2012 Toyota Matrix Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Matrix years
- Not enough data 10th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Matrix. That ranks 10th out of 12 Matrix model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 80%), typically at around 23,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 5owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Toyota Matrix problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 80% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 20% | 135,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2012 Toyota Matrix recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Takata airbag recall. Repeated attempts for fixing airbag unresponsive from toyota dealers
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 toyota matrix. The contact stated that nhtsa campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The contact received notification in january of 2018. The dealer (eastern shore toyota 29732 fredrick blvd, daphne, al…
Takata recall - received notice in january, 2017 and to date "no remedy" for the airbag recall on my vehicle. Recall advises to avoid having passenger in front seat. I am unable to transport anyone unless in the back seat and am concerned what would happen to me if the airbag goes off while…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 toyota matrix. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v006000 (air bags); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 toyota matrix. While driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle made noises underneath the hood and shut down. The oil and service engine indicators illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and later towed to the contact's home. The next day, the…
Other Toyota Matrix years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Matrix | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 | 5 | 1 |
| 2011 Matrix | 10 | 2 |
| 2010 Matrix | 45 | 4 |
| 2009 Matrix | 192 | 3 |
| 2008 Matrix | 38 | 2 |
| 2007 Matrix | 96 | 2 |
| 2006 Matrix | 170 | 3 |
| 2005 Matrix | 213 | 1 |
| 2004 Matrix | 138 | 1 |
| 2003 Matrix | 268 | 1 |
| 2002 Matrix | 2 | 0 |
See all Toyota Matrix problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
Similar Toyota models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Matrix?
Owners most often report air bags, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Toyota Matrix?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Toyota Matrix a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Matrix model years, the 2012 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.