2008 Toyota Matrix Problems, Recalls & Reliability
94 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Toyota Matrix, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 24/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Airbags leads the reports.
Typical
Where 2008 sits among all Matrix years
What owners report
“Unable to get remedy in a timely manner for air bag recall. Part has been unavailable for over a month and dealer has delayed ordering of part by two weeks. Dealer providing recall service is IRA Toyota of Danvers in Massachusetts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Matrix
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 56 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 45,750 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,000 and 102,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Fix: 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…
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008…
Fix: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Model years named: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Led to recall campaign 10V384000.
Technical service bulletins
146 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on body & structure and electrical — are on file for the 2008 Toyota Matrix. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 Matrix TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Toyota Matrix reliable?
The 2008 Toyota Matrix drew 94 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 24/100, scored against the model's worst year (2009).
What are the most common 2008 Toyota Matrix problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Toyota Matrix are airbags (29 complaints), speed control (12), and electrical (11).
At what mileage do 2008 Toyota Matrix problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Toyota Matrix problems around 45,750 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,000 and 102,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Toyota Matrix have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Toyota Matrix. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.