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My tires got loud at about 8K miles...after meticulus care. They ended up putting a set at 14+++K miles...kept saying Nothing was wrong with car...must be the "way you drive" then, their ctatement that the Matrix is agressive on tires.
Was it their R&D folks didn't/couldn't/incapable of doing their proper job assignment? The design should have caught any flaw(s) pertaining to anything as mundane as improper tire wear...especially with so few miles on any of them. The style/sass of the car, I love but, the rest of it...well, we won't say those words. The handling is not what you would expect from Toyota...again, back to the tire/suspension/whatever is So Wrong. The interior left a few thing to be desired. I appreciate I can haul "stuff" in it amd not look like a delivery vehicle.
Sorry we have to "do" their testing for them.
Linda
Long story, I have a new Matrix now, at 1500 miles so far, no funny signs yet but this time I got the Eagles.
These tires aren't the greatest anyway, I doubt you would see much more than 40K miles from them regardless.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
So, you wizened "trix" owners...How can I go and get free new tires, and an alignment at the dealer???
:confuse:
Thanks! Jill
However, I do have advice for all in purchasing their next new vehicle. It's rare for most manufacturers to place premium tires on their vehicles. They build vehicles with the cheapest tires they can get away with. Therefore, I recommend replacement of OEM tires within the first 100 miles of new car ownership. You can get the safest, most responsive, longest lasting tires for your vehicle.
Most tire dealers will provide a trade-in allowance of $25 to $50 per tire (depends on the tire quality). When doing this, take the life-time rotation, balance, and road hazard which normally cost around $10 to $15 per tire. Go with name brand premium tires. Tire Rack has super information to determine which tires are best for any given vehicle.
My personal suggestion is the Goodyear Triple Tread line. I have them on our Highlander, my daughter's Pontiac G6, and may also get them for our Matrix. They are a much better tire than the Michelin HydroEdge tires that replaced the Matrix OEM tires.
Good luck on finding a wizard to answer that question. Welcome to the board! You're sure to find our that you've already found the BEST site for vehicle information and people.
I need to replace my tires and need ADVICE on where to buy them. Should I get them at the dealership (at extra cost), so that there is a record of it (and of regular rotations), in case I'm going to have to go to court on this later? Or, should I buy a very good pair + warranty at a tire store. Would the warranty cover a new pair, if they continue to cup?
The whole issue makes me mad, since I thought I could trust Toyota. It's back to a Honda for me next time!
in 2003. It had the Goodyear RSA tires as original equipment.
I had them replaced at 54,000 miles with some tread still on.
I replaced them with Yokohama triple tread tires and they have
about 10,000 miles on them with no problems.
I always ran all my tires 2psi less than the tire maximum stated on their sidewalls and always get good life.
My Matrix is front drive 5 speed manual base model. I rotated front to back at about 25,000 miles to put the good back tires on front.
I have had none of the problems others had and my independant tire shop alignments shown good.
Our 2006 Matrix was purchased new in December of 2005, the first new vehicle we have been able to afford in 25 years because of kids and jobs and other financial situations. We test drove other comparable models, but settled on the Toyota because of reputation, reliability, fit and finish and fuel economy.
The abnormal tire wear was apparent the first time the tires were rotated at 5,000 miles. I then kept closer track and rotated the tires more often. I was unable to compensate for the uneven wear with just rotation.
Dealer service is a pretty big problem for us because the nearest acceptable Toyota dealer is 180 round trip miles away. This usually means a whole day off work.
We did take the Matrix to the Toyota dealership in Ridgecrest, CA for a check and alignment in November 2006 with 11,000 total miles. The result was the tires wore faster than before. Following the service, the vibration in the steering became pretty severe, the car pulled left up the crown of the road, the HOWL from the tires became much louder than the wind noise, and travel at speeds greater than 65 MPH became pretty scary. This, in a "new" car!
