IllustrationBACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT A SHOPPING CENTER. WENT ABOUT 50 YARDS AND THE ENGINE REVVED LIKE IT WAS GOING 100 MPH AND THEN JUMPED FORWARD. SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL IDLING.
2006 Toyota Matrix
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Matrix years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Toyota Matrix are substantially higher than the model-year median of 70.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Matrix years →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
390–25K
3025–50K
1850–75K
875–100K
10100–150K
5150K+
110 reports with mileage · 60 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 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports
Engine complaints
4 reportsI PURCHASED A USED 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX AS IS NO WARRANTY FROM A DEALER IN BOISE, IDAHO. THE DEALER TOLD ME, MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND THAT ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAD 175,262 MILES ON IT, HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A 55,000 MILE ENGINE HE BOUGHT FROM FLORIDA. APPARENTLY THE OLD ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE DEA…
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I PURCHASED A USED 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX AS IS NO WARRANTY FROM A DEALER IN BOISE, IDAHO. THE DEALER TOLD ME, MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND THAT ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAD 175,262 MILES ON IT, HE HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A 55,000 MILE ENGINE HE BOUGHT FROM FLORIDA. APPARENTLY THE OLD ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE DEALER ASSURED ME THAT THE CAR WOULD LAST ME A LONG TIME. HOWEVER, AFTER ONLY SIX WEEKS OF DRIVING THE CAR THE ENGINE QUIT AND STRANDED ME IN TRAFFIC. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY TRUSTWORTHY MECHANICS, WHO RAN THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR. I TOOK THEIR REPAIR ESTIMATE TO THE DEALER. HE TOWED THE CAR, WITH MY PERMISSION, TO HIS MECHANIC. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING RECALLS, AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA MATRIX CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2005-2008 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR ENGINE PROBLEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF MY CAR WAS EVER RECALLED, OR THE PROBLEMS FIXED. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME ENGINE AS THE ONE IN THE RECALLS. NOW I'M CONCERNED THAT IF THE CAR DOES GET FIXED, IT MIGHT MALFUNCTION AGAIN WITH ME DRIVING IT, AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.THE DEALER WON'T PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AS IDAHO HAS NO USED CAR 'LEMON' LAW. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN ON A FIXED INCOME. I CAN MAKE THE CAR PAYMENTS, BUT CERTAINLY CAN'T PAY TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED EVERY TIME IT BREAKS DOWN, PLUS I FEEL THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH CONCERNS ME SINCE I LIVE ALONE AND HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO DEPEND ON FOR HELP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V384000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIF…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V384000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
I WAS ON A STEEP HILL AT A STOP SIGN. I HAD LET GO OF THE BRAKE TO STEP ON THE GAS BECAUSE IT WAS MY TURN TO GO AND MY CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS DRAMATICALLY TO THE POINT WHERE MY TIRES WHERE SCREECHING FOR A FEW SECONDS TILL I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE STEEP HILL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, I USUALLY AVOID STREETS THA…
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I WAS ON A STEEP HILL AT A STOP SIGN. I HAD LET GO OF THE BRAKE TO STEP ON THE GAS BECAUSE IT WAS MY TURN TO GO AND MY CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS DRAMATICALLY TO THE POINT WHERE MY TIRES WHERE SCREECHING FOR A FEW SECONDS TILL I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE STEEP HILL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED, I USUALLY AVOID STREETS THAT HAVE A STEEP HILL BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I'M ON A STEEP HILL. I'VE NOTICED THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. *TR
Official recalls
310V384000 · 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.
10V036000 · Equipment:other:labels
Feb 3, 2010
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
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. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.