CarComplaints.com Notes: The Toyota Matrix is the mechanical twin of the Pontiac Vibe.
Both models were a joint GM-Toyota venture, manufactured together at a NUMMI production facility in Fremont, CA. Only the heating & A/C systems are different.
On June 10th, 2015 I traded in my old car for a used 2006 Toyota Matrix. Although the car was purchased as is with no warranty, the dealer made a point of telling me, my daughter and her friend that he had replaced the old engine with an engine which only had 55,000 miles. The car had 175,262 miles on it. I had heard that Toyotas were good cars, and the dealer assured me the car would last me a long time. Well, at the age of sixty-eight I figured it would.
However, after driving the car for about six weeks, the car stalled in traffic with me in it. I had it towed to my dependable shop. They ran the diagnostics on the car and determined the cost to fix it would be $5400! I trusted them to fix the problem, but the dealer didn't. He had the car towed from my trusted shop, with my permission, to his mechanic. Now the dealer is, in my opinion, messing around and stalling for time, telling me his mechanic will look at the car soon. He, the dealer, has not offered to pay for the cost of repairs, and because Idaho has no used car 'lemon' law, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place.
In the meantime, I have been researching the recalls on the 2006 Toyota Matrix, and have discovered some of them made between 2005-2008 were recalled for engine problems. Now I wonder if my car was part of the recall, as the engine seized with the previous owner. I have filed an online complaint with the BBB. Also, I am filling out complaint forms with the Idaho Attorney General's Office and Department of Transportation division which licenses used car dealers. Am I wrong to expect the dealer to fix the problem? I don't believe I am. Now I wish I had listened to my gut feeling and not purchased a car from Grand Theft Auto in Boise, Idaho. Thanks for listening.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
On June 10th, 2015 I traded in my old car for a used 2006 Toyota Matrix. Although the car was purchased as is with no warranty, the dealer made a point of telling me, my daughter and her friend that he had replaced the old engine with an engine which only had 55,000 miles. The car had 175,262 miles on it. I had heard that Toyotas were good cars, and the dealer assured me the car would last me a long time. Well, at the age of sixty-eight I figured it would.
However, after driving the car for about six weeks, the car stalled in traffic with me in it. I had it towed to my dependable shop. They ran the diagnostics on the car and determined the cost to fix it would be $5400! I trusted them to fix the problem, but the dealer didn't. He had the car towed from my trusted shop, with my permission, to his mechanic. Now the dealer is, in my opinion, messing around and stalling for time, telling me his mechanic will look at the car soon. He, the dealer, has not offered to pay for the cost of repairs, and because Idaho has no used car 'lemon' law, I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place.
In the meantime, I have been researching the recalls on the 2006 Toyota Matrix, and have discovered some of them made between 2005-2008 were recalled for engine problems. Now I wonder if my car was part of the recall, as the engine seized with the previous owner. I have filed an online complaint with the BBB. Also, I am filling out complaint forms with the Idaho Attorney General's Office and Department of Transportation division which licenses used car dealers. Am I wrong to expect the dealer to fix the problem? I don't believe I am. Now I wish I had listened to my gut feeling and not purchased a car from Grand Theft Auto in Boise, Idaho. Thanks for listening.
- Gaye C., Boise, US