2003 Toyota Matrix recalls and problems

The 2003 Toyota Matrix has 1 recall and 268 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is power train.

How the 2003 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 11 Matrix model years — the most of any year.

1recalls

268complaints

19crashes

3fires

22injuries

76,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

1 recall

Visibility

Apr 10, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V162000 · 662,178 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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 & notes

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.

Toyota recall no. 80A/gm recall no. 07273.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Power Train83

Air Bags57

Engine33

Vehicle Speed Control21

Unknown or other11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERS

EA08004 · opened Feb 5, 2008 · closed May 1, 2008 · led to recall 08V162000

Summary

FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE RETENTION FORCE OF THE REGULATOR BOLTS WHICH ATTACH THE FRONT SIDE WINDOW GLASS TO THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT DUE TO AN INTERFERENCE OF THE RETENTION NUT AND THE BOLT SHOULDER RADIUS.IN THIS CONDITION THE BOLT MAY BECOME LOOSE, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE TO BE GENERATED WHEN THE WINDOW IS RAISED OR LOWERED.IF THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER WINDOW ARE CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE BOLT MAY COMPLETELY SEPARATE, CAUSING THE GLASS TO BECOME MISALIGNED, AND IN THE WORSE CASE, THE GLASS MAY SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOW.GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION (GM) AND TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA, INC. (TOYOTA) WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON THE PONTIAC VIBE, TOYOTA COROLLA AND TOYOTA MATRIX VEHICLES TO REPLACE THE REGULATOR BOLT WITH A BOLT AND WASHER.GM WILL RECALL 122,593 MY 2003-2004 PONTIAC VIBE VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 16,045 WARRANTY AND GOODWILL CLAIMS, 274 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 23 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES.TOYOTA WILL RECALL 415,341 MY 2003-2004 TOYOTA COROLLA VEHICLES. ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 6,601 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 150 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 11 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES.TOYOTA WILL RECALL 124,244 MY 2003-2004 TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 2,198 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 113 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 6 INJURIES FOR THESE VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 24,843 WARRANTY CLAIMS, 537 FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS, AND 40 INJURIES FOR 662…

2003 vs. other Toyota Matrix years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Toyota Matrix have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2003 Toyota Matrix, the latest from Apr 10, 2008 (visibility). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Toyota Matrix?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention power train (83), air bags (57), engine (33). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.