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2008 Toyota Matrix

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Toyota Matrix do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 70.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

30 reports with mileage · 8 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

1 reports
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25,735 miles · Jan 29, 2010
Latches/locks/linkagesSeatsCrash

ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 26, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER DRIVER. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ROUGHLY 35 MPH. THERE WERE NO OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE IMPACT WAS GREAT ENOUGH FOR THE DRIVER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. THE REAR SEATS ARE A 60/40 SPLIT; THE 6…

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ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 26, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 TOYOTA MATRIX AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER DRIVER. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT ROUGHLY 35 MPH. THERE WERE NO OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE IMPACT WAS GREAT ENOUGH FOR THE DRIVER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. THE REAR SEATS ARE A 60/40 SPLIT; THE 60 SIDE HELD A CHILD'S BOOSTER SEAT AND THE 40 SIDE HELD A CHILD'S CARSEAT. BOTH SIDES WERE LOCKED INTO PLACE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THE 60 SIDE FLEW FORWARD, SMASHING THE BOOSTER SEAT IN BETWEEN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE, NOW FLAT, REAR SEAT. THE 40 SIDE REMAINED IN PLACE, DUE TO THE CARSEAT BEING LOCKED INTO PLACE, HOWEVER WHEN THE CARSEAT WAS REMOVED, I DETERMINED THAT THE 40 SIDE OF THE REAR SEAT WAS NOT LOCKED INTO PLACE, JUST LIKE THE 60 SIDE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR IS MOST LIKELY CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10303113

Official recalls

2

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.

10V035000 · Equipment:other:labels

Feb 3, 2010

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.

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.