2003 Toyota Matrix Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE SENSOR INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ECM WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THIRD AND FOURTH GEARS WERE NOT GETTING ANY OIL AND TEARING THE BEARING AND TRANSMISSION APART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

IT SEEMS TO BE NEARLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OVER THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS USED IN THE MATRIX< COROLLA< VIBE AND A FEW OTHER MODELS AS THE LAY SHAFT BEARINGS FAIL AFTER SO MANY MILES! IS THERE A RECALL OR RECOURSE TO GET FACTORY ASSISTANCE FOR THIS ISSUE! SI THERE ANY FINANCAIL HELP FOR THIS PROBLEM OUT THERE? *TR

MY SON WAS SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING METAL SOUND; HE TOOK THE CAR OUT OF GEAR, COASTED OUT OF HARMS WAY AND THEN GOT THE CAR TOWED. MY SON SAID THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS AND UNEXPECTED. WE HAD JUST HAD OUR MECHANIC CHANGE THE OIL AND TEST DRIVE THE CAR LAST WEEK AFTER PUTTING ON NEW TIRES. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS THE 2ND TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED AS DEFECTIVE ON THIS CAR. AM A SINGLE MOM WITH MULTIPLE JOBS AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY'S' MISTAKES..(WHEN PROVIDING A SERVICE OR PRODUCT TO THE PUBLIC THAT COSTS MONEY, IF I MAKE A MISTAKE I ADMIT IT, CORRECT IT, AM SORRY AND MAKE IT RIGHT AT MY EXPENSE). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,700.

PRIOR TO INCIDENT, VEHICLE RAN AND SHIFTED FINE. VEHICLE WAS NEVER USED FOR TOWING OR OTHER EXTREME USE. TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED AT THESE MILEAGES: 31,669; 61,023; 92,012; AND 105,330. VEHICLE WAS OTHERWISE WELL-MAINTAINED, AND DRIVEN WITH CARE BY EXPERIENCED USERS OF MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE FIRST THREE TRANNY FLUID CHANGES DONE AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ON JAN. 1, 2012, TOYOTA MATRIX (2003) , W/MANUAL 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION HAD SUDDEN, SEVERE FAILURE ON TOLLWAY. ROADWAY WAS CLEAR. VEHICLE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD TO PRECIPITATE THIS. VEHICLE WAS JUST STARTING TO DECELERATE FOR TOLL BOOTH WHEN SUDDEN, HARSH, GRINDING, METAL-ON-METAL SOUND BEGAN. CAR WAS THEN UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR, AND SHIFTED INTO SECOND WITH DIFFICULTY. VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD IMMEDIATELY AND TOWED AWAY. AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST REMOVED & DISASSEMBLED TRANNY. DIAGNOSIS IS: EVERYTHING IN 5TH GEAR IS BROKEN. FIFTH GEAR LITERALLY BROKE. PINION SHAFT & EVERYTHING HOUSING RING GEAR IS ALSO BROKEN. APPARENTLY 1ST THROUGH 4TH GEARS LOOK OK. TRANSMISSION RE-BUILD IS ADVISED, USING TOYOTA FACTORY PARTS. ESTIMATED COST $3,100. IN ADDITION, I HAD VEHICLE TOWED 45 MILES FROM RURAL SITE OF FAILURE ($160). AND I HAD TO RENT A CAR TO GET HOME FROM FAILURE SITE ($225+). I STILL MUST RETURN TO FORT WAYNE, IN TO PICK UP REPAIRED VEHICLE WHEN READY. I HAVE NOW READ OF WIDESPREAD TRANNY FAILURES IN MATRIXES. TOYOTA DEALERS AND TOLL-FREE NUMBER PERSONNEL ADMIT NO KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH ISSUES. BUT, EVERY INDEPENDENT SOURCE I'VE CONSULTED ACKNOWLEDGES THESE DRIVETRAIN ISSUES. SINCE THESE FAILURES ARE SO COMMON, TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. A RECALL, OR AT LEAST TOYOTA ADMITTING AND TAKING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS IS IN ORDER. I LOVED MY 1989 CAMRY, BUT NO LONGER HAVE ANY TRUST IN TOYOTA. NHTSA, PLEASE HELP US. THANK YOU. *TR

EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION NOISE IN TRANNY AND NOISE STOP WHEN CLUTCH IS PUSH IN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SEIZED UP AND LOCKED - DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY WE HAD TAKEN SIDE STREETS AND NOT THE FREEWAY, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE SURELY BEEN REAR ENDED. MY 8-YEAR-OLD WAS IN THE BACKSEAT. MECHANIC IS SAYING A GEAR BLEW OUT AND TORE THROUGH, MELTING PART OF THE TRANSMISSION CORE. WE ALREADY REPLACED CLUTCH AT 80,000. CAR IS NOT SALVAGEABLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. WE SAT (UNABLE TO PUSH THE CAR, IT WAS LOCKED UP - 6 PEOPLE TRIED) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, A FEW FEET FROM THE INTERSECTION - NEARLY HIT SEVERAL TIMES, WITH FLASHERS ON UNTIL TOW TRUCK COULD COME. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST REPORT OF THIS - IT NEEDS TO BE MADE PUBLIC SO PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR TRANSMISSION LOOKED AT AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURE RECALL ISSUE. THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COST BETWEEN $2000 AND $3000 TO REPAIR. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

