2005 Toyota Matrix

MY 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX 4WD STARTED TO MAKING WHINING NOISE AT 69000 MILES. TOOK THE CAR TO NEARBY MECHANIC AND FOUND THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID WAS FULLY-REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES AND THE CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED ACCORDINGLY BY MANUFACTURERS GUIDANCE. THE COST IS MORE THAN $ 1500 TO REPLACE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. . FOR ANY CAR EQUIPPED WITH AWD SYSTEM SHOULD NEVER HAVE THIS ISSUE AND I FEE THAT IT'S VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS. ON 17MAR2011 TOYOTA DEALER DIAGNOSED TWO POSSIBLE CAUSES... COMPUTER OR CLOCK ASSEMBLY. COMPUTER WAS REPLACED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. PROBLEM RETURNED THE NEXT DAY. CLOCK WAS REPLACED ON 30MAR2011 UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE SOLVED AS OF 12JUL2011. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY RECODED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE ODOMETER ON MY 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX WILL NOT ADVANCE PAST 299,999 MILES. I HAVE CHECKED ON LINE AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE MATRIX. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS REFERRED TO MY DEALER. I WORKED WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER WHO SAID THAT HE HAD RECENTLY SEEN A PRIUS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE GENERAL MANAGER TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND THAT WHOEVER DESIGNED/ENGINEERED THE ODOMETER ARBITRARY DECIDED TO STOP THE ODOMETER READING AT 299,999. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE NORMAL SERVICE INTERVALS FOR THE VEHICLE. THIS INCLUDES: A. INTERVALS FOR OIL CHANGES B. OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS OTHER FLUID CHANGES, ETC CAN NOT BE TRACKED OR DETERMINED WHEN THEY ARE DUE. C. INTERVALS FOR TIRE ROTATION. I. MY TIRES HAVE A WARRANTY THAT IS PRO-RATED ON MILEAGE. THAT WARRANTY IS NO LONGER OF USE TO ME IN THAT I CAN NOT PROVIDE THE CORRECT MILEAGE. II. THE DEALER THAT I PURCHASED THE TIRES FROM OFFERS FREE ROTATION BUT I CAN NO LONGER ACCESS THAT SERVICE IN THAT THE MILEAGE DOES NOT ADVANCE PAST THE 299,999 MARK. 2. MY STATE REQUIRES THAT THE MILEAGE BE STATED WHEN A CAR IS SOLD. I CAN NO LONGER GIVE THAT INFORMATION ACCURATELY. 3. ACCORDING TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OF MY DEALER, IF I WERE TO TRADE IN THIS MATRIX, I WOULD HAVE THE TRADE IN VALUE DECREASED BECAUSE I COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ACCURATE ODOMETER READING. 4. IF THE VEHICLE IS DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY CAN NOT DETERMINE THE CORRECT MILEAGE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MY CAR IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, AS STATED ABOVE. THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR THIS ODOMETER TO STOP AT 299,999. THIS IS PURELY A DESIGN/ENGINEERING DECISION, NOT A WORN OUT PART. I REQUEST THAT YOUR AGENCY INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.

DRIVER ENTERS A SMALL PARKING LOT IN SAN DIEGO. DRIVER PULLS UP SLOWLY TO ONE OF FIVE PERPENDICULARS STALLS IN THE LOT. AS HE IS PRESSING BRAKES, THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF, HITS THE CONCRETE STOP AND THEN A FRAME WALL A FEW FEET AFTER THE STOP. THERE IS SOME DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER BUT NONE TO THE ENGINE OR RADIATOR. DRIVER HITS THE STEERING WHEEL. AIRBAGS DO NOT GO OFF. WALL IS DAMAGED. DRIVER PUTS THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO PULL BACK. THE CAR TAKES OFF AND LOUNGES BACKWARDS, JUMPS THE CURB FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE STREET, AND STARTS MOVING BACKWARDS AT HIGH SPEED, SMOKING ITS FRONT TIRES AND DOING A "DONUT" WHERE THE FRONT WHEELS (THIS IS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE) ARE SPINNING AND THE VEHICLE IS CIRCLING BACKWARDS. FINALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE TRAVELS AND SLAMS BACKWARDS INTO A TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT AND STOPS. THE BACKEND DAMAGE IS EXTENSIVE AND THE REAR LEFT WHEEL IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. VEHICLE IS DECLARED A TOTAL. THIS IS A CASE OF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TT

I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA MATRIX AND MY AIRBAG SENSOR IS ON. I HAVE TALKED TO AND READ ABOUT THIS BRAND CAR AND THAT YEAR CAR ALL HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHY HAS THIS NEVER BEEN RECALLED? I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC BUT HE SAID THIS IS A COMPLAINT THAT EVERYONE WITH THE MATRIX AND THE YEAR 2005 HAVE. YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOUT THIS BY READING THE INTERNET UNDER TOYOTA MATRIX 2005. THANK YOU. UPDATED 05/12/11 *TR