10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,254 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #12

Jan 112017

Matrix 4-cyl

  • 145,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Matrix. While the vehicle was exiting a parking garage and waiting at a toll booth, it suddenly accelerated out of control and crashed into another vehicle and a retaining wall. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There were minor injuries, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. Updated 04/19/17

- Stone Mountain, GA, USA

problem #11

Dec 162016

Matrix 4-cyl

  • 105,000 miles
On the morning of 12/16/2016, while in the parking garage where my wife works, she stopped to back into a parking spot and the car suddenly accelerated forward and would not respond to vigorous braking nor the emergency brake. The car hit a concrete wall, the air bag deployed, and she was injured (numerous fractures to date). We have seen the words 'brake override' and 'sudden unintended acceleration' in cases against Toyota. There were no floor mats in the car. We bought this car in the first week of Oct 2016, so it was only approx 75 days in our possession. The dealership could never get us in contact with the previous owner (about unrelated questions) and never mentioned any possible issue with the car. They gave me a carfax, but there was no mention of the sua issue. We feel Toyota or someone should be responsible for this happening. Not only is there physical damage to the person, but also mental damage about driving any car. We believe the electronics are to blame for this happening. What are our options? we cannot find anyone to take the case. Please advise, thanks.

- Taylorsville, KY, USA

problem #10

Sep 212011

Matrix

  • 31,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Matrix. The contact stated that the vehicle abnormally accelerated while the brakes were applied. The contact was unable to control the vehicle and crashed into a building. The contact sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital. A police report was filed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 31,000.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #9

Sep 182010

Matrix 4-cyl

  • 55,000 miles
I am requesting that dot NHTSA investigate the electronic acceleration system and/or the ECM causing sudden unintended acceleration of my 2007 Toyota Matrix. On 9/18/2010 my son was driving my 2007 Toyota Matrix. He was pulling into a parking space in front of a store & was almost completely stopped when, even though he had his foot off the accelerator & on the brake, the car began to accelerate on it's own. He then pushed harder on the brake & turned the wheel & the vehicle continued to accelerate. The vehicle ended up crashing into the glass window of the store, to the right of the parking spot, coming to a stop with the front end inside the store. There was approximately 4 feet of sidewalk between the front of the parking space and the building and about a 2 inch raise in surface height. My wife later informed me that she had an unintended acceleration problem that same day while driving the same vehicle. She turned onto a street & was traveling at approximately 25 mph & approaching a slower moving vehicle in front of her. She then took her foot off the accelerator to coast. The vehicle continued to accelerate with her foot off the accelerator and without the accelerator pedal moving. It accelerated to about 50 mph when she then had to apply the brake & tap the accelerator several times to get the vehicle slowed to avoid hitting the vehicle ahead of her. I have contacted Toyota & they are sending an engineering analysis company to inspect the vehicle. I was contacted by the company on 9/27/2010 to find out where the vehicle is & set up the investigation. The Matrix is currently at the progressive collision center in clearwater fl. No work has been done to the vehicle, awaiting Toyota inspection. Could you please investigate this incident.

- New Port Richey, FL, USA

problem #8

Mar 022010

Matrix

  • 27,000 miles
March 2,2010 while stopped at a light at the intersection of joppa road and loch raven blvd. My 2007 Toyota Matrix accelerated, while my foot was on the brake into the truck in front of me...also stopped at the red light. You could smell brakes burning, police were called but only did a collision report since my front end was damaged and the truck was ok. No personal injuries. This was the first time I had anything like this happen with my car. I was terrified at the time. My car was towed to the Toyota collision center. Called Toyota customer service, told it would take 30 days before an inspector would look at the car and the damage could not be repaired until after seen by the inspector. On March 31st the inspector looked at my car ( after it had been driven without my knowledge to a Toyota dealer) I was told it would take another 30 days for his results. I am waiting for Toyota decision.

