Total Complaints
5 filings
TOYOTA MATRIX · model year
2012 TOYOTA MATRIX
5 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012TOYOTAMATRIX carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2012 MATRIX is air bags with 4 filings, followed by engine (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2012 MATRIX, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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.
NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 - Not rated
· Front: Not Rated/5
· Side: Not Rated/5
· Rollover: 4/5
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 4 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recalls (1)
20V02400017/01/2020
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
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 a
Recent Complaints
20170909AIR BAGS
TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. REPEATED ATTEMPTS FOR FIXING AIRBAG UNRESPONSIVE FROM TOYOTA DEALERS
20170711AIR BAGS
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, 36526) STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
20170526AIR BAGS
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 AWAITING TOYOTA'S REMEDY. PLEASE ADVISE.
Mileage: 23,000
20170519AIR BAGS
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. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
20170214ENGINE
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 VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000.
Mileage: 135,000
Compare 2012TOYOTAMATRIX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX have?▼
The 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX?▼
The 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX?▼
Yes, the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX is AIR BAGS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE.
Is the 2012 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. The 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2012 TOYOTA MATRIX; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.