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Electrical systemPart report

2003 Toyota Matrix Electrical system Problems

Complaints
12about this part
Share
4%of 268 total for the year
Median mileage
53,540miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Toyota Matrix, 4% of the 268 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 53,540 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Abs, brake, & service engine lights came on. Took it to midas, they replaced speed sensors. When I got car back it shifted gears (automatic) funny & hesitated significantly shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Immediately returned car to midas. They re-diagnosed & suggested I take it to Toyota dealer (john elway's crown Toyota). They said it was speedometer cluster & replaced it which did not resolve my problem so declined to pay & asked them to put back my old speedometer cluster. They didn't & didn't charge me for the new one. Had car towed back to midas. …”

NHTSA complaint #10352435, filed 2010-08, 135,000 miles

“My 2003 Toyota Matrix xr sometimes accelerates uncontrollably. Usually when I am cruising at highway speeds, when I let off of the gas pedal, the car's throttle still feels like it's in the open position, causing the car to speed up instead of slowing down. It almost feels like if the cruise control is turned on and the car is trying to maintain speed. My cruise control was turned off during each of these incidents, and there was no indication that they were turned on at the time of the incidents. This problem occurs once every few months and I usually don't pay attention to them. …”

NHTSA complaint #10315598, filed 2010-03, 80,000 miles

“While driving my car, it will start to miss out and then stall. Upon restarting, the engine light comes on. I took it to the dealer where they replaced the computer. That helped for about 6 months and then problem recurred. I took it back to the dealer and we then replaced the ignitors. Once that was complete the car ran fine for 2 months. Now it is happening again, and is very dangerous. It happened to me today for instance while I was in the middle of an interstection making a a turn. When the car stalls, I have limited steering. This also happens to me while I'm on the interstate. …”

NHTSA complaint #10124201, filed 2005-06, 47,079 miles

“Clutch switch which completes circuit for ignition switch is hard to engage, especially for my wife when wearing shoes with heels. If car is inadvertantly killed while starting from a stop on a hill, it makes for a hazardous situation since it requires excessive force to press on the clutch so as to engage starter motor. Toyota claims no defect exists.”

NHTSA complaint #10078884, filed 2004-06, 10 miles

“The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Matrix. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost power and stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Prior to the failure, when the vehicle was started, an abnormal knocking sound emitted from under the hood of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 171,580.”

NHTSA complaint #10861329, filed 2016-04, 171,580 miles

Related service bulletins

Electrical system: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201012%
200995%
2008821%
20071213%
20062213%
20052311%
200497%
2003124%

Other parts of the 2003 Toyota Matrix

Transmission and drivetrain
83 complaintsAir bags
57 complaintsEngine cooling
25 complaintsVehicle speed control
21 complaintsBrakes
17 complaintsBody and structure
12 complaintsOther or unknown
11 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
10 complaintsEngine
8 complaintsSteering
8 complaintsFuel system
7 complaintsSeat belts
6 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2003 Toyota Matrix

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology