Total Complaints
2 filings
TOYOTA MATRIX · model year
2002 TOYOTA MATRIX
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002TOYOTAMATRIX carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 MATRIX is power train:clutch assembly with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2002 MATRIX, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100825FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WAITING FOR LIGHT TO TURN GREEN, ANOTHER DRIVER ALERT ME THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I IMMEDIATELY OPEN THE HOOD AND THERE WAS FIRE BETWEEN ENGINE AND FIREWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS A LEASED 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX XRS. MY INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS. I TRIED TO CONTACT TOYOTA AND DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR ANSWERS IN REGARDS TO ISSUE BUT I WAS GIVEN THE SAME ANSWER, FIRES WERE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, WHICH IS I UNDERSTAND BUT THEY NEVER MAKE AN EFFORT TO MAKE INVESTIGATION TO WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Mileage: 18,000
20040920POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE 25,000 MILES SERVICE, AND ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK THE CLUTCH BECAUSE IT WAS SLIPPING. DEALER DID NOT CHECK THE CLUTCH. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE WITH THE CLUTCH SLIPPING. LATER, HE HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK THE SECOND TIME. THIS TIME HE ASKED DEALER SPECIFICALLY THAT THE CLUTCH BE CHECKED. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THAT THE CLUTCH WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK
Compare 2002TOYOTAMATRIX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX have?▼
The 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX is POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2002 TOYOTA MATRIX safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.