Then at 15,000 miles, the front tires are on wear bars and the back tires are severely cupped on the inside edges, as other drivers have reported. Time to buy new tires. But why ruin a new set with the same alignment problem? Time to solve/resolve the tire wear problem. Do I take another day off work, travel 180 miles and still not get the Toyota warranty problem resolved? No.
I purchased a new set of Yokohama Avid V4S and had them mounted and balanced.
I decided to take the Matrix to the local garage where I have had a long standing relationship with the owner, a place where I have worked on my own cars. I was employed as a mechanic for a number of years in my past life. I still do the greater part of the work on our current our fleet of 6. John put the Matrix on the Bear Alignment rack and the misalignment is glaring.
The camber showed -1º on the left and -3/4 º on the right. The toe was found at 3/8" out on the right and 1/4" out on the left. The camber specs are something like -1/4 º and toe IN at 1/8". No wonder the tires were wearing on the inside edges. The alignment is way off. But, Toyota does not build the front end with adjustable camber, only adjustable toe. The cars are built on a computer controlled jig and the "factory" camber setting is supposed to be close enough to prevent tire wear. Camber adjustment is not possible as the car is assembled. Refer to Wikipedia for an explanation for camber and toe adjustments.
To accomplish camber adjustment, a Moog "Magna-Cam" camber kit is required to tip the tires inward at the bottom. These consist of a couple of eccentric bolts with corresponding sleeves to replace the top anchor bolt of the McPherson strut / spindle assembly. The parts are available online for about $12.50 each, two required for the front.
The camber and toe are now set to factory spec.
A funny thing happed. The car tracks straight down the road and there is no longer "plowing" in the curves and pushing in straight line driving. There is a different feel driving down the highway - a little lighter throttle is required to maintain the same speed as previously, and the tire noise blends with the wind noise. I think this is how the car is supposed to drive.
Time will tell if the tire wear problem is truly solved and if there is a fuel consumption benefit to the correct alignment on the front end. But, right now the car feels pretty good.
My greatest disappointment is with Toyota, which refuses to acknowledge the "problem" and correct it. I contacted them on three different occasions and was told it is a tire defect, check with Continental. A $16,000 car with a pretty much worthless warranty. I do plan to file a claim with Toyota but do not expect any satisfaction. I bet Toyota engineers can figure out the tire wear solution if others can.
I believe Toyota is reluctant to recall a bunch of cars because of the great expense of doing so. How many other owners have been disappointed with their Matrix, when $25.00 worth of parts and an hour or two on the alignment rack will solve the tire wear problem? Too bad the factory did not install the adjustable camber bolts and dial in the front end before selling the cars.
I wish you all good luck in your quest to solve tire wear problems. It now appears that I have solved mine.
Rocky
I still can't believe it ...the arbitrator say the same thing we have been saying all along....tooo many repair attempts and 3 alignment shops saying it is out of alignment.
I'm glad some of you have found a fix for this but we tried everything and still pulls to the right and out of alignment.
I thought for sure we were goners since the arbitrator pulled up in a Toyota but I guess they are fair and impartial. (Kind of hard to not see it...you could look at it and see how the tires were sitting)
I hope that Toyota starts listening and realizing that this is their Vega...remember that stinker!
I will probably buy a RAV 4 after reading all the posts about them...don't like the CRV and out of all the cars on the road only really liked the Matrix.
For anyone who has documented evidence that they brought this to the dealer BEFORE the 1yr/20k mile warranty on alignments and the can show it was not fixed I would suggest that you take a shot with the process Toyota has laid out and maybe if enough people go into Dispute Settlement Toyoat will finally realize this and fix these once and for all. It should not be up to the owner of a new car to have to fix it, when it is supposed to come out of the factory in perfect working order.
Good luck to all,
Moos
Now the ? is what to buy.....either the Rav4 or the Forrester so I'm on the other Forums trying to decide. Once burned twice shy I guess.
