Toyota Matrix Check Engine Light

mellencamp

Can someone please tell me if I need to be concerned if my maintenance light has turned on at $21,000? I have done all the scheduled oil changes up to this point. Thanks in advance.

maxx4me

If your car is not shuddering, and the light is not blinking, it normally is a oxygen sensor code/emissions related. It could be as simple as: you did not tighten your gas cap properly. If you sense no abnormal conditions in the car's drivability and don't observe smoke coming from the tail pipe, first check the gas cap and fully tighten it by clicking it several times/and even pushing in slightly as you turn. This will ensure a proper vacuum seal. Anyone can read your check engine light code, so don't go rushing off to the dealer to have it checked. If it is not flashing, you are unlikely to be in any imminant danger.

whitematrix

Just had my check engine light come on and it was a loose gas cap. Last time it came on it was the catalytic converter but under warranty at 65000k. Get it checked. They shouldn't charge you for the simple things.

scoots

My wife and I live out in the country and about 45 minutes from our Toyota dealer.

As the Matrix is the "wife's" car she brought it into an independent mechanic for its 5k service, but he didn't know how to reset the "maintenance light".

I've been going thru the owners manual (for the last hour), but somewhere I'm missing how to reset this indicator light. Anyone able to help me out?
:confuse:

scoots

I just found the answer on page 113 of the owners manual.

socalscooter

Four days ago I bought a 2004 Matrix XR in Los Angeles. When I test drove it, the check engine light was on, but they reassured me it was nothing to worry about, and before I bought the car they fixed it. Today the check engine light came back on. I'm really annoyed. I never would have bought the car if I thought this would be an issue (in the past I owned a Jetta that had a problem with the check engine light, and I got really sick of it). I took the Matrix back to the dealership today and they took it and gave me a rental. I'm not very happy about the situation ... wish I hadn't bought the car.
Oh, and BTW, the car didn't come with an owner's manual, so I can't refer to page 113 to figure out how to turn it off myself. Anyone know how I can get an owner's manual?

badgerrr

This is just one more useless/annoying alarm on the Matrix. What possible good does this thing do?

Toyota needs to get a new attitude about this sort of thing.

I have to refer to the manual every time I reset this pointless alarm. It really gets old.

stilldl

2007 Toyota Matrix 3736 miles. Already had to get a new battery at 700 miles. Check engine light went on and I called dealer. They said they would make me an appt. and I would have to leave it. I said that I would wait for it not matter how long, just bring a book whatever.. I live 60 miles away... No, you have to leave it.. OK I'll call a closer dealer... In the meantime, a light bulb goes off to call my mechanic. Now, I have already read the manual and done the usual-(gas cap, etc.). He asks me these questions, I say yes, yes, yes. His advice is to disconnect the battery for 5 minutes and see if the light stays off. If not bring it to him on Monday.. Light stayed off -- No more problem...No more light..

alandra_lee

I have 46000 miles on my 2004 Matrix. Just had the manual transmission replaced a month ago... ask me how much I like this car right now.

The check engine light came on duing my drive home earlier this week. I followed the advice to disconnect the battery, which seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for the tip, since it save me having to deal with the Toyota dealership again.

zombietom3

You effectively reset the car's computer. My mechanic told me that after a reset it can take several starts or even a couple of weeks (for a less critical signal) for a warning light to come back on, if the symptom that tripped it the first time is still present . So unless you are at least a couple of weeks past the reset you might still see that warning light come on again.

pandesal

My toyota matrix has 39000 miles on it. It's running smoothly, maintenace every 3000 miles and always go to shops to re-check all brakes, rotation etc....Yesterday when I was driving, I down shifted to 3rd to pass slow cars. My rpm almost reach 5000 rpm when my check engine light flicker / blink. It did not stay on. When I went home from work, I tried it again and it did not blink. Is there any negative effect of oil being over the line (max). My oil is about 1/4 over the line. OR Is this a sensor problem? When I went yesterday its perfectly fine. Can you guys give me some input?

hunkymon

Last week my check engine light came on and I took it to the dealer. They said it was probably a loose gas cap. I'm always careful about tightening it when I replace it.
This was the second time it happened. They charged me $110 even though it's a 2008 and 6,000 miles (still on warranty). They said, "Toyota won't pay us for this!" Has anyone else had this problem?

kiawah

Questionable in my mind whether they should have charged you for this, unless they really did find a loose gas cap (still think that's a cheap shot).

