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EnginePart report

2005 Toyota Matrix Engine Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
3%of 213 total for the year
Median mileage
92,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the engine of the 2005 Toyota Matrix, 3% of the 213 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 92,000 miles.

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.

“While driving the car stalls. Mainly the issue appears to happen when turning. Suddenly, and only occasionally, the car dies while turning. All lights are lost and power steering gives out. Since the lights on the car and the power steering give out, it is a scary issue. We have to put the car in neutral (since we're driving) and restart the engine. Back in 2010 we brought our car in for the 2010 recall where they replaced the part, although we never had a stalling issue then. …”

NHTSA complaint #10652973, filed 2014-11, 20 miles

“Air bag panel light has been coming on and off. The model year is 2005,but the car was made possibly in 2004. The dealer refused to inspect without charge then telling me that recall is for not this model year. The brake, when the ABS is on in snow conditions, car take too long to stop,keeps kidding. Also engine revs without driver input when stopped or idling. Toyota dealer denied, to be their problem.”

NHTSA complaint #10680275, filed 2015-01, 92,000 miles

“Car turns off while I'm driving and will not turn on right away, check engine light turns on and off, there's a lag when it is switching gears, feels very forced.”

NHTSA complaint #10824905, filed 2016-02, 160,000 miles

“The Matrix began having various electrical problems, including engine warning lights turning off and on, airbag warnings, clock and headlights/brakelights turning off and on. We have brought it in to several mechanics for checks and various repairs, to no avail. Most recently, a dealer shop diagnosed that the ECM is likely failing, and in looking at the records from another dealer shop noticed that the ECM was on back order in 2011 to install a new one after a recall, but that a new one was never installed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10594046, filed 2014-05, 85,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Matrix. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall as the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis, but the details of the diagnosis could not be provided. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10v384000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10937618, filed 2016-12, 90,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2012120%
201024%
2009116%
200825%
200722%
200642%
200573%
200443%
200383%

Other parts of the 2005 Toyota Matrix

Air bags
103 complaintsElectrical system
23 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
23 complaintsEngine cooling
17 complaintsVehicle speed control
17 complaintsTires
16 complaintsBrakes
7 complaintsSuspension
7 complaintsFuel system
6 complaintsExterior lighting
4 complaintsOther or unknown
4 complaintsSteering
4 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2005 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