I hope everyone can get things worked out with Toyota. I spoke to the shop who checked the alignment for me the last time and he said he had a Matrix in the shop right then and it was in the same shape as mine....
the sad thing is I went through this about 18 years ago with a Ford Probe...got the same runaround from them as Toyota so I guess all automakers are the same.
I'll keep following this forum as I am interested to see how all of you make out...shame because I LOVE this car as far as gas mileage, fun to drive (when it isn't fighting to go to the right) but it just EATS tires and is just not fixable.
I know they are coming out with the Blade in 08 maybe it will be the end of the Trix...though I read somewhere they might make it bigger, better not til they fix this issue.
Anyone out there with a 2007 care to share? :confuse:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Can someone do me a CarFax pls?
acura07 at sbcglobal Dot net
Car has been completely checked out by the dealer----everything is OK----alignment, suspension, etc.
Dealer also admits that they have had numerous premature tire wear complaints on Matrix.
Blamed tires....
Spoke w/ dealer again last week - requested new tires and alignment. Told him of history of common problems reported on this website. Said he's speak w/ Toyota rep. about getting new tires.
Stay tuned...
BUT we did rotate our snow tires on time, and they're all worn badly just like the all seasons ("cupping" "chopped" "uneven" were a few of the words used to describe this wear).
Same as everyone else, a horrible loud noise accompanied the tire wear, and Toyota has been a *** to deal with. Had the alignment checked, alignment is officially fine.
Summary: This is NOT a tire problem, this is NOT an alignment problem, this is a CAR problem. Has anyone had any success with Toyota on this?
Thanks,
Alison
I notice that Toyota warns that low profile tires on new Corollas and Matrix's can have low life - they say less than 24,000 miles.
The standard Corolla tires are 185/65 15 or 195/65 15 and they warn about the 195/55 16's. On the Matrix the standards are 205/55 16's and they warn about low mileage on 215/50 17's.
It's strange that the 55's are a problem on the Corolla's but standard on the Matrix. I guess it's really not strange - the folks that want to dress their cars have been suffering with tire problems from low profile tires for a long time.
Has anyone tried retrofitting the 185/65 15's wheels and tires from a Corolla to a Matrix?
Noell
The car has only 22,500 miles on it. The first time we notice there's a slight steer pull to the left. We had our shop checked and the Toyota dealer checked the alignment last year and both said alignments are okay.
Anyways, we've booked an appointment with dealer this coming weekend to see how it goes. So far I see a lot of postings regarding similar problem but Toyota is ignoring as if there aren't enough cases to warrant a recall. :sick:
Still, after reading all of this, i'm going to keep a close eye on it, get the tires rotated every 5000 miles per dealer recommendation, and keep all of my paperwork, just in case I have to go yell at my dealer in another 20,000 miles.
Here's hoping that they got the problem fixed for the '07's. Has anyone with an '07 experienced this problem yet?
We have been calling the complaint line and are trying to arrange a meeting with a representative to have this looked at. My dad noticed the back rear tire has more of a camber than the others (you can tell just by looking at it that the tire is angled) We are demanding new tires since they are completely worn - but new tires will be no good if this problem is not fixed first.
My '07 XR is at 5000 miles, no funny tire wear to speak of, nor alignment or steering issues. I plan on doing tire rotations every 10K miles just as I always have with all my Toyotas. And my tires are the Eagles, not the Continentals, which makes me less worried about the whole thing. I have been noting tire brand every time I read one of the posts about tire wear, and the tire is always the Continental, not the Goodyear. My fingers remain crossed......
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
For all of you who are experiencing the same cupping/ abnormal tire wear on you Toyota Matrix, I suggest we take this to the next step by filing a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration. The Administration needs to receive enough filings before they will act and look into this matter for us, Matrix owners. Wheel and tire problems are very serious for every single one of us out there who are still driving the car.
Here's the link:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
I suggest you try the Federal Trade Commision. They deal with breach of warranty and related issues, and this is probably closer to that, and they may be more receptive.
I also know someone with an older Pontiac Vibe who got about 40,000 miles on the original Continentals and has now put another 100,000 on a set of BFG tires.
