NHTSA complaint: 2003 TOYOTA MATRIX — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I TOOK THE MATRIX IN TWICE SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY LUNGE FORWARD WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. I ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THE BRAKES FELT "LOOSE" AND DID NOT "CATCH" AS THEY SHOULD. I WAS ADVISED BOTH TIMES BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THAT NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS FOUND WITH CAR. WHILE I WAS BEGINNING TO LOOK INTO "LEMON LAWS", IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY ENGAGED. DUE TO MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH THE CAR LUNGING FORWARD, I WOULD KEEP SEVERAL FEET BETWEEN ME AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THIS TIME THE CAR NOT ONLY LUNGED FORWARD, BUT IT WAS LIKE THE ACCELERATOR STUCK-I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT COULD NOT STOP THE CAR AFTER IT LUNGED FORWARD AND I HIT A CAR THAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME AT THE LIGHT. MY CAR DID NOT STOP UNTIL I WAS ALMOST PARALLEL WITH THE OTHER CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE! I HAVE HAD THE CASE LOOKED AT BY TOYOTA, AND THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS ADVISED THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR-THEIR ONLY EXPLANATION IS THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATES TO "NORMAL" SPECIFICATIONS. THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT THE CAR WILL LUNGE FORWARD WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER IS AS WHEN THE AC COMPRESSOR CYCLES, IT INCREASES THE ENGINE RPM AND THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE FORWARD. MY AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT ON AT THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT, HOWEVER. *LA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation