2003 Toyota Matrix Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE AND DISENGAGED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING SENSOR. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SECOND DEALER. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAL ON THE FUEL CAP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V384000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, A VERY LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE RESULTS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC WERE UNKNOWN, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. MA 10/14 UPDATED 10/19/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, AN UNUSUAL BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MOMENTS WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FROM THE RESIDENCE. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT A BOLT FRACTURED AND THE FRAGMENTS REMAINED IN THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL DIFFERENT RECALL NOTICES FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASING IT. IT IS CURRENTLY NOT RUNNING AT ALL AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER I PAID THE VEHICLE OFF, THINGS LIKE DOOR HANDLES AND INTERIOR FIXTURES BEGAN BREAKING OFF. I WORK FULL TIME AND HAVE A VERY STRICT BUDGET WHICH DOES NOT ALLOW ME TO TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK TO HAVE TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH EVERY RECALL NOTICE I HAVE RECEIVED. I JUST WANT MY MONEY BACK. I PAID MORE THAN THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE BLUE BOOK VALUE BUT I BELIEVE IT IS STILL POSSIBLY WORTH $3500.00. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED IN TRYING TO FACILITATE A DEAL WITH TOYOTA WHEREIN THEY PAY ME THE $3500 AND TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. I WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH THAT AND WILL NOT CONTACT AN ATTORNEY UNTIL I GET A RESPONSE REGARDING THIS REQUEST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOD BLESS. *TR

I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND FOUND OUT THE I NEED TO REPLACE MY CATALYST CONVERTER AND ECU REPLACE. DEALER SAYS THAT I NEED TO PAY $3000 PLUS TAX. THE REASON WHY I NEED TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A NEW MODULE. I OWN MY CAR SINCE 2003. THIS IS TOYOTA'S FAULT, I SHOULD BE INFORM WHEN A NEW MODULE COMES OUT IN THE MARKET AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZZARD. IF I DON'T GET IT FIX, MY CAR WILL NOT START AND I AM NOT ABLE TO RENEW MY TAB BECAUSE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2003 TOYOTA MATIX, ACCELERATING UP TO SPEED AFTER PULLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE ON-RAMP WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD CLICKING SOUND. THERE WAS NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHT OR SMOKING FROM THE ENGINE OR EXHAUST SYSTEM. HE REDUCED SPEED, PULLED OVER AND EXITED AT THE NEXT EXIT. ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAD LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP, LOCATED NEARBY. THE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH HAD FAILED AND THE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT. THERE WAS NO LEVEL ON THE DIPSTICK. AFTER REPLACING THE SWITCH, ADDING OIL, THE ENGINE STILL HAS A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND, IS LOW ON POWER AND WILL NOT IDLE. IT IS NOT BURNING OIL. DIAGNOSIS IS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE AND THAT ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS 129,000 MILES ON IT, HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ONE MONTH AND 1500 MILES SHORT OF ITS NEXT OIL CHANGE. DEALER VERBAL ESTIMATE IS $5000 FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINE, FROM A BREAKER'S YARD. INDEPENDENT ESTIMATE IS $3000 - 4000. BASICALLY, THE CAR IS AN ECONOMIC WRITE-OFF. *TR

2003 MATRIX ENGINE QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THE ENGINE HAS CEASED UP. PUZZLED BECAUSE CLEAN OIL, TAKEN EXTREME CARE OF, REGULAR OIL CHANGES. FRUSTRATING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS AT A RED LIGHT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS RESTARTED AND THEN DRIVEN ABOUT EIGHT MILES AND IT STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE ECM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 101,000.