It's disturbing to see so many reports of tire problems and even more to hear that Toyota/Pontiac and their dealers aren't addressing the problems effectively. Proper alignment shouldn't be that difficult to achieve and even if the suspension design doesn't include easy adjustment mechanisms there are alternate approaches using shims or eccentric bolts/washers. Seems like a little more effort in satisfying customers would pay off in goodwill and future vehicle purchases and recommendations.
But alas, that is something a great many dealers, especially the big corporate ones, will not put in: any extra effort.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Thought I might be able to offer some insight. I used to own a 2006 Corolla S bought brand new from dealer in NOV '05. From day 1 I had a strong pull of car to left - so severe that my car wouldn't track straight no matter road condition. I took it into my dealer and they did a tire rotation and alignment with the excuse "this sometimes happens to cars when they get off the truck". This is how the story ends: After taking my car 4 times to the dealer I purchased the car from (with not fixing the problem), dealing with Toyota Customer Service, taking my car to another Toyota dealer 3 times and the car still pulling, going on test drives with the dealer service manager and dealership manager and them seeing the problem but not knowing how to fix it and again dealing with Toyota Customer Service who was no help and basically told me to do arbitration or Lemon Law. Although the dealers recognized my car had a pulling problem they weren't able to identify it - checking tires, suspension, alignment, etc, with no solution. After the stress, anger and time I spent taking my car to dealers and not wanting to go through another headache, I ended up trading in the Corolla with 5,000 miles on it for a VW Rabbit. Fortunately, I didn't lose any money on the deal and happy to report that my VW is great
Whats most disappointing is I bought my Corolla b/c of Toyota history of reliability. I was so disgusted how Toyota Corp. treatment me and my car issue that getting rid of it was the only solution. Bottom line: Don't always believe the hype; just b/c a car company is known for its reliability doesn't mean that they will have any customer service after you drive the car off the lot.
I'm having a similar problem with my 06 FWD Matrix. A friend noticed a noise and I had a mechanic i know look at it and said it was no doubt the tire wear. I only have 15,500 on my car.
I had a dealer tech drive it and said he thought it was the wheel bearings. The service people at the dealer would NOT even acknowledge the possibility that the car might be wearing the tires abnormally - so I am going to the regional headquarters. Hopefully - they will be more helpful.
I bought a toyota because of the reputation...so much for that.
I showed your solution to my mechanic at the local Shell station & he agreed that this was the way to go. One of his employees has an XRS with 17" wheels which he can't keep in tires. The mechanic also mentioned this was a common problem on Camry & Solara as well so Toyota really has a serious mess on their hands. This is just poor engineering coupled with lousy production quality control.
He estimated 1-2 hours @ $85/hr to install the camber adjustment bolts & do the alignment. Note this was front end only. So for something like $200-$250 the problem is fixable. What was your cost in Ridgecrest?
Thanks.
Doug
Since my initial post, I contacted Toyota HQ in Calif. - (800) 331-4331.
My '05 Matrix AWD had 29k miles on it. I opened a file regarding the premature tire wear on the OE Continentals and pushed them, along with help from the dealership, to get their District Service Mgr. involved. The DSM authorized the dealer to do another 4 wheel alignment, and inspect and document the worn tires. Even told him about this forum, which, of course, he minimized. But, he did eventually agree to have Toyota Corporate pay for two tires, and the dealership owner graciously agreed to pay for the other two. After they were installed (Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S - rated #2 by Consumer Reports), there was a pronounced shimmy in the steering wheel at highway speeds. Brought the car back, and the shop foreman diagnosed it as worn front brake rotors, and replaced them....
So far, so good, but I'm gonna watch the treadwear like a hawk....
Will this repair void the balance of the warranty? Is there afix for the back? I have a 2006 matrix xr fwd with 14000miles on it and have the same problem as the other folks. The dealer says continental tires are problem, but they say it is alignment problem. Thanks for your info and help.
penyok