2006 Toyota Matrix Tires & wheels Problems

JAN. 2007 ANCHORAGE, AK DRIVING 50MPH ON A HIGHWAY, AS THE ROAD BENDED TO THE RIGHT, WE WENT INTO THE TURN AND BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS. IT WAS 30 DEGREES F, SO WE MUST HAVE HIT BLACK ICE. I TRIED TO CORRECT AND SENT THE CAR FISH TAILING TO THE OTHER SIDE. WE WHIPPED BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIMES, BEFORE THE CAR STARTED TO SPIN. WE DID TWO FULL CIRCLES BEFORE WE GENTLY HIT A BURM OF SNOW AND CAME TO A STOP. NO OTHER CARS WERE ONCOMING SO WE DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. I WENT AND BOUGHT STUDDED TIRED THE NEXT DAY. DEC. 2009 JUNEAU, AK I WAS A PASSENGER. SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. DRIVING 40 MPH ON STRAIGHT ROAD, SLUSHY SNOW CONDITIONS. THE CAR STARTED TO FISH TAIL AND SPUN 1.5 TIMES BEFORE IT STOPPED. NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURIES. NO STUDDED TIRES. (ALL-WEATHER TIRES) FEB. 2012 JUNEAU, AK I WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SAME CAR AS ABOVE. DRIVING 55MPH ON HIGHWAY, GOING STRAIGHT. WE MUST HAVE HIT BLACK ICE AND THE CAR STARTED TO FISH TAIL. WE SPUN TWO TIMES AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN LIKE IN PREVIOUS INCIDENTS AND WE HIT A GUARDRAIL GOING FULL SPEED (HIT IT BACKWARDS). I GOT WHIPLASH, FACE LACERATIONS, BROKEN NOSE, AND A MILD TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE CRASH AND TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL. DRIVER WAS UNHARMED. (ALL-WEATHER TIRES). *TR

NHTSA ID

10467114

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

Mileage

5,000 mi

ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR ON 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND WE HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO SETS OF LONG LIFE TIRES. WE HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE AND TIRES PROPERLY. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM BUT TOYOTA SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. SEE HERE FOR MORE: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0EEECE/154. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263895

Incident

Apr 1, 2009

PURCHASED CERTIFIED PRE OWNED - (LEASED) 2006 MATRIX 27940 MILES 7/26/08 - ON 11/12/08 32955 MILES AFTER OIL CHANGE DEALER WROTE : "TIRES ARE WEARING FUNNY - ALIGNED AT N/C DID NOT ROTATE RHT REAR CUPPING - 3/25/09 OIL CHANGE 38632 - DEALER WROTE - ROTATE TIRES IF NEEDED - LAST TIME IN HAD TIRE WEAR ISSUE NEEDS TIRES HAS 1 GOOD TIRE ON CAR ON LF. APPARENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA - HAVEN'T CONTACTED DEALER YET BUT WILL AFTER READING COMPLAINTS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AFTER MARKET SHIM FIX WILL VOID MY EXTENDED WARRANTY OR NOT...... *TR

NHTSA ID

10263348

Incident

Mar 25, 2009

Mileage

32,955 mi

FAULTY CAMBERING OF WHEELS ON TOYOTA MATRIX 2006 (XRS FWD). IT CAUSES UNEVEN AND PREMATURE WEAR OF TIRES. AT 12000 MILES TIRES BECAME NOISY WITH ALMOST NO THREAD ON THE EDGES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262542

Incident

Oct 15, 2007

MY TIRES WORN UNEVENLY AND CUPPED AFTER 25000 MILES ON MY BRAND NEW 06 TOYOTA MATRIX. MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE OF ROTATION. BUT WHEN I CHECKED ONLINE, I SAW THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME CAR. I HAD TO CHANGE MY TIRES AND DO AN ALIGNMENT. TOYOTA HAS TO RECALL, FIX AND REIMBURSE THOSE TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256168

Incident

Jan 22, 2009

2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. TIRES WEAR OUT EVERY 16,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE REAR AXLE. TOYOTA HAS CONSISTENTLY TOLD ME THERE IS NO PROBLEM. TODAY I AM ON A DISCUSSION BOARD AND FIND IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE MATRIX/VIBE. THE SOLUTION IS AN AFTERMARKET REAR WHEEL SHIM KIT COSTING $50 PLUS LABOR. WHY IS TOYOTA ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DENYING THE PROBLEM EXISTS AND NOT RECALL AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10253163

Incident

Dec 27, 2008

Mileage

16,000 mi

HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHEN THEY TOOK MY TIRE OFF, THEY ASKED IF MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, WHICH IT HAS NOT, THE TIRE WAS CUPPING REALLY BAD. THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE VERY WORN FOR THE AMOUNT OF MILES ON MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10250923

Incident

Dec 6, 2008

Mileage

32,000 mi

FIRST AND ONLY OWNER. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR ON ALL 4 TIRES AT ONLY 20,000 MILES. ALL TIRES HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR AT THE INSIDE RIM. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY ACCIDENT AND MY DRIVING WAS NEVER AGGRESSIVE. THE TIRES HAVE TO REPLACED AT 20,000 MILES. THE CONCERNS ARE THE NEW TIRES WILL BE GONE IN ABOUT ANOTHER 20,000 MILES. TOYOTA SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244680

Incident

Sep 1, 2008

Mileage

20,000 mi

I HAVE OWNED 2 TOYOTA MATRIX CARS, 2005 & 2006. BOTH VEHS GAVE ME TIRE TROUBLE. PRE-MATURE TIRE WEAR ON THE EDGES IN THE FORM OF SCALLOPING AND FLAT SPOTS. NEW TIRES AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT BY THE CAR & TIRE DEALER DID NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, EVEN AFTER REPEATED ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM. ROAD NOISE IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE AT TIMES DEPENDING ON SPEED. TOYOTA REJECTS ANY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SITUATION AND PREFER TO BLAME THE DRIVER, THE TYPE OF DRIVING, ROAD SURFACE, TIRE PRESSURES, TIRE ROTATION FREQUENCY AND TIRE MANUFACTURER. I WON'T BE BUYING ANOTHER MATRIX!! OR FOR THAT MATTER, TOYOTA! *TR

NHTSA ID

10240607

Incident

Aug 15, 2008

Mileage

47,000 mi

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR/MISALIGNMENT ON 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX: I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR ABOUT 2 AND 1/2 YEARS, ABOUT 35,000 MILES. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TIRES THREE TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR, AND HAD SEVERAL FOUR-WHEEL ALIGNMENTS DONE. I'VE NOTICED ON THE CHAT BOARDS THAT SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME CAR TYPE ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I SUSPECT THAT THE MISALIGNMENT AND SUBSEQUENT DRIFT WAS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES IN AN ACCIDENT I HAD LAST YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240487

Incident

Dec 16, 2007

Mileage

29,500 mi

AFTER OWNING MY NEW CAR FOR ABOUT A YEAR (AROUND 25,000 MILES), I WAS INFORMED THAT MY TIRES WERE CUPPING AND ALL NEEDED REPLACED. THIS ISSUE WAS BLAMED ON ALIGNMENT ISSUES. I HAD THE ALIGNMENT FIXED AND TIRES REPLACED. I HAD READ DISCUSSION BOARDS OF OTHER MATRIX OWNERS, MANY OF WHOM HAD SIMILAR TIRE/ALIGNMENT COMPLAINTS. A WORKER AT THE CAR DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE MATRIX. I COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA, WHO BLAMED BOTH MY DRIVING AND DRIVING CONDITIONS (I DON'T DRIVE RECKLESSLY--TYPICALLY ALL MY DRIVING IS HIGHWAY), AS WELL AS THE TIRE MANUFACTURER (BUT MY WARRANTY HAD ALREADY RUN-OUT). I'VE BEEN GETTING MY TIRES ROTATED ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT ABOUT A YEAR AFTER THE AFOREMENTIONED REPAIRS (MAY 2008), THE TECH ROTATING MY TIRES NOTED ONE OF MY TIRES WAS CUPPING AND TO HAVE MY REAR ALIGNMENT CHECKED. AGAIN, MY ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND THE CAR HAD TO BE RE-ALIGNED. NOW, TWO MONTHS LATER, I AM AGAIN HAVING POSSIBLE ALIGNMENT ISSUES (WILL BE CHECKED THIS WEEK). I THINK THE TOYOTA MATRIX HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW CONSIDERING SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING ALIGNMENT/TIRE ISSUES WITH THEIR CARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237090