What you could do is to buy an inexpensive OBD2 reader, and next time you have a CEL read the error code, plug it in and read the error. Determine whether it could be a user caused issue. The price on these have come way down, and you can get them as cheap as 25-50 bucks at auto parts chains on sales.

nippononly

I believe there are also some auto parts stores that will read the code for you for free - worth investigating.

This situation is exactly why some cars are beginning to have a separate light for "loose gas cap" (separate from the check engine light) and other models (Fords) are beginning not to have gas caps at all.

And the dealer is within their rights to charge you for a diagnostic that does not turn up a manufacturing defect. It stinks, but it's true. It would have been free to you if they had turned up any other code besides loose gas cap.

hunkymon

Thanx for the info, nipponly also. I didn't know you could get those at the store. I'll let you know how it goes.

stilldl

I have a 2007 Toyota Matrix and the check engine light goes on too. It has happened about 4 times so far at different intervals in the year plus that I have owned it. My mechanic's remedy is to disconnect the battery for five minutes and the problem may go away as it did with mine. I sure is better than the $110 dollars. If it comes back on I would get it to the dealer. I also found a fix for the maintenance required light. It has to do the holding down the odometer button and turning the care off and then on. There is a sequence to this but I cannot remember the whole thing. It truly disappoints me that Toyota comes up with these money making lights. Granted sometimes they are for real and there is something wrong, but sometimes not. And you will never never have a dealer tell you about any of these quick fixes.

nippononly

Resetting the maintenance due light is detailed in the owner's manual, it's no secret. Basically, with the odometer appearing in the IP, turn off your car. Then press and hold the tripmeter reset button and turn the key to on. Count to ten, and the maintenance light will go out. Voila! You have just reset it.

Check engine lights are not some trick Toyota puts in the car to make more money from service. They indicate a problem that may just be a loose gas cap, or may be a problem sensor or something. I would say it is a fairly irresponsible mechanic that will just disconnect your battery to reset the light, without taking the 30 seconds it would take to read the code and tell you what the problem is. The fact that yours has reappeared four times in a year is evidence that you may have a problem with your car (which would be covered under warranty at your car's age).

Oh, and you don't need a mechanic to disconect and reconnect your battery - you can do this at home in your driveway....

richardi1

On Feb 9, my elderly mother (passenger) and I (driver) were subject to a potentially injury/life threatening situation.

My 2007 Toyota Matrix (13K) lost engine and steering power while in operation near/on a major roadway in NJ.

On no less than 3 occasions, I was able to start the car, and travel short distances before loosing engine power, steering control and total shut down.

After approx. 20 minutes to travel about 1-2 miles, I was able to bring the car to the entrance of a Toyota dealer .

There, I called Toyota Road Service and the Toyota Service Center. I had the car towed to the Service Center. Once there, the service manager informed me that he had an idea of the problem - a shut down/failure of the auto's computer module that controls essential functions (power and steering).

I was informed that there is experience with this problem and that I was unfortunate to have a complete failure of the computer module. Others experience computer dysfunction in time to bring the car to service and have the computer module replaced, I was told. The service center had the part in stock because of the problem.

I was told that the original part came from Delphi Auto Parts (of General Motors) which shares parts with Toyota. The Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe are similar cars.

I believe that both Toyota - the company and its service/sales people are familiar with this potentially dangerous defect and that Toyota is responsible for producing a faulty or dangerous vehicle.

