Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
When going up a hill in 4th gear car shifts down to 3rd gear to maintain speed & there is a loud noise that shakes the car (as if the engine's going to fall out). Happened about 20 times so far. Toyota dealer mechanics got car to repeat this 3 times (once hooked up to a computer). The mechanics & the service manager all feel that the transmission needs to be replaced. I have 100,000 mi. Extended warranty. The person from Toyota (not from the dealership) that has to approve putting in a new transmission refused saying it is an intermittent problem. He then said it was the way I use the gas pedal. Then why did it happen on the 3 roadtests when brought to dealer. The shift into 3rd (on a hill) is so violent that I'm afraid to keep up speed on the parkway when going up a hill. I pull into the slow lane & put on my flashing lights & stay at 50 MPH or less. …
Tl contact owns a 2009 Toyota Matrix. The contact stated that the transmission would not allow the vehicle to freely move; it seemed as if the vehicle was in the neutral position while it was engaged. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the dealer stated that all the models had the feature and there was nothing wrong with the transmission. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance in the matter. The current mileage was 10,107. The failure mileage was approximately 400.
I noticed a chirping noise from the engine. My husband took the Matrix to a Toyota dealer who advised us, upon inspection that the bolt that holds the lifter arm hadsheared off inside the engine. We are extremely fortunate that this did not result in an injury accident whilst traveling at highway speeds! The service manager said he had only seen this happen before when a belt was replaced. The issue has not been resolved since the dealer and Toyota seem to feel that it is not their problem. The dealer quoted $2200+ and advised that if they cannot drill the bolt out, that the short block would need to be replaced.
Toyota Matrix xr 2008:bought new. One driver car. Twenty-two months of driving with 11,000 miles on it. Took to dealer on March 12, 2010 because leaking transmission fluid. Diagnosed as faulty harmonic equalizer on front axle which caused scaring on axle and inside transmission installed new axle and transmission. Ten minutes after picking up car after first problem corrected: car lost power while I was driving. Nearly killed by semi-truck but avoided accident. Diagnosed as faulty computer. Dealer installing new computer now. Updated 03/29/10 updated 05/05/10.
I brought my Matrix to Toyota of bellevue with concerns about the clutch and transmission shortly after its purchase. I was brushed off saying this is just how Toyota's drive. Well I guess they weren't lying about that because I am among many owners that have had their bearing in their transmission fail prematurely. I was going 65 miles an hour down the freeway when I lost control of my vehicle. I was lucky enough to be in the right lane and came safely to a stop but this could have easily ended badly for my passenger and I. To top it off my 7 year warranty I purchased was misleading. It was for 7 years from the first owner and even though I own a 2007 the warranty started in 2006. None of this was explained to me and in fact the writing from the dealer in the warranty guide shows my date of purchase as 2010 and subsequently reads as the warranty is valid until 2017 or 100,000 miles. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Matrix. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the spark plugs and coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Matrix. While driving at approximately 30 MPH, the throttle hesitated to respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was informed that there was a recall related to the failure and recommended the vehicle to be diagnosed by a dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000. The VIN was not available.
My rear differential in my 2006 Toyota Matrix xr 4wd was making a whining noise that increased in volume as speed increased. I took it to the dealership and was informed that it was the rear diff. And would cost $2300 to replace. Car has 68K. Powertrain warr. Is 5 yrs. Or 60K. Dealer quoted me price of $2388 to fix?? I said it should not have gone out as I have done every maintenance on this car. They then offered me a measly 10% as a whiner/consolation fee. I then called the "customer center" of Toyota and was eventually told that they would up the "offer" to $600, and that was their final offer. They then called me the next day and told me that it was actually the transmission coupling assy, and that it would cost another $400. Toyota said they would cover the difference of $400 since it was misdiagnosed. I said they should cover all of it since it was clearly defective. They refused. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Matrix years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (83), 2004 (37), 2005 (23) and 2006 (18) model years. Transmission complaints make up 31% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Toyota Matrix transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for any Toyota Matrix model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Toyota Matrix transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the manual transmission (65 mentions), followed by the clutch assembly (32).
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.