Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V285000 (Air Bags) however, the notification advised not to drive the vehicle and to contact the local dealer for retrieval of the vehicle. After contacting the local dealer, the vehicle had not yet been retrieved. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. Parts distribution disconnect.
Last May 5 melody Toyota san bruno told me they have to do a recall on the front passenger airbag inflator. And it was fine for 3 months. Then on aug. 9 when I was taking my cousin to the airport (sfo) the SRS warning light just came on all the way straight home. And I drove back to melody Toyota last Tuesday since they told me they can't attend to me last Monday because technician shortage. After they made the diagnosis on my car they said there's a short circuit on my airbag spiral cable clock spring w/c is located inside the steering wheel. They said if this spiral cable is defective all the airbags in my car is disabled and will not deploy if I hit another car or a tree w/c is really life threatening. My question is why do I have to pay $550.00 to get that spiral cable replaced. …
Tanaka recall. I had all recalls done since the first one in 2013. At my 2016 recall Toyota mech said recall was done and that all was good and it was safe now. I left lot convinced it was true and I could now allow riders in front seat without threat of injury /death. N0w 2018 discover was not safe to have passenger. That more recalls coming but parts not produced fully in 2016. Airbag was replaced by same defective airbag as taken out,only difference being that it was only out of box not safe redesigned type!!why was I not informed that this was the case when I got the last recall installed??now have another notice that the real safe one has finished production and I can have one installed now. Meantime my family including grandchildren have been in serious danger of serious injury or death by riding in the front seat!! …
I have owned this car for only a few months. I recived the recall for passenger side airbag. Took to Toyota dealership on dixie . I also asked for them to diagnose the SRS light being on on the dash. I was told by dealership I needed a new front driver airbag due to a short. I looked back at the Matrix recalls . And there is a recall on the steering wheel cable ssue that is related to the airbag and the circuit over hearing that is related to an airbag recall issue. I called the pervious owner and she said she had an accident and none of the airbags deployed. She also took the car to dealership for a recall in 2016 and was told she needed a new front driver airbag. This car should be included in the current recalls for the above issue. This issue has placed my family and myself in an unsafe situation due to the unsafe ,safety equiptment. …
Toyota airbag recall case #[redacted] ***2/13/15: had to drive 135 miles with 72 yr old vietnam vet business partner crammed in back seat amongst other cargo during a business trip.*** must operate vehicle with passenger in car for business 85% of usage time. Otherwise I cannot run my business!! Toyota refuses to provide me with a solution or a rental until solution is available. They want me to put my 72 yr old vietnam vet business partner in back seat with fully loaded cargo rather than help me fix the airbag problem. They absolutely refuse to help me. This is wrong. I cannot operate my vehicle for business without my business partner. Toyota will not provide me with any workaround, nor any solution, in any timely manner. But yet they tell me I cannot operate my vehicle safely as I need to do to continue running my business.
"Takata recall" manufacturer recall number dsb NHTSA recall number 15vo43 recall status recall incomplete summary the electronic control unit (ECU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) in these vehicles could have been manufactured with integrated circuits that are susceptible to internal short circuiting when exposed to certain electrical noise from various vehical electrical components. If internal short circuiting occurs, the front airbag(s) and/or seat belt pretensioners could inadvertently deploy. An airbag that deploys inadvertently can, under some circumstances, increase the risk of minor injury and the possibility of a crash.
The air bag warning light came on dash and I was told the driver side air bag had to be replaced. I had to pay $1196.69 because it was not under a recall even though I had 3 other recalls which included the passenger air bag inflator, air bag wire harness and the center air bag sensor assembly. So with all the safety recalls on the passenger side air bag system, I do not understand why the driver air bag is not covered on any safety recall? I really think this should be covered under a safety recall since I was told by the rep at the Toyota dealer the air bag will not work when this air bag warning light is on.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the front driver and passenger air bags deployed inadvertently and fractured the windshield. The contact suffered injuries to the chest, which required medical attention. The contact also stated that the notice for NHTSA campaign number: 15V286000 (air bags) was received in early 2014; however, the dealer stated that the part was not available for repair. The manufacturer was not notified. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Dear NHTSA folks, ? The safety recall is dated January 27, of this year (2015) . ? I have waited five months, so far, for a remedy to this manufacturing defect. ? Going into the sixth month, we continue to be concerned for our safety each time we drive our Matrix. Please help, for goodness sake, without further delay! Yours, [redacted] indianapolis '
I was notified in March that my car had a bad airbag and I would be notified when it would be replaced. I just talked to my dealer and they have no idea when it will get done. That seems un acceptable to me that we have 3/4 of a car til it gets replaced. Shouldn't there be a timetable on recalls? Thank you.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
On January 9, 2018, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified NHTSA that they are recalling 14,585 model year 2010-2012 Yaris vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assemblies with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2018.
Air bags
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015 that they are recalling certain model year 2004 Sequoia vehicles manufactured August 18, 2003, to August 19, 2004, and 2003-2004 Tundra vehicles manufactured March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004.
Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-285 are under a Do Not Drive advisory.
Air bags
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) notified the agency on May 13, 2015, that they are recalling 2005-2007 Lexus SC, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Pontiac Vibe, and 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra vehicles that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii,…
Remedy: 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles that are recalled under both 15V-043 and 15V-286 are under a Do Not Drive advisory.
Air bags › Frontal
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla vehicles manufactured December 28, 2001, to May 2, 2004, 2003-2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2002, to April 29, 2004, 2003-2004 Avalon vehicles manufactured June 5, 2002, to December 20, 2004,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify their owners. Pontiac Vibe owners will be notified by GM. Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on August 24, 2015.
Show 1 more recall
Air bags
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The supplemental restraint system (SRS) circuits are susceptible to internal shorting. The electrical short may create an abnormal current flow and increased heat which can damage the circuits.
Remedy: Toyota will re-notify their owners who have already had their vehicles repaired with a noise filter, but did not receive a new airbag control module, and General Motors will re-notify theirs.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other Corolla Matrix years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix, 75% of the model year's 36 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-025 (inflator module, Jan 9, 2018); NHTSA recall 15V-285 (air bags, May 13, 2015); NHTSA recall 15V-286 (air bags, May 13, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Corolla Matrix airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 115,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.