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Any suggestions from any mechanics out here on what questions to ask or anything I need to check with my dealership with concerning the repairs?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41756436/ns/business-autos/?GT1=43001
Still no admission that there is a tranny issue.
I will never buy another Toyota. I had blind faith in their quality and reliability, but I will never trust them again.
What bothers me most are the people who post on here how they went out and bought another Toyota. Good luck to them. I don't like to live life by chance.
Don't hate. Forgive them for their ignorance and move on with your life.
What worries me though, is that there have been numerous people on here who have been driving and the transmission just seized up on them on the freeway. That can be very scary/deadly, so now I am afraid to drive it! I have an old 4Runner, so I guess I am in better shape than most, but the 4Runner is 23 years old and has 230,000 miles on it!
I am so dissapointed. My previous car, a 93 Civic Si, had 180,000 miles when I sold it in 06 and the guy who has it said its at 200,000 now...same tranny, same clutch, same rotors.....that was a reliable car! :confuse: :sick: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
Like everyone here I'm very disappointed, as I paid more for a Toyota to have a reliable car. Yet clearly didn't get that. My last was a Honda, 11 years before selling, no problems. This is total [non-permissible content removed] and Toyota won't get my business again. It seems clear that folks have been having these problems for 5-6 years now and Toyota is still ignoring.
I am probably going to a transmission shop, since they will actually fix the transmission rather than just replacing it. They said dealers don't fix transmissions because they don't have rebuilders on staff. A tip to others with this issue- get a second opinion and don't trust the dealer.
Repair shop is quoting around $2200 to repair, depending on what they find when they take it apart. He did point out that at least the parts they use would not be Toyota parts.
Please follow this link:
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml
It's very quick and easy to fill out. Be sure to select "Power Train" and "Matrix", not "Corolla Matrix"
I'm wondering if I'd be better off going to a transmission repair shop, instead of the dealership. I'm afraid to drive it anymore!!! :mad:
Advice/feedback welcome!!
In my case, I've taken the car to a local mechanic who also didn't think there was a problem. I know that noise is not in my head!!! Yet, nobody can be bothered to look into my suspicions on the transmission and see if I'm right.
I'd love to see this problem get recalled before something serious happens.
Anyone getting together a class suit?
Was the trans oil ever changed?
I am not in a position where I can buy a new car. I'm at such a loss.
The Service Guide only calls for inspection every 30K miles.
There's generally no need to take an out-of-warranty car to the dealer, their prices tend to be the highest.
It had "regular care and oil changes" while you owned it, but what care did it get during its first 50,000 miles?
And the $64 question: how long did you keep driving after the oil light came on?
If more than 30 seconds then that engine failed due to your negligence, not Toyotas fault.
It's not a "check oil" light, it means there's no oil pressure and damage is imminent.
When something goes wrong you start pointing the finger in all directions except inward.
Your post is pure venting and pretty nonsensical.
You like your Honda then good for you, however it's not suitable for my needs.
I owned a Civic and 3 Accords and liked them all too.
I've had 5 trouble free years with my Matrix and I'm convinced it's not "junk".
I'm not insisting on anything, I just stated fact.
If someone continues to drive with the oil (pressure) light on for more than a brief time the engine will be toast.
Doesn't matter if it's a Toyota or a Bentley.
And now you've confused transmission bearing problems with kbetto's engine failure.
Maybe kbetto's engine could have been saved if he/she hadn't continued to drive it with the oil light on.
Maybe it just had a clogged oil pickup screen, not unusual if the previous owner was stingy with oil changes during the first 50,000 miles.
You have no evidence that EVERY transmission or engine failure is Toyota's fault.
The hand full of people on the internet with problems multiplied by 100 isn't even 1% of the Matrixes out there on the road.
Clearly you have some axe to grind with Toyota, but you'll never match wits with me.
A hundred or so miles later, the noise is back but worse. The growling is accompanied with more "chatter" and shifting gears is stiffer but all gears still work. Took to an Aamco shop, they had one Matrix 2003 failure like mine (replaced the transmission since they couldn't find parts). Claimed that they saw some metal swirls in the transmission fluid and recommended that I do the same for $3900. I opted out and will likely try to do the repair myself. I'll just have to figure out how to get the Matrix high enough off the ground to drop the transmission out onto a dolly and back.
If it's just bearings, I'll order a transmission rebuild kit for $300 - $350 and swap out the bearings. I suspect its the input / output bearings or both since the noise is present even in 4th gear (which I hear bypasses the throwback bearing). If the gear(s) are shot, I'll try to find a used C90 6-speed transmission and toss that in.
Interestingly, the Aamco manager told me that he sees a lot more Honda Odyssey transmission problems than Toyotas, any given week they see several in the shop. They were three in the shop while I was there.
For anyone who's interested, below are pic's of my blown output bearing along with the shattered ball bearing cage and 5th driven gear that sits above the bearing:
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/littlome/ef19cd03.jpg
http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd495/littlome/ae456d2e.jpg
One of the bearings was rattling around (only a matter of time for the others to break free, the cage was cracked in mulitple places). From the photo you can see that the ball bearing is pretty pitted. I spotted chunks of metal and several of the other balls were also pitted.
Long story short, I don't recommend driving on a transmission that has my previously described symptoms. I cringe at the thought of an output shaft seizing from failed bearings going at highway speeds.
Next up, checking the other other bearings and synchro's...