CarComplaints.com Notes: The Toyota Matrix is the mechanical twin of the Pontiac Vibe.

Both models were a joint GM-Toyota venture, manufactured together at a NUMMI production facility in Fremont, CA. Only the heating & A/C systems are different.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
47,399 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Toyota Matrix steering problems

steering problem

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2009 Toyota Matrix Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #7

Feb 062010

Matrix

  • 29,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At 12:30 P.M. I was heading North on oh-25 in bowling green, Ohio. My car began shaking, but I was not overly concerned as we often have windy days. I turned right onto oh-582 and became slightly more concerned when the shaking in the cabin did not cease. I noticed that the car did not shake below about 45 mph but again attributed the shaking I experienced to my car fighting against winds. I turned left onto I-75 N and accelerated to merge with traffic. After merging safely into the right-hand lane, I continued accelerating until I reached 55-60 mph and merged into the left hand lane. Shortly, I reached 65 mph. When the shaking, which I had supposed to be due to strong winds, did not cease, I attempted to decelerate. I pressed lightly on the brakes to begin a slow deceleration, with the intention of merging into the right hand lane and putting on my hazard lights until I could come to a safe place to pull over. Instead, when I began to put light pressure on the brakes, the car veered unexpectedly to the left. Surprised, but not overly alarmed, I let off the brakes and attempted to correct the trajectory of the vehicle, which I did not judge to be a difficult maneuver. Instead of coming back into the middle of the lane as expected, the car overcorrected and spun perpendicular to the following traffic and the semi beside me in the right hand lane. The car then slid toward the semi, partially under the bed of the truck and as my car slowed, the front right end of the car made contact with the back left wheels of the truck. On impact, the force of impact pushed my car back out through the left-hand lane and into the grassy median where it came to a halt.

- Bowling Green, Oh, OH, USA

problem #6

Jan 042010

Matrix

  • 11,721 miles
While driving to and from work I have experienced a problem with the steering of my 2009 Toyota Matrix. This generally happens when I am driving on the highway going over 40 mph. The car will suddenly veer and I have to compensate by steering in the opposite direction to bring it back onto the road. At first I thought it was the wind blowing my car to the side but even on calm days it has happened. I have had other people drive my car who have had it happen to them. It does not happen ever day but at least once or twice a week I experience the problem.

- West Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #5

Sep 092009

Matrix

  • 15,230 miles
On Sept 9 2009, I was on my way to las vegas Nevada in my 2009 Toyota Matrix sport and noticed when I exceeded alittle over the speed of 65 my car began to swerve side to side nearly looking like I'm about to side swipe the car in the next lane over..and this is not the only time this has happened a few more times on my way to work. And I have taken my car to Toyota and they kept on trying to convince me that I need new tires and I need alignment done, so really they didn't to anything for me my car is still new and I didn't need tires at all I still had alot of tire tread, and if you looked at the tires you would notice I was burning nothing but shoulder were going since I got it. So I've been very unhappy with Toyota they haven't don't anything to make me happen but just want to try and charge me for so many "services" that my car "need". :( very sad that I bought a Toyota, I think I should have gotten a Ford.

- Heceinda Heights, CA, USA

problem #4

Nov 262009

Matrix

  • 7,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Bought 2009 Toyota Matrix in Sept. 2009... have experienced both gas pedal issues and steering issues. Gas pedal issue has been "fixed". in regards to the steering issue, I have noticed that when I was driving at speeds over 35mph it does pull to the right and feels like the car is being pushed by wind, my daughter & husband also experienced this while driving the car. I did not report the steering issue to anyone because I did not know it was a defect, this is the first Toyota I have owned and thought it was a Toyota thing. Also, I was involved in an accident in Nov. 2009 in the Toyota Matrix, I am unsure of whether the gas pedal issue may have played a role in that incident. I do not own this car now, I traded it in on another vehicle.

- Tacoma, WA, USA

problem #3

Dec 082009

Matrix

  • 10,873 miles
When you're driving the car unexpectedly pulls to the left or the right then when trying to correct the steering over corrects thus jerking the car in which ever direction you are trying to correct. This action occurs every day. We have taken the vehicle to two different dealership service departments, at one we were told the front tires were swapped and at the other they said they could not duplicate the problem and we were told that there was nothing wrong with the steering and that without a recall there was nothing they could or would do to fix the problem.

- Searcy, AR, USA

problem #2

May 012008

Matrix

  • miles
There is a sway in the driving of the car on the highway. Staying in a lane is difficult. Steering is uneasy.

- District Heights, MD, USA

problem #1

Oct 072009

Matrix 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,483 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Toyota corolla Matrix. When starting the vehicle all of the warning lights illuminated on the instrument control panel. The speedometer failed, and then there was a loss of power steering. The vehicle was taken to the Toyota dealership for inspection. A technician stated that because they could not duplicate the failure they could not provide a remedy. The current and failure mileages were 72483. Updated 12/17/09 the warning lights remained on until the ignition was turned off. The speedometer and tachometer never left zero. Updated 12/21/09

- Chicago, IL, USA

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