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2005 Toyota Matrix

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Matrix years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Toyota Matrix are substantially higher than the model-year median of 70.5.

About this comparison →
213Owner complaints

Model-year median: 70.5

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
2
2002268
2003138
2004213
2005170
200696
200738
2008
Compare all Matrix years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
103Electrical System
23Power Train
23Engine And Engine Cooling
17Vehicle Speed Control
17
All reported categories
Tires
16Engine
7Suspension
7Exterior Lighting
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Steering
4Structure
4Unknown Or Other
4Fuel System, Gasoline
3Fuel System, Other
3Seat Belts
3Service Brakes
3Visibility
3Wheels
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Equipment
2Interior Lighting
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

125 reports with mileage · 88 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

3 reports
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192,200 miles · Oct 1, 2016
Service Brakes

I ENCOUNTERED A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED THE TIRE OFF AND PLACED THE SPARE ON. THE BRAKE DRUM CAME OFF THE CAR AND REMAINED HOUSED IN THE WHEEL WELL. AFTER PLACING THE SPARE ON, I DROVE ABOUT 30 MILES TO MY MECHANIC WITH NO BRAKE DRUM. I ENCOUNTERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY BREAK SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN CHANGING THE TIR…

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I ENCOUNTERED A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED THE TIRE OFF AND PLACED THE SPARE ON. THE BRAKE DRUM CAME OFF THE CAR AND REMAINED HOUSED IN THE WHEEL WELL. AFTER PLACING THE SPARE ON, I DROVE ABOUT 30 MILES TO MY MECHANIC WITH NO BRAKE DRUM. I ENCOUNTERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY BREAK SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN CHANGING THE TIRE AND IN MOTION WHEN BRAKE SYSTEM DAMAGE WAS DONE.

NHTSA ODI #10910944

100,000 miles · Sep 24, 2015
Air BagsService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE INTO AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE BUT REPLACED THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER HOWEVER THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN AUGUST 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10775899

92,000 miles · Jan 31, 2015
Air BagsEngineService Brakes

AIR BAG PANEL LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND OFF. THE MODEL YEAR IS 2005,BUT THE CAR WAS MADE POSSIBLY IN 2004. THE DEALER REFUSED TO INSPECT WITHOUT CHARGE THEN TELLING ME THAT RECALL IS FOR NOT THIS MODEL YEAR. THE BRAKE, WHEN THE ABS IS ON IN SNOW CONDITIONS, CAR TAKE TOO LONG TO STOP,KEEPS KIDDING. ALSO ENGINE REVS WITHOUT DR…

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AIR BAG PANEL LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND OFF. THE MODEL YEAR IS 2005,BUT THE CAR WAS MADE POSSIBLY IN 2004. THE DEALER REFUSED TO INSPECT WITHOUT CHARGE THEN TELLING ME THAT RECALL IS FOR NOT THIS MODEL YEAR. THE BRAKE, WHEN THE ABS IS ON IN SNOW CONDITIONS, CAR TAKE TOO LONG TO STOP,KEEPS KIDDING. ALSO ENGINE REVS WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT WHEN STOPPED OR IDLING. TOYOTA DEALER DENIED, TO BE THEIR PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10680275

Official recalls

1

10V384000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Aug 26, 2010

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON VARISTORS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 2010 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT AND RECALL. THIS INTERIM NOTIFICATION WILL INFORM OWNERS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTIFICATION WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE FREE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.