no report yet
Visibility: glass, side/rear
Risk. THE DOOR GLASS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOW REGULATOR, BIND AND SHATTER DURING OPERATION OF THE POWER WINDOWS, CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION AND/OR INJURY.
2004 Toyota MatrixProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 138 owner complaints about the 2004 Toyota Matrix, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 18, 2021. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Toyota Matrix has problems
138 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
37Power train
35Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
15Vehicle speed control7 crash/fire/injury
13Visibility3 crash/fire/injury
9Electrical system
8Steering
8Structure
7Fuel system, gasoline
6Engine and engine cooling
2811 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 37 | 0 |
| Air bags | 35 | 4 |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 7 |
| Visibility | 13 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 1 |
| Steering | 8 | 6 |
| Structure | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 6 | 1 |
| 11 other systems | 28 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2004 Toyota Matrix recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
88kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 36 power train complaints. 64% were reported before 100,000 miles.
5under 30k miles23under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
8 owners mentioned a cost$2,900median
Middle half: $2,375 – $3,500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Matrix year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Matrix median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 Toyota Matrix safety ratings
2004 Toyota Matrix 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Toyota Matrix, and the recalls they led to.
- SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW SHATTERSLed to recall 08V-162
In owners' words
What Matrix owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
LOW NOISE FROM ENGINE AREA, THEN HEARD A POP OR THUD. AFTER THIS CAME A SCRATCHY/GRINDING NOISE WHEN CAR WAS IN GEAR AND COASTING. THE NOISE WENT AWAY WHEN CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED OR CAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF GEAR TO COAST. I CALLED A SERVICE REPAIR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE SAME DAY. THE VERY NEXT DAY…
MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE. WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PUSHED IN, THE NOISE WOULD STOP. 3 WEEKS LATER I HAD TO GO TO WORK SO I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE NOISE WAS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER. MY FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND MY TRANSMISSION SHOT ME OUT OF GEAR. A CAR ALMOST HIT ME WHICH WOULD OF COST…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION…
Own a 2004 Matrix?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.