2004 Toyota Matrix

DT: 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX XR, THE VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING YOKE, CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING DID NOT FEEL RIGHT, THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED, THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE THE SPLASH GUARD WAS DRAGGING, THE DEALER PUT TWO PINS IN THE SPLASH GUARD, BECAUSE THE PINS WERE MISSING, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN TO BE REPAIRED, THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE STEERING YOKE, PREVIOUSLY THE TRANSMISSION HAD WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO HAVE A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM IT. THE CONSUMER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE CASE AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR A YOKE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT IT IS ON BACK ORDER, ALL THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE STEERING WAS NOT STILL UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME THE CONSUMER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY NOW, THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 2003. *NM THE CLICKING NOISE IS STILL PRESENT WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. *SC

2004 TOYOTA MATRIX DRIFTED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPING OVER.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR AS THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED ONCE MORE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT, HIT A DITCH, WENT AIRBORNE AND FLIPPED. TOYOTA DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS STEERING PROBLEMS. *SC *JB

DT: WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL DRY CONDITIONS ON STRAIGHT ROAD VEHICLE DRIFTED TO LEFT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY ,ATTEMPTED TO GAIN CONTROL, WENT TO RIGHT OF HIGHWAY, FELT LIKE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. CORRECTED TO THE RIGHT, AND IT OVER CORRECTED. COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE TO GO STRAIGHT. INSURANCE INSPECTED IT, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO INSPECT THE STEERING. TOYOTA SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A MECHANICAL DEFECT. *AK CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT INTO THE DITCH. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE BECAME AIRBORNE, LANDED ON IT'S SIDE IN A CORNFIELD, AND WAS DETERMINED A TOTAL LOSS. CONSUMER WAS THEN TAKEN AND ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH INJURIES SUCH AS A BROKEN STERNUM, FOOT, FINGER, MULTIPLE CUTS AND CONTUSIONS.*SB

MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX HAS EXPEREINCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED IT; I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD BY FURTHER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. BUT ON SATURDAY MARCH 26 WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED AGAIN AND I WAS UNABLE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP MY CAR FROM LURCHING FORWARD. IT MOVED SEVERAL INCES INTO ONCOMING (PERPENDICULAR) TRAFFIC BEFORE I FINALLY THREW IT INTO PARK AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED BUT IT CAME CLOSE, AND I HAD MY TODDLER IN THE BACK SEAT, SO I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS MATTER. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALERSHIP (OURISMAN TOYOTA IN CHANTILLY, VA) THAT MONDAY, AND THEY KEPT IT FOR TWO DAYS. THEY RAN ALL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS POSSIBLE AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. NOTHING WAS FIXED BECAUSE NO TEST SHOWED A PROBLEM BUT I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR -- THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENS ONLY RANDOMLY AND CANNOT BE PREDICTED. I DRIVE WITH ONLY ONE FOOT SO THIS IS NOT A CASE OF TWO-FOOTED DRIVING AND ACCIDENTAALLY STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. IN EACH CASE MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND ON THE BRAKE. *AK

I'M VERY HAPPY WITH MY MATRIX EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. THE HUB CAPS ARE SO LOSE. I'M CONSTANTLY PUSHING THEM BACK ON TIGHTER. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS AND 3 HUBCAPS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN OFF, WITHINS DAYS OF ME MAKING SURE THEY WERE TIGHT ENOUGH. WHEN THEY FLY OFF MY CAR, ALL THE PIECES THAT HOLD THEM ONTO THE RIM ARE BROKEN OFF AND THEY ARE USELESS. I HAVE LOST 3 HUBCAPS IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS!*AK

THE FRONT SPOILER ON THE MATRIX IS CONSTANTLY GETTING SCRAPED UP ON DRIVEWAYS. IT IS TOO LOW. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS TO PUT A WHOLE NEW BUMPER ON THE CAR, AT MY COST. THE SPOILERS ARE LISTED AS A OPTION, BUT WHERE I AM FROM IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A XR WITHOUT THEM INSTALLED. THE CAR IS LESS THEN A YEAR OLD, AND ALREADY LOOKS BAD. WHO WOULD THINK THEY WOULD DESIGN A CAR THAT WOULD CONSTANTLY GET ALL SCRAPED UP. IT WOULD BE NICE IF THIS "OPTION" WAS TRULY A OPTION.*AK

I BOUGHT A SET OF 4 "TIRE MINDER" BRAND 28-32 PSI TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING VALVE CAPS AT BROOKSTONE ON JUL 27, 2004. I INSTALLED THEM ON THE TIRES OF A NEW 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX ACCORDING TO THE PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS. (NO VALVE EXTENSTIONS AND MAKING SURE "O" RING WAS IN PLACE, PRESSURE MEASURED BY 2 GUAGES AT 30 PSI.) ALL THE CAPS HELD PRESSURE AND WORKED CORRECTLY FOR APPROX 24HRS. THEN THE FIRST CAP FAILED WHILE CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY RELEASING THE AIR WITHIN SECONDS. APPROX 12 HRS LATER THE 2ND CAP FAILED IN SIMILAR FASHION. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT BENG DRIVEN AT THE TIME OR ELSE AN ACCIDENT MAY HAVE RECURRED. I REMOVED THE REMAINING 2 CAPS. I CONTACTED BROOKSTONE AND REPORTED THE ISSUE. THEY OFFERED TO REFUND MONEY BUT NO OTHER ACTION. I STILL HAVE THE CAPS. I WOULD BE WILLING TO SEND THEM TO A TESTING LAB FOR ANALYSIS. *AK