There are 12 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2006 Toyota Matrixin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE TOO CLOSE AND THE CONTACT ACCIDENTALLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ADJUSTED TO BE EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000.
AT 10:30 AM ON A SUNNY DAY, I EXITED THE I-880 NORTHBOUND 23RD AVE EXIT. COMING UP TO A LINE OF CARS STOPPED AT THE E11TH ST SIGNAL LIGHT, I BEGAN PRESSING DOWN ON THE SERVICE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN. AS I WAS COMING UP TO THE BMW AHEAD OF ME, I PRESSED MORE ON THE SERVICE BRAKE TO STOP MY CAR. THINGS WENT WRONG WHEN I FELT AND HEARD THE ACCELERATOR REVVING UP, CAUSING ME TO INSTINCTIVELY PRESS EVEN HARDER ON THE SERVICE BRAKE. AS THE ACCELERATION INCREASED, MY TOYOTA MATRIX'S BRAKES BEGAN SLIPPING CAUSING MY CAR TO INCH CLOSER TO THE BMW. REALIZING THAT THE SERVICE BRAKE WAS NOT HOLDING, I PULLED UP ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, ALL THE WHILE STILL PRESSING DOWN ON THE SERVICE BRAKE. SINCE THE ENGINE WAS STILL ACCELERATING FASTER, I MANAGED TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY OFF, SUCCESSFULLY SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE AND STOPPING THE ACCELERATION. AFTER A BRIEF 15 SECONDS, I RESTARTED THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE IN PARK, AND THE EMERGENCY AND SERVICE BRAKES ON. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP AS BEFORE AND I ONCE AGAIN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. REALIZING I HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM, I KEPT THE ENGINE OFF AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL SO I COULD PUSH THE CAR TO A SAFER PART ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT MY FLOOR MAT WAS SECURELY LOCKED INTO PLACE, AND THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS IN THE UP POSITION, A FEW INCHES OFF THE FLOOR. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 75000 ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT FREE MILES ON THE CAR, AND THIS IS THE FIRST THING THAT HAS EVER GONE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAD AAA TOW THE CAR TO ONE TOYOTA IN OAKLAND, AND THEY ARE DOING DIAGNOSTICS WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR FREE OF CHARGE UNTIL THEY DETERMINE WHAT WENT WRONG. THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT IS THE 2007 AND LATER MATRIX'S THAT HAVE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM, AND THAT FOR MY 2006 MATRIX TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IS UNCOMMON. HOPEFULLY TOYOTA WILL FIND AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS. *TR
I OWN A TOYOTA MATRIX, 2006, WITH 49K MILES. THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATES AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL TO PICK UP SPEED AGAIN. SO FAR, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I STOP AND THEN RESTART THE CAR, AND IT DRIVES FINE. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL SUDDENLY GOES INTO DECELERATION, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS WHILE CRUISING ON THE FREEWAY. BOTH THESE PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES SO FAR. THE DEALER SAYS MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST, AND ALSO CLAIMS TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MATRIX. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA FINALLY SUCCUMBED TO PRESSURE RECALLED ABOUT 50,000 SEQUOIA SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FOR A DECELERATION PROBLEM. IS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE MATRIX ALSO BEING COVERED UP? WHAT SHOULD I DO? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR; ONCE THE VEHICLE CRASHED, IT SPUN AROUND IN A 180 DEGREE TURN AND THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE INJURED AND BOTH WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX I PURCHASED ONE MONTH AGO. I WAS DRIVING ON A VERY WET ROAD LESS THAN 20-25 MPH. APPROXIMATELY 9:00A.M. COMING HOME FROM LOCAL GYM. I SLOWED TO STOP FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK ON SLICK TWO LANE ROAD. BRAKES DID NOT GRAB AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN. I PUSHED BRAKES DOWN HARDER, AND AS THEY STARTED TO WORK, THE ACCELERATOR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN, CAR BEGAN TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS REVVING UP. I PUT CAR IMMEDIATELY IN PARK, AND TIRES BURNED RUBBER (ENOUGH TO SMELL) AND CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY. IT ALL HAPPENED INCREDIBLY FAST, AND SCARED ME TO DEATH. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY (I HAVE OWNED VEHICLE FOR 1 MONTH) AND CAR IS NOT ON RECALL LIST (CLEARLY SHOULD BE). I HAVE CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER, AND WILL CALL DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED CAR NEXT. *TR
