2005 Toyota Matrix

1) I TOOK MY 05 TOYOTA MATRIX INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A 60,000 MILE CHECK UP. I HAD PURCHASED THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT. I WAS BILLED $700.00, AND TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME. 2) I TOOK THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTAT TO WORK AND NOTICED A VERY BAD 'SHIMMY', AND THE VEHICLE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT. A DEFINITE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. I WAS VERY UPSET AT SPENDING $700, TO HAVE THE VEHICLE RETURNED IS WORSE CONDITION THAN WHEN I TOOK IT IN. FOR THE CHECK UP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THEY "ADJUSTED" THE ALIGNMENT, AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. I TOOK THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE AND FOUND I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK THE NEXT DAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DELERSHIP TOLD ME THAT 'CENTERING RINGS' WERE NOT PUT ON THE RIMS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE. I HAD CENTERING RINGS PUT ON THE VEHICLE, AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE PROBLEMS TO BE FIXED. THEY RETURNED THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSATE AND FOUND I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY. I INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WENT ON-LINE AND FOUND OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT A 'SHIM KIT'COULD HELP. THE DELALERSHIP TOLD ME I HAD THE 'WRONG' TIRES ON THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE VIRTUALLY NEW. THEY SAID I NEEDED "DIRECTIONAL" TIRES. I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED NEW DIRECTIONAL TIRES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED A SHIM KIT, WHICH HELPED BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DID ALL THEY COULD DO. THEY DID NOT LIST THE SHIM KIT ON THEIR REPAIR PAPERWORK FOR THE VEHICLE. I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE BEFORE TAKING IT IN FOR THE CHECKUP. THIS IS EVIDENTLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHICH A 'QUICK FIX' WAS DONE AT THE TIMEOF MANUFACTURE. IT DID NOT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. IT ONLY "HID" THE PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE STILL HAS A SHIMMY AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. *TR

FAILURE OF RETENTION SYSTEM FOR FRONT RIGHT INNER FENDER/SHIELD. THERE IS ONLY ONE RETENTION POINT AT FRONT (ON BUMPER). WHEN FAILS, SHIELD/INNER FENDER BEHIND FRONT BUMPER DRAGS ON GROUND. HOLE FOR RETENTION PIN HAS ONLY ABOUT 1/4 INCH OF MATERIAL TO REAR OF HOLE - THE PLASTIC SPLITS. DID NOT SPLIT IN RESPONSE TO HITTING ANYTHING - CAR WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY WHEN FAILED. WHEN TOOK TO DEALER (STILL UNDER WARRANTY), OFFERED CHOICE OF CABLE TIE REPAIR (FREE) OR REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE INNER FENDER ASSEMBLY ($211). CHOSE CABLE TIE, ALTHOUGH DEALER ALSO LEFT ROPE REPAIR I HAD INSTALLED TO HOLD UNTIL GETTING TO DEALER. DEALER INDICATED ROPE SHOULD STAY - HARDLY A REAL REPAIR. LEFT SIDE FAILED PREVIOUSLY - HAD TO PERSONALLY REPLACE RETENTION PIECES. DEALER SERVICE REP INDICATED THAT THEY SEE A NUMBER OF MATRIX XR AND XRS MODELS WITH SAME PROBLEM, DUE TO GROUND EFFECTS INSTALLED ON THOSE MODELS. SEEMS TO STRONGLY IMPLY A DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND DISCOVERED THE A/C IN MY BRAND NEW 2005 TOYOTA (STILL UNDER WARRANTY) MATRIX WAS BLOWING WARM AIR INSTEAD OF COLD. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. AFTER LOOKING OVER THE VEHICLE, THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR PRICE. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS WAS "A ROCK HAD BOUNCED UP INTO THE ENGINE AND PENETRATED THE CONDENSER" DEALERSHIP INFORMED MY PART AND LABOR WASN'T COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. I POINTED OUT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE NO PROTECTION (I.E. SHIELD) TO THE A/C CONDENSER. FILE COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA OF TORRANCE CA AND GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO SAY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER THE REPAIRS. I POINTED OUT THE LACK OF PROTECTION AND DESIGN FLAW. *NM

DT: THE CLUTCH WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS/TO ENGAGE THE STARTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO WORK THE CLUTCH BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN THE FLOOR AREA ,AND THE WHEEL WELL MADE A HUMP IN THIS AREA. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A FOOT REST THAT THE CONSUMER HAD REMOVED BECAUSE IT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED. TWICE IT PUT THE CONSUMER IN DANGEROUS SITUATION ALTHOUGH, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN AUGUST 2004. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 2004. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER THEY BASICALLY TOLD HIM THEY COULD NOT FIND THE STALLING PROBLEM. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM BASICALLY THE SAME HING. THE CONSUMER STATED HE BELIEVED THAT THE AREA PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK