2003 TOYOTA MATRIX Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,580.

Mileage: 171,580

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V043000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V312000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V013000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 14V312000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

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 DRIVABLE. GOT ON FREEWAY NEXT DAY & CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR, ENGINE REVVED 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 IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS THE PERSON I ORIGINATED 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. *TR

Mileage: 135,000

CONSUMER BELIEVES HE HAS THE SOLUTION TO THE TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEM. *GR THE CONSUMER STATED HIS DAUGHTER DRIVES A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX AND SHE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING RANDOM DASHBOARD LIGHT ACTIVITY. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS REVIEWED THE WIRING DIAGRAMS AND HER DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE CONTROLLED BY THE INTEGRATION RELAY OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. IT APPEARS THAT THE LACK OF RELAY OVER-VOLTAGE SUPPRESSION ON ANY OF THE RELAYS IN THE VEHICLE HAS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE INTEGRATION RELAY AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. *JB

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

Mileage: 80,000

2003 TOYOTA MATRIX, IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER THE RUNNING LIGHTS COME ON WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, DRAINING THE BATTERY. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

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.

Mileage: 47,079

LTR ON BEHALF OF MRS. LOLA BETANCOURT (VA)RE A ELECTRICAL FIRE IN HER 2003 TOYOTA MATRIC( VIN: 2R1K32E13CO48258) ORIGINATING AT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR NEAR THE POWER WINDOW AND LOCKS AREA, REPLY TO THE ALEXANDRIA DISTRICT OFC, DOT/I#2004-5249. *NM

Mileage: 26,000

CLUTCH SWITCH WHICH COMPLETES CIRCUIT FOR IGNITION SWITCH IS HARD TO ENGAGE, ESPECIALLY FOR MY WIFE WHEN WEARING SHOES WITH HEELS. IF CAR IS INADVERTANTLY KILLED WHILE STARTING FROM A STOP ON A HILL, IT MAKES FOR A HAZARDOUS SITUATION SINCE IT REQUIRES EXCESSIVE FORCE TO PRESS ON THE CLUTCH SO AS TO ENGAGE STARTER MOTOR. TOYOTA CLAIMS NO DEFECT EXISTS. *JB

Mileage: 10

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IS VERY POOR, OBSTRUCTING THE CONSUMER'S ABILITY TO SEE SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND OIL PRESSURE. *AK *LA

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT WAS DIM, WHICH CAUSED IMPAIRED VISION. *JB

Mileage: 100