How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Matrix have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2003 Toyota Matrix model year. Whether one car had the recall work done depends on that car, so check its VIN with NHTSA.

2002: 2 owner complaints, Not judged

Our take: only with records and an inspection. Owners filed 2.2 times the complaints of a typical year of this model.

Year verdict

Maybe

2.2× a typical year

More owner complaints than usual. Buy only with records and an inspection.

Confidence: Medium

Close to the Pass line, so a few complaints either way could tip it.

NHTSA did not answer for 13 years, so this may change.

Past 100,000 miles

Locked

How this year held up past 100,000 miles.

With a Car Hunt Pass or Pro

How the dial was counted

Year verdict: Typical year: 66 complaints, the median of 8 nearby years. Each counted over its first 8 years from January 2002; this one had 148.

Same car, better year: 2004 or 2007 Matrix (both Worthy)

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Odometer check

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

WhipWorthy sticker

2003 Toyota Matrix

Complaints269From owners
Loading owner complaints
Recalls3On file
Loading recalls
NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.
Loading crash ratings
MPG24 to 28Combined, EPA
Loading fuel economy

Complaints are unverified owner reports, not adjusted for how many were sold.

Compare this car Every Matrix year

Car report

Park this car in My Garage and see its recalls at a glance.Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Value signals

We do not price cars.

These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.

Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Fuel: $2,300 to $3,300 a year.The EPA’s estimate for 15,000 miles a year, 55% in town, at its fuel prices. Each version
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
Have the VIN? Check it is this car, and see its open recalls at NHTSA.
VIN
On the dash at the base of the windshield, or on the driver’s door sticker.

What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.

Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.

The full record

Tap to open

What owners complain about

269 complaints; the part named most is the transmission and drivetrain

Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed May 22, 2002 to Dec 7, 2018. 47% name a part that is usually costly to fix.

Owners reported 19 crashes, 3 fires, 22 injuries and 1 death in these complaints.

Transmission and drivetrain83 · 31%Usually costly to fix
Air bags57 · 21%
Engine34 · 13%Usually costly to fix

What one owner wrote about the transmission and drivetrain

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Matrix. While driving, the check engine sensor indicator illuminated and the vehicle experienced hard shifting. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ecm was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage…

Filed Sep 13, 2016NHTSA complaint 109059851 of 18 owner quotes

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

15 more parts, and 18 owner quotes

Every part owners name for the 2003 Toyota Matrix, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Body and frame.

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

SourceOwner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Matrix. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Seller kit

Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Walk up to the seller ready

Questions to ask the seller of a 2003 Toyota Matrix, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

Write your offer

A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

Send the seller a fair offer

Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2003 Toyota Matrix, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

When problems show up

Transmission and drivetrain: the middle complaint around 70,000 miles

The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 77 complaints of 269 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.

Transmission and drivetrainCostly35,000 to 100,000 mi
Half of these 46 complaints came between about 35,000 and 100,000 miles, the middle one around 70,000.

SourceMileage from owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Matrix. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Will it outlast the loan?

The month of your loan each problem zone lands in

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

1 problem zone to lay against your loan, 1 usually costly

See the month of your loan each one lands in, and what you would still owe then.

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

Recalls

3 recalls on file

Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.

Lights
Apr 7, 2009 · Recall 09E012000
Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Apr 10, 2008 · Recall 08V162000
Toyota is recalling 662,178 my 2003-2004 corolla, corolla matrix and pontiac vibe vehicles equipped with power windows. The driver and front passenger door glass bolts may loosen and come off, causing the door glass to separate from the window regulator. Due to the components becoming loose and possibly rattling, an abnormal noise may be heard from the driver and /or front passenger door when operating the power windows.
What can happen
The door glass may separate from the window regulator, bind and shatter during operation of the power windows, causing driver distraction and/or injury.
The fix
Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger door glass bolts with newly designed bolts free of charge. The recall began on april 16, 2008 to Toyota owners. The recall began on may 21, 2008, for pontiac owners. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Lights
Mar 13, 2006 · Recall 06E023000
Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo USA at 909-468-3688.

