2009 Toyota Matrix problems
NHTSA has received 224 complaints about the 2009 Toyota Matrix, and 35% of them involve air bags. After that come cruise control (20%) and steering (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 224 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 35% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 44 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 25 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 23,000 miles 139 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 58 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 33 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 10 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 22 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 9 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 139 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 23,000 miles. For air bags specifically, the median reported mileage is about 42,000 miles (12 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 44 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 25 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 85% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Toyota Matrix with enough data (140 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was traveling at eastbound at 25 MPH and entered a controlled intersection in manitowoc, wisconsin. A motorcyclist traveling northbound approaching speeds of 60 MPH ran a yield sign and t-boned my 2009 toyota matrix s 5 spd manual in the back passenger door and back quarter panel. The force of the impact spun my matrix 180 degrees so I ended up facing westbound at the curb. The passenger-side curtain airbag deployed.
Tl*the contact owns a 2009 toyota matrix. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly accelerated rapidly after she depressed the accelerator pedal to make a left turn. The vehicle crashed into another vehice. The air bags did not deploy. Both the contact and driver of the other vehicle sustained neck injuries; a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where it was repaired at the contacts expense.
On february 11, I took my 2009 toyota matrix to motorcars toyota of cleveland heights, ohio, to have the car repaired in the gas pedal recall. While there, I was informed of another recall on the car, on its brakes. Both of these issues were address and I picked the car up on february 13th. On february 24 at 7:45am, I was driving westbound on I-90 in westlake, ohio; it was snowing and the roads were wet, unsalted. As I was rounding a corner near the crocker bassett exit, my car began to skid.
I recently bought a 2010 toyota camry and was never contacted by the dealership or toyota about the two recalls on my car. When I called the dealership to make an appointment to fix my car, I was told by the service person that why did I need to fix it for, he acted like he didn't even know about the recalls. They made me wait two weeks for the appointment and then had to keep my car for a whole day.