So much for Toyota's "bullet proof" reputation.

thaitt

dear all,
my car have the problem with light on, the simple I just check:
1 Brake Fluid
2 Power wheell Fluid
3 Water.
I did found brake fluid uneder normal, then i was refill brake fluid, after that my car
seem be ok .

lchaw

You must place the key on the ACC (not off) position, hold the trip meter reset button and turn the key to ON, don't actually turn on the ignition just place the key to the ON position and continue to hold the button for at least 5 seconds and the Maint Req
light will magically turn off!

hunkymon

Thanx Nippononly. I've done that twice and it works like a charm.

Bob

nippononly

That maintenance light is programmed to reappear at 5000-mile intervals, I believe.

robincm

:lemon:
On October 7th, 2009, I experienced a very similar situation to what Richard described. In my case, my 2007 Matrix lost engine and steering power in the middle of the freeway while I was on my way to work. Thank God I was only traveling 40 or so miles per hour because of traffic; if I had been traveling faster, I have no doubt this incident could have resulted in injuries and/or fatalities. Did I mention there were four other vehicles involved? After investigating the incident, my insurance company told me I'm not at fault because the car stalled. The CHP and highway transportation personnel at the scene also told me it looked like a mechanical problem. My car was towed to the local Toyota dealership and they've had it since that date. I have received a phone message from Toyota service each day, near the end of the day, telling me they are testing my car, their computer reports aren't showing any problem codes, and they need to keep working on my car. Finally this afternoon, around 4:00 p.m., I received a call from the service manager who told me "there is nothing wrong with your car", "come and pick it up", and (by the way), the daily rental car fee clock is ticking. To top things off, I was told by service I would not be charged for a rental vehicle and have no intention of paying them one penny. Toyota is taking absolutely no responsibility whatsoever for this situation, and I have decided I will not drive the car again because I believe it is unsafe. This is a warning to other Toyota customers...Beware!

scubamunda

A mechanic told my husband that he should disconnect the battery and re-connect it. No problems were detected when it was connected to the computer. Ours turned off.

djeffreys

I have a 2005 automatic with 115 thou miles on it.Its in the dealership right now getting the transmission replaced for $3900.00.This is the last Toyota Ill buy.Im so mad right now Im considering a lawyer. :lemon:

hunkymon

Looks like time has proven you right. It's not only mechanical problems that caused their fall from grace. It's also because their after purchase service is so poor.

mscanga

I have a 2007 Matrix and today I noticed this ( !_) warning light on... The marking has a line under it. What does it mean? I bought it from the dealer Certified Used 3.5 months ago.. In the first 6 weeks, the computer went while I was parking it. This is my first Toyota.

Any advice would be appreciated!

hunkymon

It means the tire pressure is low. That light came on in my Matrix once and the mechanic found a nail in the tire.

mantech

Correction please, The 2007 Matrix does not have a Tire Pressure Monitor features.
No doubt, I used to own that wagon and i sold it.

indgomtrx

It is the tire pressure monitoring light. I have a 2006 and it has it. Check the tire pressure of all 4 tires to determine which tire might be low. Once you've corrected the tire pressure issue, to reset it, there's a button over by the little drawer and below the power mirror switches to the left of the steering wheel. It's the button to the right of the glass hatch release.

hunkymon

I have a 2008 Toyota Matrix. The check engine light came on and the scope came back with torque converter problem. Does anyone know what this involves and how it would affect the transmission? Thanx

Bob

stilldl

The 2007 wagon DOES have a tire monitor. I just checked my tires when it went on the other day. You not only have to check your tire pressure but also your spare.

robvargus

On the Matrix the Maintenance light is a signal to have the car serviced - i.e. reminder to have the oil changed and the light reset. No major problems are indicated. The check engine light is another matter.

pattih1

My 2003 Toyota Matrix constantly has a check engine light. I change oil every 3,000 and service regularly. My gas cap is not loose. The codes say it is the catalytic converter, but I have changed the part twice, (not Toyota part) and it made no difference. Our 2001 Tacoma also has the exact same problem. We are getting exasperated with this issue. The vehicles run fine and fuel consumption is average. Both vehicles have almost 200,000 miles. Any thoughts???

circuitsmith

Often times aftermarket cat converters do not work well enough to satisfy the cars self test routine.