2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. CONSUMER STATES BURNED OUT CATALYTIC CONVERTER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED TO LET HER KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND THERE WAS ALSO A SULFUR SMELL AT TIMES. *JB UPDATED 10/08/10

RE: ? TOYOTA USA CASE #?S 20812220115, 200812310223, ETC.. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2008 I BOUGHT A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX WITH 44,598 MILES ON IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IT WAS OVER A QUART LOW ON OIL. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN WHICH TOYOTA HAS A LETTER FROM ME. AFTER THIS, I DROVE THE CAR 50 MILES AND IT USED AROUND 2/3 A QUART OF OIL. I CALLED THE TOYOTA EXPERIENCE CENTER AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THE PERSON I TALKED TO, LOOKED UP THE VIN # AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE ON THIS CAR HAD BEEN REBUILT AT 41,459 MILES, IN NOVEMBER 2007 AT HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA, IN MIAMI, FLORIDA. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WOULD PROBABLY PICK UP THE REPAIR SINCE IT HAD LESS THAN 4,000 MILES ON A REBUILT ENGINE (CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS 45,398 MILE ON IT). I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER L&S TOYOTA, IN BECKLEY, WV ON DECEMBER 23, 2008. THEY DID A COMPRESSION TEST ON THE ENGINE AND IT FAILED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT L&S TOYOTA TOLD ME THE ENGINE BLOCK SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WHEN HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA REBUILT THE ENGINE, BUT HADN'T BEEN. AFTER ABOUT 10 CALLS TO TOYOTA CORPORATE AND NUMEROUS CASE NUMBERS THE VERDICT WAS IN. TERR, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT L&S TOYOTA SAID THEY WILL NOT FIX THE ENGINE UNLESS I PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF. JOHN LINO FROM HEADQUARTERS TOYOTA, MIAMI TOLD ME THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR BUT I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE CAR THERE, WHICH IS 950 MILES AWAY. THE MATRIX ENGINE HAS BLOWN TWICE WITHIN 45,398 MILES AND TOYOTA IS OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE. BOTH OF THESE DEALERSHIPS ARE GOVERNED BY TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, USA, SO HOW CAN THE ONE GET AUTHORIZATION TO DO THE REPAIR BUT THE OTHER ONE CAN?T? THE 2003 MATRIX THAT I AM REFERRING TO IS THE 8TH TOYOTA THAT I HAVE OWNED, BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIABILITY. *TR

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME ABOUT $50 TO TELL ME MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF OVER $1,000 FOR MY 2003 MATRIX WITH ABOUT 92,000 MILES. SEEMED UNLIKELY, SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL NON-TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP, HIS COMPUTER ALSO SHOWED CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT HE SAID THE WAY THE CAR WAS PERFORMING, IT MIGHT BE THE OXYGEN SENSORS. HE REPLACED BOTH, AND THE CAR HAS BEEN GREAT EVER SINCE. TOO BAD MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WANTED TO GAUGE ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AT THE TIME; THEREFORE, HE WAS ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PUSHED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR TWO DAYS AND ENGINE SLUDGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE DUE TO IMPROPER LUBRICATION, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS OIL PRESENT IN THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED FOR THE MATRIX; HOWEVER, THE CAMRY WAS COVERED. THE CAMRY AND MATRIX HAVE THE SAME EXACT ENGINE AND THE CONTACT FEELS THAT IT SHOULD ALSO BE COVERED. HE WAS PROVIDED WITH REFERENCE NUMBER 200810070867. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

I BOUGHT A USED 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX IN MAY OF 2007. BECAUSE IT HAD THE TOYOTA NAME ON IT, I ASSUMED IT WOULD BE A QUALITY CAR - WRONG! NOW IT IS MARCH 2008, LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO SPEND ALMOST $1000 TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH (AN ITEM I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE IN ANY CAR I'VE OWNED). NOW THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS BURNING UP. I WENT TO THE DEALER & THEY SAID THE REPAIR WOULD BE $1700, BUT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR HALF OF IT - STILL LEAVING ME TO PAY $850 FOR A PART THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACING AT 90K MILES. AFTER GOING HOME & DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILS IN VIRTUALLY EVERY 2003 & 2004 MATRIX, BUT TOYOTA DOES NOT WANT TO DO THE RESPECTABLE THING - ISSUE A RECALL!!! I DID NOT EXPECT TO BE SPENDING $2700/YEAR IN REPAIRS (OUTSIDE OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE) FOR A TOYOTA - THE REPUTATION IS REALLY UNDESERVED. *TR

