RESTARTING, VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RUN IN LOW SPEED, AND STALL AGAIN. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SERVICE CENTER REPLACED ENGINE COMPUTER AND THROTT BODY ASSEMBLY. *TR
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 .