More importantly those engine codes never say directly that a particular part is bad.
They only mean that there's a problem in that part of the system.
You (or a knowledgeable tech) need to look at the signals coming from the O2 sensors with a scanner or oscilloscope to figure out what's really going on.

hunkymon

My 2008 Matrix check engine light was on. On the scanner it came up as torque converter. Had the transmission rebuilt. 200 miles later light came on again. Had it rebuilt second time under warranty. Light still comes on periodically, but turns off after couple hundred miles. Haven't had it checked since the last rebuild, but I'm afraid it will come up as torque converter. It's off warranty now so I'm just buying time.

circuitsmith

What was the code number? It will look like P0123.
The torque converter isn't inside the transmission, so rebuilding the trans doesn't make sense.
Anyway that didn't solve your problem. Like I said, an error code does not point to a particular problem.
I would take it to a independent transmission shop (NOT AAMCO or Cottman!). Maybe they will be competent.

hunkymon

Thanks cirsuitsmith. I'll have it checked when it comes on again.

circuitsmith

My last post should have said at the end:

Like I said, an error code does not point to a particular part.

chickihow

omg...my check engine light has been on since about a month after i bought my car...used. computer said it was the catalytic converter.
car ran fine for 3 years...now it is acting up and the mechanics are saying it is the transmission, but i have talked to a man who owns a transmission shop and he said it sounded like the catalytic converter. i work a car dealership and i feel like i am getting the runaround.

jiminyc

My Matrix is 2003, I bought it new. I've had issues with the check engine light coming on over the years. At one point about 4 years ago a mechanic replaced a catalytic converter for about $300 - he had it custom made at a muffler shop. Toyota would have replaced the whole exhaust assembly I'm told, about $2,000. The mechanic said there are two catalytic converters and if the light came back on the other one would have to be replaced. It did not come back on so apparently he knew what he was doing. I've had it come on a time or two since then but it goes back off on its own. Same mechanic charges $50 to diagnose the code so I gave it a little time - maybe it's the fuel cap, who knows?

hunkymon

The only option is to get a different brand. Toyotas are famous for check engine light being on. Fat Joe at my dealership charged me $195 to turn it off and still didn't correct the problem even though it was still under warranty. The engines last a long time, but everything else is [non-permissible content removed], inc. the transmissions and smog. I guess it's a trade off.

lvormny

I have a 2003 Matrix XRS with a 2ZZ-GE engine with a continuous check engine light. I have multiple diagnostics and repairs done on the vehicle to pass smog inspection over the past 5 or 6 year and have spent thousands of dollars. The light stays off just long enough to pass the smog test and is then returned to me with the light still on. I HAVE paid a Toyota dealer $95 to run diagnostic also. They said the ECM is corrupt and can't be flashed and the cat has to be replaced for over 2k!!

People PLEASE file a complaint with Toyota, so this recall can happen!!

Toyota's response to my complaint is this.

Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

We are sorry for the concerns you are having with your 2003 Matrix.

It has been detected that the ECM for certain 2005 through 2008 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix models equipped with the 1ZZ-FE
engine and two-wheel drive may have been improperly manufactured.

Your year model of Matrix Engine Control Module (ECM) is not a part of this recall.

Please be aware the information you have provided is used in combination with warranty claims and other customer contacts to track trends with our vehicles. If in the future a Special Service Campaign (SSC) or recall is issued that would cover your specific issue and you have already made repairs to the vehicle, Toyota would review your repairs for reimbursement at that time.

We again apologize for the situation you encountered with your vehicle and we are sorry for any inconvenience or expense you have incurred.