Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Toyota Matrix problems

Owners filed 45 complaints about the 2010 Toyota Matrix with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Jun 2019. The most-cited component is air bags (27).

Complaints
45
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags27
  2. Vehicle speed control4
  3. Steering3
  4. Engine2
  5. Service brakes2
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  7. Service brakes, electric2
  8. Electrical system1
  9. Visibility/wiper1
  10. Power train1
  11. Visibility1
  12. Seats1
  13. Suspension1
  14. Seat belts1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20106
20110
20123
20131
20142
20152
20168
201720
20182
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

27 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2018Air bags, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11142316

Vehicle speed control

4 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 TOYOTA MATRIX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PLACING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A WALL IN THE PARKING GARAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE SIDE AND FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME TO BE RETRIEVED BY STATE FARM INSURANCE. THE INSURANCE CLAIM NUMBER WAS 372327J90. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 12, 2017Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11054235

Steering

3 reports1 crash
“"ELECTRIC POWER STEERING" WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING DOES NOT CENTER CAUSING YOU TO HAVE TO RECORRECT CONSTANTLY. IT SEEMS LIKE A SAFTEY ISSUE BUT TOYOTA SWINDLED THEIR WAY OUT OF A RECALL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 11, 2019SteeringODI 11219187

Engine

2 reports
“MY CAR IS HAVING AN EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ON WHICH IS A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA DEALERS ARE FULLY AWARE OF AND ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT A CAR WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT CONSUMED ALL THE OIL OUT BEFORE IT REACHES 4,500 MILES FOR SERVICE REQUIREMENT. GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FRAUDULENT DEALERS WHOM ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE LIKE ME AND STATING THAT ACCORDING TO TOYOTAS PROTOCOL THERE IS NOT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IF ITS CONSUMING ALL THE OIL OUT AFTER THE 2 TEST TOYOTA PERFORMS. AND THEY DO NOT WANT CUSTOMERS TO GO WITH A PRIVATE MECHANIC TO PERFORM THE TEST BECAUSE THEY TAKE ALL OF THEIR LIABILITY OFF IF SOMEONE ELSE BESIDE TOYOTA MECHANICS TOUCH THE CAR. IT'S OBVIOUS THEY ARE HIDING SOMETHING AGAIN. PLEASE HELP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2017Air bags, EngineODI 10945105

Service brakes

2 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2016Vehicle speed control, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10836755

Service brakes, hydraulic

2 reports
“BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY FELT SOFT AS IF THERE WAS AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE. BRAKE ONLY WORKED WHEN YOU PUMPED FAST. OTHERWISE THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY VERIFIED THE COMPLAINT, AND FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR FREE. THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND FLUID. BRAKES WERE FINE UNTIL 3 WEEKS AGO, APRIL 23, 2012. EXACTLY THE SAME HAPPENED, THANK GOODNESS AS I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY. TOOK THE CAR BACK IN AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM. THEY CONCLUDED IT WAS A FAULTY PART. THEY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AGAIN (COVERED BY WARRANTY) AND THE BRAKES WERE FINE AGAIN. THEN TODAY, MAY 9, 2012, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN, EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN SO I DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THEIR CONCLUSION IS. THE SCARY THING HERE IS THAT THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE BRAKES FAILED WITHIN 6 MONTHS. HAVE YOU HAD COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS BEFORE? HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL? I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10457946
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.