Incident

May 20, 2007

Mileage

25,000 mi

I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX XR. DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER THE CAR HAD ABOUT 7500 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR, CUPPING, ON THE TIRES AND THEY SHOULD PROBABLY BE REPLACED AT MY NEXT MAINTENANCE. THESE TIRES WERE RATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES. THE MANAGER AT THE TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP SAID THIS WAS SOMETHING HE HAD NOTICED WITH MATRIX TIRES. BECAUSE I HAD DONE ALL OF THE CORRECT MAINTENANCE CHECKS INCLUDING TIRE ROTATION THE REPAIR SHOP SAID IT WAS NOTHING THAT I HAD DONE. AT THE NEXT SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND OF TIRES (JUST IN CASE IT WAS A TIRE PROBLEM). TOYOTA AGREED TO PAY FOR 1/2 OF THE TIRE COST BECAUSE MANY MATRIX OWNERS WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF INSTALLATION AND BALANCING BUT WHEN I COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE FEES WAS GIVEN A DISCOUNT. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I FILE A REPORT WITH TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. WHEN I CALLED TO REPORT IT THEY SAID THEY HAD NOTHING ON FILE ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THE MATRIX AND UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR. THEY STATED IT WAS PROBABLY A PROBLEM WITH THE ACTUAL TIRES AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THE TIRE DEALER. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA STATING WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME BY THE MAINTENANCE SHOP BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIR SHOPS ARE INDEPENDENT AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TOYOTA. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 6,000 MILES ON MY NEW TIRES, UNEVEN WEAR IS APPARENT AND THERE IS A LOUD NOISE CREATED BY THE TIRES WHEN I REACH SPEEDS OF ABOUT 35 MPH OR ABOVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233004

Incident

Nov 8, 2007

I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX MY TIRES ARE WEARING IMPROPER. THE TIRES ARE CUPPING, AT 3,000 TO 5,000 MILES. AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT EVERY MATRIX, PONTIAC VIB AND COROLLA OWNER IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. ALL OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. A SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FOUND BUT THE TOYOTA DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232992

Incident

Nov 13, 2007

Mileage

5,000 mi

ABNORMAL TIRE WARE ON TOYOTA MATRIX 2007 XR AWD AROUND 16,000 MI. BAD CUPPING AND NOISE CONTINENTAL TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10225230

Incident

Sep 15, 2007

Mileage

16,000 mi

CAR WEARS THE INSIDE TREAD OF THE TIRE PREMATURELY (10% LEFT AFTER ONLY 16,000 MILES), REVEALED DURING THE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED EVERY 3,000-5,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223645

Incident

Mar 27, 2008

Mileage

16,400 mi

2006 TOYOTA MATRIX, CURRENTLY HAS 21000 MILES ON IT. ALL 4 TIRES ARE BALD ON THE INSIDE TREAD, OUTSIDE STILL HAS 75% LEFT. I ROTATE THESE TIRES EVERY 4000 MILES AND THE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN SPECS. THE NOISE STARTED AT ABOUT 17,000 MILES & KEEPS GETTING LOUDER. NOW I AM FACED TO BUY NEW TIRES ON A CAR THAT IS NOT THAT OLD. *CN

NHTSA ID

10213735

Incident

Oct 15, 2007

Mileage

17,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE TO INVESTIGATE A LOUD VIBRATION NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES AS LONG AS VEHICLE WAS ROLLING. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 18,000 MILES ON IT. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE SEVERELY CUPPED. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE FACTORY REFERENCE THE TIRES AND THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED THE TIRES BE REPLACED. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED AND WERE ALIGNED TO SPEC. UPON LEAVING THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER A NEW TIRE NOISE WAS NOTICED. IT WAS NOT THE SAME VIBRATION NOISE BUT A LOUD ROAR AS LONG AS THE TIRES WERE ROLLING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208925