5-SPEED MANUAL: FOR THE LAST 10K MILES, ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS BEEN MAKING AN UNUSUAL NOISE WHEN GAS IS APPLIED OR WHEN DOWNSHIFTING. AT 120K MILES, PROBLEM BECAME MUCH WORSE AND WHEN APPLYING GAS, SOMETIMES A LOUD WHIRRING NOISE, LIKE A SPINNING SAWBLADE, COMES AND GOES. MECHANIC DRAINED TRANSMISSION AND FOUND METAL PARTICLES. $2200 FOR REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *TR

MY TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN RACING OFF AND ON FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE CAR JUST DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN OUT OF MY STREET AND MY CAR JUST STOPPED MOVING. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL. IT TURNS OUT MY TRANSMISSION DIED AND I HAD TO SPEND SEVERAL THOUSANDS DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AFTER 8 MONTHS MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON AND EVERYTHING I TRY DOESN'T WORK. I'VE REPLACED OXYGEN SENSORS, SPEED CENSORS, ETC. I'VE PUT MORE MONEY INTO THIS CAR IN THE LAST YEAR THAN I SHOULD HAVE. I SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, TOO. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHEY THIS HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA YET. *TR

MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN A 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX. MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES, MAINTAINED REGULARLY AT THE DEALER. NOTICED A NOISE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER, THERE WAS A HIGH PITCHED WHINE OUT OF FIFTH GEAR. UPON STOPPING AND RESTARTING, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE FORWARD GEARS WERE GRINDING, POPPING, SQUEALING. REPAIR AT THE DEALER WAS QUOTED $2500 FOR A USED TRANSMISSION AND $3200 FOR A NEW! ABOUT HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. *TR

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

I RECENTLY NOTICED A STRANGE EXTRA NOISE IN MY TRANSMISSION, NOISE IS A LOW PURRING SOUND AND AT LOWER SPEEDS IN LOWER GEARS. *TR

2003 TOYOTA MATRIX XR MANUAL TRANSMISSION - 70,000. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. SUBTLE ENGINE KNOCKING, MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN LIFT FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR. SUDDEN ONSET WHILE EXITING FREEWAY- RPMS HOVERED WHEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, DIFFICULT TO PUT IN 1ST ON START, THEN HORRIBLE NOISE WHEN STARTED MOVING FORWARD THEN COMPLETELY SEIZED IN PLACE. WHOLE PROCESS IN LESS THAN 60 MILES. ASSESSED AT PRIVATE SHOP AND THEN DEALERSHIP WHICH QUOTED OVER $4,000. CORPORATE/REGIONAL DISTRICT OFFICE OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, COMPENSATION, OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ISSUE. THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN NUMEROUS CASES IN THE 5-SPEED MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE. *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OUR (03 TOYOTA MATRIX, MANUAL TRANS), (NORTH BOUND I-45 CONROE, TEXAS) THE CAR ABRUPTLY STARTED A THUMPING SLAPPING SOUND. FROM THE FROUNT END. ASAP! PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, STOPPED AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. MY HUSBAND ARRIVED, TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. HE HAD ME TURN THE CAR ON WITHOUT STARTING AND PUSHED THE VEHICLE. THE THUMPING, SLAPPING SOUND IS COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE. TO BE CONTINUED. *CN

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

A RATTLING NOISE STARTED UNDER THE CAR. IT WOULD DISAPPEAR WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS PUSHED DOWN. OVER A 2 DAY PERIOD, THE NOISE BECAME VERY LOUD AND BECAME MORE LIKE A CLACKING NOISE, BUT NOT CONSTANT. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND WE'VE ORDERED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I TOLD THE TECHNICIAN THERE WERE LOTS OF REPORTS ABOUT THE '03 AND '04 TRANSMISSIONS. WHEN THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SPOKE TO TOYOTA ABOUT ANY FREQUENCY OF THIS HAPPENING WITH THE '03 MATRIX, TOYOTA SAID THEY HADN'T HAD ANY REPORTS ON IT. (I UNDERSTAND THEY FIXED PROBLEMS BY '05) THIS IS THE 3RD TOYOTA WE HAVE HAD. NEVER HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HOPE THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ONE EVENING, AN ODD CLICKING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT END OF OUR 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX (MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 88,000 MILES). THE SOUND WAS LOUDER WITH ACCELERATION. AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, THE SOUND WAS NOTED TO BE LOUDER IN HIGHER GEARS, AND ABSENT WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PRESSED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE AT OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. AFTER PAYING A $95 DIAGNOSTIC FEE, WE WERE TOLD THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT THE ESTIMATED COST OF $3300, WITH NOTHING BEING COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST FOR A REBUILD. THE BEARINGS, RINGS, AND TWO TRANSFER GEARS WERE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE CLUTCH, AT A COST OF $2100. IT IS NOTED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD A DELAY IN GETTING THE PARTS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER BACK ORDER, REPORTEDLY FROM A HIGH DEMAND DUE TO MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL CAR! THIS IS OUR FIRST TOYOTA, WHICH WE BOUGHT DUE TO THEIR GOOD REPUTATION. IT HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED AND SUBJECTED TO ONLY NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND ARE SHOCKED THAT THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR WAS NEEDED ON SUCH A YOUNG CAR. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR COVERING THE COST OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE/INFERIOR PARTS USED ON THIS VEHICLE! *TR

TRANSMISSION WENT BAD BEFORE 100,000 MILES. *TR