I own a 2003 matrix xr000 with 53000 miles. I had the front pads and rotors turned at 33000 miles by toyota. Last month I felt the steering wheel shaking when applying my brakes at speeds between 40-70 MPH. *ak I was told last week by the local toyota mechanic that both my drums needed replacement. They said that blue specs were identified indicating wear on my drums. I asked what would cause the drums to wear so fast and their reply was normal wear or emergency brake being applied by driver. I asked if anything like this has ever been reported by other drivers and the answer was never. They said they didn't have any replacement parts for the drums because it was not something they have seen before. I spoke to the corporate customer experience representative and was told that this was not a defect and was from normal wear and tear based on the toyota mechanic analysis. I called another brake specialist and provided him the same information that toyota diagnosed and they said that they never heard of such a thing that the drums needed replaced at 53k miles in the 15 years he has done business in brakes. The failure and consequences by toyota not identifying this as a defect in the manufactory causes me to dish out additional funds to fix the defect endured by their product. My question to toyota: this is 1 in a million odds of happening, isn't it possible that this indeed is a manufactory defect and not customer related? Why didn't toyota identify the problem earlier at the brake inspection serviced at 33k miles? I advised others not to purchase a toyota vehicle, the cost paid for toyota vehicles and poor customer satisfaction warrants a "f" in my book.
2003 Toyota Matrix brakes complaints
Page 2 of 2: complaints 11 to 17 of 17, newest first, as owners wrote them.
When stepping on the brakes, the vehicle continued to move. The consumer had to hit the brakes real hard to stop the vehicle.
I had a flat tire and changed it but when I took off the tire the brake drum came off with the rim. I put on the spare and the next day driving to discount tires in lynnwood on the freeway I had no brakes, the brake fluid had leaked out. I had the car towed to magic toyota in edmonds and they said it was my fault because I should have known and that it " sometimes happens." I have never heard of it happening and not being a mechanic I had no idea, other mechanics I have talked to say it should not have happened. Toyota refused to cover brake repair under warranty.
Front brakes jerk back and forth when applied.
Went to dealer twice;complained about brakes pulling right; told they couldn't reproduce problem and the brakes were just "adjusting"; today, failure in steering and brake pull almost caused wreck.
Problems with parking brake. Driver could drive the vehicle for miles with the parking brake engaged without a noticeable drag. *mr ph
There was no drag when driving with the parking brake fully applied. The consumer was afraid the parking will not work in an emergency. Mr scc
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