- Nottingham , MD, USA

problem #7

Dec 112009

Matrix

  • 18,045 miles
I was driving out of a parking garage when the forward progress of the vehicle completely stopped, although the engine was still running. Depressing the gas pedal was difficult and it would not propel the car forward. The car was towed to bill kidd's Toyota in cockeysville, md. I was told that there was nothing wrong with the engine and that it was a computer chip that had been installed in many of the Matrix models by General Motors in California that seemed to be causing this problem. The chip was replaced with a Toyota one. I am submitting this complaint, not because it caused me anything more than aggravation, since I was moving at under 10 mph when the issue arose, but because just before this malfunction, I was on a four-lane highway which could have resulted in an accident since the auto would have essentially dropped from 55 mph to 0 mph very quickly. I have just read that this issue is now one of many of this kind that are being reported, so I wanted to add mine to the number of incidents so that proper attention can be given to what seems should be a recall item.

- Nottingham, MD, USA

problem #6

Dec 202009

Matrix

  • 34,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Matrix. While the contact was at a stop sign when the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the failure could not be reproduced. Three weeks after the first incident, at a traffic light the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the failure could not be reproduced. The approximate current and failure mileages were 34,000.

- Farmingdale, NY, USA

problem #5

Aug 152009

Matrix

  • 15,000 miles
Manipulating cruise control, I17 downhill unintended acceleration, no brake response, moved to rocky left shoulder, throwing rocks noisy but may have helped slow me but brakes would not depress, in some order? shifted to neutral, turned off key, emergency brake, brakes now working. Only time it happened, a few weeks later Toyota says remove floor mat, did that also quit using cruise control as often I think I use it a lot more than most people. Concerned now that both locally and nationally Toyota won't talk to me because my year (2007) Matrix is not on the recall list.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #4

Feb 022008

Matrix

  • miles
Initially the car would fail to accelerate when the gas pedal was pressed down. Even when the gas pedal was pressed down completely the car only went 5 miles per hour. This happened on several occassions. When the car was taken to the dealer the whole "panel board" was replaced. The car was still under warranty and the repair was paid for by Toyota. Then on 2/2/08 the car accelerated on its own, only stopping when it hit a chain link fence. An insurance claim and police report were filed. Additionally the horn was not working and the air bag did not deploy in the accident. The serviceman at the Toyota dealer advised the air bag was defective and Toyota paid for the repair of the airbag. This accident caused my insurance rate to increase. Also the accident negatively impacts my son's driving record as he was the driver.

- Martinez, CA, USA

problem #3

Nov 182008

Matrix

  • miles
Gas pedal has, approximately seven (7) times, become caught on the floor mat due to the floor mat not being secured, in any fashion, to prevent it from sliding up and underneath the gas pedal. While my car is not part of the Toyota "voluntary" recall, I feel this is worthy of a complaint form.

- Miami Beach, FL, USA

problem #2

Feb 142010

Matrix

  • 27,000 miles
I was in a giant food store parking lot going 5 to 10 mph. I was pulling up in the pickup lane to get my groceries. Upon completing a sharp left turn and getting ready to stop my engine revved up at a very high rate without pushing the accelerator down hard. I put my foot on the brake and put the car in neutral. The engine continued a high acceleration rate. I turn the engine off. The floor mat was not near the accelerator. I had only been going 5 to 10 mph. This happened Feb 14, 2010. The only thing unusual lately was that my vehicle computer chip part # 89661-02K21 was replaced on October 15, 2009. 2007 Toyota Matrix.

- Reston, VA, USA

problem #1

Oct 262009

Matrix 4-cyl

  • 2,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Matrix. While driving between 25 mph and 78 mph the power steering would fail. Also the accelerator pedal remains applied, even after application. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the technician was unable to remedy the failure. The regional master tech sent by the manufacturer could not locate the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted again, but no assistance was provided. The current mileage was 26,000. The failure mileage was 2,000. The consumer stated whiled driving, she could no longer feel the tension in the steering that dictates the movement of the wheels. Updated evoq 05/27/10

- Santa Fe, NM, USA