Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota matrix. While pulling into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration and crashed into an apartment building. The driver stated that the brake pedal was depressed during the failure. The front end of the vehicle was severely damaged, but the air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained a fractured sternum, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced for both unintended acceleration and an unknown air bag recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was invalid.
Toyota Matrix sudden acceleration problems
62 of the 1,177 owner complaints about the Toyota Matrix describe sudden unintended acceleration, most of them for the 2009 model year.
- owner complaints
- 62
- worst model year
- 2009
- typical mileage
- 32,500
By model year
Often reported together
No deployment 10Jerking 4Adaptive cruise 3Stalling 2Brake failure 1
What owners say
My matrix 2009 has had intermittent sudden acceleration problems. I mention it at my regular maintenance check ups, but receive non-committal replies. I figure I must be losing it. Over the last 8 months or so, it got extreme: the car will lurch forward at different times: when I start up the car, idling at a light, or slowing to a stop. Today, sunday morning, as I was pulling into a parking spot at walmart, I began to brake slowly when the trans roared and lurched forward. It jumped the curb and plowed into the front end of the car facing me. At first, I thought I must have hit the gas - but no. My foot was still on the brake - all the way to the floor. I still owe money on this car. I ruined the front end of another car. I am a single mom of 2 and a teacher. I don't know how I am going to be able to handle this. I do not intend to repair this car. It is not safe. Thank god the other car was empty. This car could have killed someone. And, no: no tickets/accidents/ageism. Just a regular middle-age lady who bought a used car 4.5 years ago, took good care of it, and am now seriously stuck and stressed. So, thank you toyota. I saw on other blogs today that this is not an isolated incident, but a recurring problem. You have known about this for years, and have done nothing. Your company will cause innocent people to kill someone or themselves.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 toyota matrix. While the vehicle was exiting a parking garage and waiting at a toll booth, it suddenly accelerated out of control and crashed into another vehicle and a retaining wall. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There were minor injuries, which required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. Updated 04/19/17 *lj
On the morning of 12/16/2016, while in the parking garage where my wife works, she stopped to back into a parking spot and the car suddenly accelerated forward and would not respond to vigorous braking nor the emergency brake. The car hit a concrete wall, the air bag deployed, and she was injured (numerous fractures to date). We have seen the words 'brake override' and 'sudden unintended acceleration' in cases against toyota. There were no floor mats in the car. We bought this car in the first week of oct 2016, so it was only approx 75 days in our possession. The dealership could never get us in contact with the previous owner (about unrelated questions) and never mentioned any possible issue with the car. They gave me a carfax, but there was no mention of the sua issue. We feel toyota or someone should be responsible for this happening. Not only is there physical damage to the person, but also mental damage about driving any car. We believe the electronics are to blame for this happening. What are our options? We cannot find anyone to take the case. Please advise, thanks.
I was backing down my driveway when my car suddenly accelerated-the brakes and steering also went out-I crashed into a bank on one side of the road, then the car swung around and I ended up suspended over a ditch. I was finally able to switch gears and turn the car off
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 toyota matrix. While exiting the freeway, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal to the floor, but the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. As a result, the contact crashed into another vehicle. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and then to a collision lot. The vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.
Backed out of a parking space at a shopping center. Went about 50 yards and the engine revved like it was going 100 MPH and then jumped forward. Slammed on the brakes and put the car in neutral and it went back to normal idling.
I was slowly pulling into my garage (in the basement of my house), gradually braking as I had done many times before. I was stopping the vehicle in its usual position when the engine suddenly began racing and the car accelerated forward. It struck some shelves I had against the wall of the garage, crumpling both the shelves and the front of the car's hood. Everything happened so fast at that point that I am not sure just what happened, but I ended up with the car stopped up against the garage wall and the car in park. I believe I threw it into neutral, then applied the brake since it was still moving, then tried to back up, and finally put it into park. The car was declared a total loss by my insurance company. I experienced the same problem of sudden acceleration when stopping several times previously, but none of those incidents caused any damage. In each of those situations I was able to get the car into neutral, stop it with the brake, and continue on my way. In this instance there was not enough space ahead of me to do that successfully. I know that a number of incidents of unintended acceleration of a toyota matrix have already been reported for a number of different model years.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 toyota matrix. While the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the vehicle accelerated on its own. As a result, the contact crashed into two parked vehicles. A police report was filed. The driver sustained multiple bruises, a fractured rib, and pacemaker replacement that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,800.
I was approaching a stop light and all of a sudden the engine started to accelerate; this has never happened before. I pressed on the brake as hard as I could but the brake wouldn't go all the way down and it was very stiff. Since I was going slow I was able to get the car to stop but the engine was revving as if I had the gas pedal to the floor. I decided to put the car in neutral so it wouldn't accelerate while I was at the stop light (the whole time the engine is revving to its max and the brake was stiff; I also used the hand brake. When the light turned red I placed the car in drive since I had to move and the car wanted to take off so I kept my foot planted on the brake this was at full strength. I was able to get the car into a parking lot and then home an hour later. I was driving the car locally so I was about one mile from home. I have never seen a car do this in my life. I did call toyota about it and they said it wasn't sudden acceleration and said what do you want from toyota which I thought was extremely rude. I feel if I was going faster say on the highway I would have lost control of the vehicle.
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
- What is wrong
- Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 highlander, model year 2009-2010 corolla, venza and matrix passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's floor mat. This recall is an expansion of a campaign of 3.8 million other toyota vehicles announced in 2009 for the same issue (see 09v‑388).
- Risk
- A stuck open accelerator pedal may result in very high vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop the vehicle, which could cause a crash, serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Toyota will modify or replace the accelerator pedals on the subject vehicles. Floor surface modifications are also being considered and will be included for any model for which it is deemed appropriate. Initially, dealers will be instructed on how to reshape the accelerator pedal for the repair. As replacement parts with the same shape as the modified pedal become available, they will be made available to the dealers for the repair. Customers who have had the pedal reshape remedy completed will have the opportunity to receive a new pedal if they desire, after replacement pedals become available. In addition, toyota will replace any toyota all-weather floor mat in a subject vehicle with a newly designed mat, free of charge. For those customers who have the previous design all-weather floor mat but do not need or want the newly designed all-weather floor mat, toyota will recover the previous design all-weather floor mat and reimburse its price. The safety recall began march 30, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1‑800‑331‑4331.
Recall number 10V023000 · Recall details
Questions about the Toyota Matrix sudden acceleration
Which Toyota Matrix years have sudden unintended acceleration problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2009 (19 complaints), 2003 (11 complaints) and 2004 (8 complaints).
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