Vehicle Data Hub

2003 Toyota Matrix air bags problems

58 complaints about air bags have been filed for the 2003 Toyota Matrix, which is 18% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
58 19% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
120,000 miles 22 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
11 and 1
Injuries and deaths
9 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When air bags problems show up

Air bags complaints by mileage, 2003 Toyota Matrix Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 120,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 1 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 1 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 0 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 0 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 7 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 2 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 2 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 2 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 2 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 2 complaints 200k+ miles: 3 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 120,000 miles
Based on 22 complaints that include mileage. 9% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles1
20k to 40k miles1
40k to 60k miles0
60k to 80k miles0
80k to 100k miles7
100k to 120k miles2
120k to 140k miles2
140k to 160k miles2
160k to 180k miles2
180k to 200k miles2
200k+ miles3

What the data shows

Of the 22 air bags complaints that report mileage, the median is about 120,000 miles, and 9% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 11 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries.

What owners wrote

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota matrix. While making a left turn at a yellow light, another vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The driver sustained minor abrasions and the passenger suffered a fractured thumb, which required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The speed was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.

Reported at 93,000 miles, September 2014 CrashInjury

The airbag indicator on my car lit up. I scheduled an appointment with toyota to have it diagnosed, and they said that I needed a new spiral clock spring cable, which is part number 84306-02110. This is an expensive part, over $300. After doing some searching, I found out that 1) many other toyota matrix and corolla owners have had this issue and 2) there was a recall on this part for toyotas of a slightly different make, model, and year.

Reported at 188,000 miles, October 2017

Other problems reported for the 2003 Toyota Matrix

Air bags problems in other years

Air bags problems across all Toyota models