Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2004 Toyota Matrix, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Toyota Matrix year.
29.9 mpg average · 28–33 range · EPA says 27
Over 5 years this costs $500 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: TOYOTA IS RECALLING 662,178 MY 2003-2004 COROLLA, COROLLA MATRIX AND PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER WINDOWS. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS MAY LOOSEN AND COME OFF, CAUSING THE DOOR GLASS TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR. DUE TO THE COMPONENTS BECOMING LOOSE AND POSSIBLY RATTLING, AN ABNORMAL NOISE MAY BE HEARD FROM THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN OPERATING THE POWER WINDOWS.
Risk: THE DOOR GLASS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR, BIND AND SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOWS, CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR GLASS BOLTS WITH NEWLY DESIGNED BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 16, 2008 TO TOYOTA OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2008, FOR PONTIAC OWNERS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
Campaign 08V162000
Issue: SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Risk: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
Campaign 09E012000
Issue: CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
Campaign 06E023000
NHTSA frontal crash test
1 open NHTSA investigation into this model. Investigations come before recalls, so these are potential defects not yet covered by one.
Rated configuration: 2004 Toyota Matrix 4-DR.
The parts named most often across 138 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
3 crashes · 1 fire
1 injured
4 crashes · 5 injured
1 fire
2 crashes
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE RAISING OR LOWERING THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, THERE WAS A CLICKING AND RATTLING SOUND HEARD. THE WINDOW ALSO SEEMED TO LOOSER THAN NORMAL. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V162000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
TAKATA RECALL WILL SOMEONE GET TOYOTA TO REPAIR MY CAR? I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET MY AIRBAG HAZARD REPAIRED SINCE 2014 RECALL CAME OUT. NO SUCCESS TO DATE. MEANWHILE FORCED TO DRIVE POTENTIAL BOMB. IT APPEARS TOYOTA IS GIVING PEOPLE THE RUN-AROUND. I STAYED ON THE LINE FOR GREAT LENGTH OF TIME AND WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK LATER AND CUT OFF. DEALER IS NOT CALLING BACK. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED, THANK YOU, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TAKATA RECALL - WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, THERE WAS A SLOW UP, AND I BRAKED, BUT STOPPED RIGHT AT THE REAR BUMPER OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. HOWEVER, ANOTHER CAR WAS COMING BEHIND ME AND COULDN'T STOP, OR DIDN'T NOTICE THAT TRAFFICE HAD STOPPED. HE PUSHED ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT, WHICH WAS NOT A SEVERE FRONT END HIT, I SAW FIRE, AN EXPLOSION, AND THE AIRBAG BLEW OUT THE ENTIRE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND FLEW TO THE BACK SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. METAL WAS FLYING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IN THE FRONT. WE COULD NOT BELIEVE THE DAMAGE THAT RESULTED FROM SUCH A SOMEWHAT MINOR ACCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR WAS TOTALED WHICH HAS BEEN A STRAIN ON US! NOW, ABOUT 30 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WE JUST RECEIVED A CARD IN THE MAIL TELLING US OF THE RECALL. WE HAD NO IDEA THERE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG RECALLS! TODAY, I CHECKED ONLINE FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND FOUND MANY SITES DESCRIBING THE ISSUES. HOWEVER, MY CAR IS NOT EVEN ON THE RECALL LIST!!! I WAS IN THE CAR ALONE AND WAS AFFECTED BY THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, I DREAD TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF I HAD A PASSENGER WITH ME. I AM INCLUDING SOME PICTURES.
TAKATA RECALL. I'VE BEEN RECEIVING RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS VEHICLE FOR YEARS. I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO HAVE THREE ISSUES RESOLVED, ONLY ONE OF WHICH IS THE TAKATA AIRBAG PROBLEM. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE REPAIRS AT THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER TO ME (ABOUT A 2.5 HOUR-RT DRIVE FROM MY HOME) FOR THE PAST YEAR+, BUT I AM REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT THEY ARE AWAITING THE PART(S) FOR THE TAKATA AIRBAG REPAIR. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, I CONSTANTLY RECEIVE FLYERS FROM TOYOTA URGING ME TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE ASAP. I WOULD LIKE TO. BUT APPARENTLY, TOYOTA IS HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING THE PARTS TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS. IN THE MEANWHILE, I'M DRIVING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CAR.
TAKATA RECALL NOT ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER IN A TIMELY MANNER. RECALL NUMBER: 08V162 FROM 2008, RECALL STATUS IS INCOMPLETE. LEADING TO POWER WINDOWS COMPLETELY IMMOVABLE. MANUFACTURER FAILED TO REMEDY THESE RECALLS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED A CRASH. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BECAUSE THE CONTACT COULD NOT REMEMBER. MOTTER AUTO REPAIR OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND REPAIRED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE PASSENGER DOOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING AGAIN. THERE WAS NO CRASH AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S GARAGE DOOR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT LEG AND LEFT HAND, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V043000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE INTERIM RECALL NOTICE STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A RECALL 15V043 DONE SINCE JAN/FEB THIS YEAR AND I KEEP CALLING THE DEALER AND GETTING TOLD THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN SENT THE PARTS EVER. I ALSO HAVE THE AIR BAG RECALL 15V285 AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IVE CALLED THEM REGARDING THIS RECALL AS WELL. WTF DO THEY NEVER GET PARTS NOW? WHATS REALLY ANNOYING IS I KEEP GETTING LETTERS IN THE MAIL REGARDING RECALLS AND THIS LAST ONE SAYS "WHY HAVEN'T WE HEARD FROM YOU?" EVEN THOUGH IVE CALLED MULTIPLE TIMES.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 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 MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS TOLD BY A LOCAL PORTLAND, OR TOYOTA DEALER THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE TAKATA INFLATOR RECALL ARE BACK-ORDERED FOR AN INDEFINITE 6-12 MONTH PERIOD AND WARNED THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY TAKE EVEN LONGER. TOYOTA CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE CONFIRMED THAT TIMELINE BY SPEAKING WITH A DIFFERENT PORTLAND, OR TOYOTA DEALER. TOYOTA FURTHER INFORMED ME THAT I CANNOT HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT UNTIL THE TAKATA INFLATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED. TOYOTA HAS BEEN VERY UPFRONT AND HELPFUL IN ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS COMMENDABLE, BUT I'M FILING THIS VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT BECAUSE 6-12 MONTHS FOR A SAFETY RECALL REPAIR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR BEING DONE IN A "TIMELY MANNER" AND NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT FOR UP TO A YEAR WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT AND PROBLEMATIC. TO BE CLEAR, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IN MY VEHICLE HAS NOT DEPLOYED.
I WAS BACKING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED-THE BRAKES AND STEERING ALSO WENT OUT-I CRASHED INTO A BANK ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN THE CAR SWUNG AROUND AND I ENDED UP SUSPENDED OVER A DITCH. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO SWITCH GEARS AND TURN THE CAR OFF
I TOOK MY CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO FIX THE AIRBAG RECALL ON 8/31/2015 AND 1/20/2016. AFTER FIXING THE AIR BAG, I HEAR SOME KIND OF NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD NEXT TO AIR BAG. I MENTIONED IT TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT BUT THEY MENTIONED ITS NOTHING. I STILL HAVE THAT NOISE COMING OUT FROM THERE. I;M WORRIED. LOOKS LIKE THEY DIDNT REPLACE THE AIRBAG INFLATOR PROPERLY.
Showing 12 of 138 complaints.