SourceRecalls listed by NHTSA for the 2003 Toyota Matrix. NHTSA, checked Nov 2, 2026.

Crash ratings

NHTSA did not answer

NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.

NHTSA did not answer just now, so we cannot show crash ratings for this car. Try again in a minute. You can also check it on their site.

Fuel economy

24 to 28 mpg combined, across 4 versions

The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
Matrix · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
25 mpg
Highway
30 mpg
Combined
27 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,400
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS
Matrix · Front wheel drive · Premium gas
City
23 mpg
Highway
28 mpg
Combined
25 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,200
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L
Matrix · Front wheel drive · Regular gas
City
25 mpg
Highway
33 mpg
Combined
28 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$2,300
This one on fueleconomy.gov
Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS
Matrix · Front wheel drive · Premium gas
City
22 mpg
Highway
28 mpg
Combined
24 mpg
Miles per gallon. Yearly fuel, EPA$3,300
This one on fueleconomy.gov

SourceEPA fuel economy data, fueleconomy.gov. EPA, checked Nov 3, 2026.

True cost to own

The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years

Car Hunt Pass or Pro

What it really costs to own

What the 2003 Toyota Matrix costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.

See plans, from $15

Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.

Every year of the Matrix

6 Worthy, 3 Maybe, 1 Pass, of 12 years on file

Before you buy this one

5 checks, with a close look at the transmission and drivetrain

Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.

Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 3 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the transmission and drivetrain. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the transmission and drivetrain. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the transmission and drivetrain.
Feel for slipping, hesitation, harsh or late shifts, and shudder at low speed.

Going to see it? Take the checklist52 checks with the bad signs to look for, saved on your phone.

Check this exact car

The verdict is about the model year. These checks are about the one in front of you. Most are free or a few dollars.

VIN for these checks

Copy it, then paste it into each check. Nothing is sent until you open one.

Official checks on this VIN

Open recallsFree
NHTSA
Safety recalls on this VIN that are not fixed yet, from the last 15 years.
A recall already fixed does not show.
Check recalls at NHTSAnhtsa.gov (opens in a new tab)
Theft and total lossFree
NICB VINCheck
Whether an insurer reported it stolen and not found, or wrote it off as a total loss.
Only insurer records. Five checks a day.
Open NICB VINChecknicb.org (opens in a new tab)
Title brandsA few dollars
NMVTIS, the federal title system
Salvage, flood, junk and rebuilt brands from any state, and the last miles on the title.
No repairs, service or recalls. Sold by approved sellers listed on the site.
See the approved sellersvehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov (opens in a new tab)
Title statusVaries by state
The state motor vehicle office
Whether the title is branded in that state and, where the state offers it, whether a lender still has a lien.
It will not name the owner. Each state asks its own way, and some only by mail. Ask to see the seller’s title too.
Find your state’s officeusa.gov (opens in a new tab)

What a paid report adds

A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:

Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.

It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.

Red flags in a history

Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.

Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.

Model year	Owner complaints	Verdict
2002	2	Not judged
2003	269	Maybe
2004	138	Worthy
2005	213	Maybe
2006	170	Maybe
2007	96	Worthy
2008	38	Worthy
2009	192	Pass
2010	45	Worthy
2011	10	Worthy
2012	5	Worthy
2013	0	Not judged

The verdict on the 2003 Toyota Matrix

Value signals

What owners complain about

Seller kit

Write your offer

When problems show up

Will it outlast the loan?

Recalls

Lights

What can happen

The fix

Windows, wipers and visibility

What can happen

The fix

Lights

What can happen

The fix

Crash ratings

Fuel economy

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS

True cost to own

Every year of the Matrix

Before you buy this one

Check this exact car

Official checks on this VIN

What a paid report adds

Before you pay

Pre purchase inspection

Insurance quote

Lights

What can happen

The fix

Windows, wipers and visibility

What can happen

The fix

Lights

What can happen

The fix

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L

Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS

Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L

Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, SPORTS