ON 6 SEPTEMBER 2007,MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 2003 MATRIX, WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE MOTOR STARTED TO MAKE AN EXCESSIVE NOISE IN THE ENGINE, SHE PULLED OVER A CALLED ME, I MET HER WHERE SHE WAS AND VERIFIED THE NOISE SOUNDED TERMINAL, CALLED FOR A WRECKER, HAD CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, 2 DAYS LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD THROWN 3 RODS, MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS 60,886, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, SPENT THE NEXT WEEK IN TOYOTA USA ARBITRATION,THEY DEEM LACK OF LUBRICATION CAUSED THE DAMAGE AND WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THE ENGINE REPAIR. ON 21 SEPTEMBER, I PAID ALMOST $4500, FOR WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A NEW SHORT BLOCK. WELL, THE NEW SHORT BLOCK HAS AS MUCH ROAD GRIME AS THE TRANSMISSION, AND 52 MILES LATER THE ENGINE WAS "WHISTLING", OPENED THE HOOD TO CHECK THE ENGINE, THE COOLANT WAS 1/2 GALLON LOW, THE OIL IS 1/2 QUART LOW AND A COUPLE OF LOOSE BOLTS, ONE OF WHICH MOUNTS THE ACCELERATOR CABLE/BRACKET TO THE ENGINE. CALLED THE DEALER, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED, BUT THE RECEPTIONIST RECOMMENDED I GO BUY ANTIFREEZE AND OIL AT THE LOCAL SUPERMARKET. I ONCE AGAIN, CALLED TOYOTA USA, CREATED ANOTHER TICKET WITH THEM.. CURRENTLY IMPATIENTLY WAITING FOR MONDAY MORNING WHEN I CAN GO TO THE DEALER/SERVICE DEPARTMENT.. *JB

MY HUSBAND, WILLIAM PALMER-TAYLOR, BOUGHT OUR 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX IN THE BOSTON, MA AREA BEFORE JOINING ME IN CALIFORNIA. BECAUSE OF A PROGRAMMING FAILURE, THE 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX (IZZ-FE ENGINE) CATALYTIC CONVERTER BURNS OUT EARLY EMITTING A NOXIOUS SULFUR DIOXIDE ODOR. THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY MORE OF FINANCES THAN HEALTH (THE REPAIR COST IS $1200 AT LEAST). TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS, EVIDENCED BY TSB ISSUED 10/8/04, EGO26-04. HOWEVER, NO RECALL HAS BEEN IN EFFECT AND THE CONSUMER IS AT RISK. THE WARRANTY ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ENDS AT 80,000 MILES. MINE BURNED OUT AT 100,000. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED ANY ACCOUNTABILITY. THEY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR AT LEAST THE PART AND REPROGRAMMING OF THIS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON STEADY. I DID NOT PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO IT AS I REALIZED THAT MORE THAN LIKELY THE PROBLEM WAS AN OXYGEN SENSOR OR SOMETHING EMISSIONS RELATED. 5 MORE MINUTES WENT BY AND THE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING, ACCOMPANIED BY A PINGING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE THAT COINCIDED WITH ENGINE RPMS. WITHIN 30 SECONDS THE CAR DIED. AFTER A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP RECEIVED THE TOWED VEHICLE, THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THE PINGING"WAS CAUSED BY THE PISTON HITTING THE SPARK PLUG. TRANSLATION, I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED FOR 30 SECONDS IT CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SUDDENLY FAIL. THE CAR HAD 82,000 MILES ON IT , AND I HAD BABIED IT SINCE DAY ONE WITH NOTHING BUT SYNTHETIC OIL.*AK

FACTORY DEFECT ON ENGINE PART. HAD TO SPEND OVER $4,000 FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT & REPAIRS. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CONSTANTLY. THIS STARTED 3-4 MONTHS AGO. THE DEALER HAS HAD TO RESET THE CODES SEVERAL TIMES. THE LIGHT WILL STAYED OFF FOR ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. SHE SAID THE CAR DIED O 4 TIMES, AND SHE HAS HAD TO REBOOT IT. THE BATTERY WAS GOOD. NO ONE WAS ABLE TO TELL HER WHY THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SHE SAID THE CAR WAS RUNNING GOOD. *AK

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.