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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 →

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

Air Bags complaints

103 reports
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81,000 miles · Sep 16, 2016
Air BagsElectrical System

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CLOCK FAILED TO WORK. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS. THE DEALER SCHEDULED THE RECALL REPAIR, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUM…

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TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CLOCK FAILED TO WORK. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS. THE DEALER SCHEDULED THE RECALL REPAIR, BUT THE REMEDY FAILED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE CLOCK CONTINUED NOT TO FUNCTION. THERE WERE ALSO VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS THAT FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AFTER THE REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INDICATED THAT THEY WERE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/01/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI #10907277

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2016
Air Bags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE O…

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TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI #10889039

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2016
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI #10881748

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2016
Air Bags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE O…

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TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V285000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 07/12/16*LJ UPDATED 07/19/16.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10873170

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL - I RECEIVED A LETTER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO INFORMING ME MY MATRIX WAS RECALLED FOR THE AIR BAG INFLATORS. I WAS TOLD I'D BE CONTACTED WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. AFTER HEARING NOTHING, I WENT TO TOYOTA'S WEBSITE. IT SAYS THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE IN MY AREA STARTING IN DEC. 2015. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEA…

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TAKATA RECALL - I RECEIVED A LETTER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO INFORMING ME MY MATRIX WAS RECALLED FOR THE AIR BAG INFLATORS. I WAS TOLD I'D BE CONTACTED WHEN THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. AFTER HEARING NOTHING, I WENT TO TOYOTA'S WEBSITE. IT SAYS THE PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE IN MY AREA STARTING IN DEC. 2015. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER , & THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO THE REPAIR UNTIL THE END OF AUG. 2016. IT WILL HAVE BEEN ABOUT A YEAR & A HALF SINCE I WAS INFORMED OF THE RECALL - THIS IS A TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. MEANWHILE, THEY SUGGEST NO ONE RIDE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT UNTIL THE REPAIR IS COMPLETE. TOYOTA IS DOING A TERRIBLE JOB WITH THIS WHOLE THING.

NHTSA ODI #10860577

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2016
Air Bags

I GOT A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS. I'M KIND OF WONDERING IF I SHOULD BE DRIVING MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI #10854962

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL - IN JUNE 2015, I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA THAT MY MATRIX HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE TAKATA RECALL AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER TO SET UP REPAIRS. WHEN I CALLED I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED AGAIN ONCE THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. I HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION THAT …

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TAKATA RECALL - IN JUNE 2015, I WAS NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA THAT MY MATRIX HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST OF VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE TAKATA RECALL AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALER TO SET UP REPAIRS. WHEN I CALLED I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED AGAIN ONCE THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. I HAVE NOW RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION THAT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE, NEARLY 10 MONTHS AFTER THE INITIAL NOTIFICATION. WHAT TROUBLES ME IS THAT IN THE LATEST LETTER IT STATES " UNTIL THIS REMEDY IS PERFORMED, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH AN OCCUPANT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT." WHY DIDN'T THEY MENTION THIS BEFORE? WHY DIDN'T THEY PROVIDE THE REPAIRS SOONER? WHAT IF I HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH SOMEONE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR POSSIBLY KILLED. WHY ARE THESE LARGE COMPANIES ALLOWED TO PUT OTHERS AT RISK SIMPLY BY PERFORMING SOME SORT OF FAILURE ANALYSIS WHEN PEOPLES LIVES ARE AT RISK.

NHTSA ODI #10853274

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2016
Air Bags

RECALL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED

NHTSA ODI #10852064

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA RECALL. THE TOYOTA WEBSITE SAYS REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE "CURRENTLY AVAILABLE." THE DEALER TOLD ME I'D HAVE TO WAIT ONE TO THREE WEEKS BECAUSE THE PARTS ARE ON BACK-ORDER.

NHTSA ODI #10849585

200,000 miles · Feb 24, 2016
Air Bags

TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #10837913

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.