Incident

Nov 13, 2007

Mileage

18,001 mi

2006 TOYOTA MATRIX WITH ALLOY WHEELS AND CONTINENTAL TIRES : AT 5,000 MI ROTATION THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE BACK AND FORTH A BIT, SHIMMY. AT 10,000 MI ROTATION SHIMMY WAS WORSE AND NOISE WAS NOTICED. AT 14,000 MI DEALER SERVICE SAID THAT NOISE WAS DUE TO SEVERE CUPPING AND ALL TIRES NEEDED REPLACED BUT THAT CONTINENTAL HAD NO WARRANTY (EVEN THOUGH CAR CAME WITH A CONTINENTAL WARRANTY PAPER). REPLACED TIRES WITH YOKOHAMA AT DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207714

Incident

Jul 30, 2007

Mileage

8,000 mi

SEVERE TIRE CUPPING AT 24,000 MILES ON TOYOTA MATRIX 2006 XR AWD. ALL 4 TIRES NEEDED REPLACING - TIRE INFLATION LIGHT WAS ON AND WOULD NOT RESET. NOTICED PROBLEM AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES. *TR *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED BROUGHT IN INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER CUSTOMER'S WITH THE SAME DEFECT. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10205054

Incident

Oct 4, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi

I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA AWD MATRIX WITH 25,000 MILES. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK A VIBRATION I FELT WHEN DRIVING THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME THE TIRES (ALL 4) ARE CUPPING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED TWICE ( AT 8,000 AND 21,000 MILES). I SEARCHED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD PROBLEMS AND FOUND THE PROBLEM WITH CUPPING AND PREMATURE TIRE WEAR WAS COMMON. THE POSTINGS REFER TO A MANUFACTURE PROBLEM. IRONICALLY TOYOTA DISCONTINUED AWD IN 2007 AND OWNERS OF THE NEWER MODELS REPORTED NO TIRE WEAR PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10201638

Incident

Aug 28, 2007

THE TIRES ON MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX ARE CUPPING. I HAD TO REPLACE THEM AT 13,000 MILES. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON MATRIXS NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF TIRE ARE ON THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10198732

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

13,000 mi

WITH ONLY 24,707 MILES ON MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX, I WAS TOLD THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND MANY SUCH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE VEHICLES AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH. THE PROBLEM WAS DESCRIBED AS EXCESSIVE CUPPING OR WEAR TO THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES. THE SIXTEEN INCH CONTINENTAL TIRES STANDARD ON THESE HAVE A TREAD LIFE OF 50,000 MILES, BUT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE A TREAD LIFE OF ABOUT 25,000 MILES. I HAVE THE RECORDS TO PROVE THAT I BROUGHT THE AUTO IN EVERY 5,000 MILES FOR A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. EACH ONE CALLED FOR A TIRE ROTATION. I AM SO ANGRY THAT THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T MENTION THIS PROBLEM OR MAKE CORRECTIONS TO THE ALIGNMENT OR BALANCE OF THE TIRES, THAT I REFUSE TO GO BACK TO THEM. IN MY OPINION, THIS CONSTITUTES NEGLIGENT BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF THE DEALERSHIP AND A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED FOR ALL TOYOTA MATRIX. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198015

Incident

Jul 28, 2007

Mileage

24,707 mi

2006 TOYOTA MATRIX XR TIRES CUPPING BADLY AFTER 17,000 MILES. CONTINENTAL TIRES, DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS PROBLEM. NOTED MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH CAR AND TIRE COMBINATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10197409

Incident

Jul 19, 2007

THE TIRES ON TOYOTA MATRIX'S ARE WEARING OUT AFTER 15000 MILES. THIS IS ON ALL TOYOTA MATRIX CARS AND TOYOTA IS DENYING ANY PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING LINK IS ONE OF MANY THAT OUTLINES THE ISSUES (HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0EEECE/0)

NHTSA ID

10196284

Incident

Jul 13, 2007

Mileage

10,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UNDER COLD CONDITIONS OR IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED FOR AN EXTENDED LENGTH OF TIME THE TIRES WOULD CREATE A FLAT SPOT AND PRODUCE A LOUD ROAD NOISE WHEN DRIVING. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A WHILE THE NOISE AND THE FLAT SPOT WOULD LEAVE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER , BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 6,008.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187195

Incident

Apr 6, 2007

Mileage

6,008 mi