MY CAR IS A TOYOTA 2006 MATRIX AWD; I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY TO PARK IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE, AND TOOK MY FEET OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT BEFORE I HAD ANY CHANCE TO REACT THE CAR JUST CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UP MY DRIVE WAY AND CRASHED THROUGH MY GARAGE DOOR, CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY CAR, THE GARAGE DOOR, AND SOME DENTS TO MY OTHER CAR PARKED INSIDE; I HAVE ALWAYS PARKED MY CAR OUTSIDE ON THE DRIVE WAY, SINCE THERE ISN'T SPACE TO PARK 2 CARS IN MY GARAGE; I AM FAIRLY SAFE AND CAUTIOUS DRIVER; I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM TO TAKE A LOOK, MY 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX IS NOT IN THE RECALL LIST, AND THE SERVICING GUYS DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY GAS PEDAL; I AM STILL CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY STILL BE A LURKING ISSUE WITH THE PEDAL OR THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEM THAT CAUSED THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 20 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT RELATED TO ANY RECALLS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41000.
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS OUR 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. ON ALL THREE OCCASIONS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SLIP THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL OR SLAM THE BRAKES ON TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS OCCURRED WAS LAST WEEKEND. THE MOST PREVIOUS WAS THREE MONTHS AGO. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX HATCH BACK. HE STATED THAT WHILE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 20 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN TO NEUTRAL. HE THEN SHUT OFF THE IGNITION AND BRAKED TO A STOP. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND PERFORMED A SAFETY TEST ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 20,000. UDDATED 03/09/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. HE SHIFTED TO A LOWER GEAR THEN TO NEUTRAL WHILE CONTINUING TO APPLY THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL HE PUMPED THE BRAKES TO STOP. UPDATED 06/11/10 *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THE CAR INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE DRAGGED OVER A CLIFF. THE CONTACT STATED SHE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT HER EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED. A YEAR LATER THE CONTACT FOUND OUT THE CAR WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR WHICH SHE IS EXPECTING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ UPDATED 4/30/2015 *JS
I WAS PARKING OUR TOYOTA MATRIX, 2006 AND IT "JUMPED" AHEAD AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY ACCIDENT REPORT INDICATED A JUMP IN THE CAR. WHEN I READ ABOUT THE TOYOTA ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS, I AM CONVINCED OUR CAR SUFFERS THE SAME FLAW AND I HOPE THAT 2006 WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY OTHER ACCIDENT AND I AM OVER 50 YEARS OLD. *CN
THE CAR WAS OPERATED BY MOTHER WHO WAS IN A PARKING LOT ABOUT TO FINALIZE A FULL PARKING OF IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, HER WORDS WERE "IT SHOT OFF LIKE A BULLET" AND SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING 100 MPH AND SHE DID EVERYTHING UNDER HER CONTROL NOT TO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE OR 3 PEDESTRIANS. THE PEDESTRIANS SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND RAN, ONE WAS HIT, NOT SERIOUSLY. POLICE AND RESCUE WERE CALLED. THE JOHNSTON, RHODE ISLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT IMPOUNDED THE CAR. THE CAR WILL BE INSPECTED PROBABLY ON JUNE 26 BY THE RI DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. THEY WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THE CAR IS "FIT" TO DRIVE OR "UNFIT" TO DRIVE. IT WAS A SCARY SITUATION. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW. I AM THE OWNER OF IT, I BOUGHT IT IN DECEMBER 2005, IT HAD NOT YET BEEN DELIVERED TO THE DEALERS LOT. I PICKED IT UP A WEEK AFTER INITIATING MY PURCHASE. IT'S A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX, ALL WHEEL DRIVE. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026