VehicleVerdict

2005 Toyota Matrix engine problems

The 2005 Toyota Matrix has 24 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 9% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

24

Engine complaints

9%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Matrix engine complaints by model year34 complaints2003: 34 complaints2004: 10 complaints2005: 24 complaints2006: 26 complaints2007: 14 complaints2008: 4 complaints2009: 20 complaints2010: 3 complaints2012: 1 complaints
Matrix engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

10V384000EngineAugust 26, 2010 · 1,128,659 units

Defect

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 COROLLA AND COROLLA MATRIX VEHICLES. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) FOR THE SUBJECT MODELS EQUIPPED WITH THE 1ZZ-FE ENGINE AND TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT A CRACK MAY DEVELOP AT CERTAIN SOLDER POINTS OR ON VARISTORS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD.

Consequence

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WARNINGS AND CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECT. THE ENGINE WARNING LAMP COULD BE ILLUMINATED, HARSH SHIFTING COULD RESULT, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START, OR THE ENGINE COULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. AN ENGINE SHUTOFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PRODUCTION NUMBER OF THE ECM AND REPLACE THE ECM IF NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. TOYOTA WILL MAIL AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER 2010 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT AND RECALL. THIS INTERIM NOTIFICATION WILL INFORM OWNERS THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTIFICATION WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO HAVE THE FREE REMEDY PERFORMED ON THEIR VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

What owners report

STARTED CAR TO GO TO WORK AND ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE DEPT CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT THE FIRE BURNED THE ENGINE AND BURNED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR BURNING THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD AND DASH. *NM

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · January 30, 2006 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2005 Toyota Matrix have?

NHTSA has 24 complaints about the 2005 Toyota Matrix engine — 9% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Toyota Matrix engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 10V384000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.