Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Toyota Matrix
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Toyota Matrix has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 38 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #10V384000 ENGINE STALLING NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V035000 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 11 complaints
- Electrical System 8 complaints
- Air Bags 6 complaints
- Steering 4 complaints
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 3 complaints
- Power Train 3 complaints
Of the 38 complaints on file, 6 report a crash; across all 38 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $3,500–$6,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Toyota Matrix shows average reliability. With a modest 38 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns, the data is limited. Issues mainly involve vehicle speed control and the electrical system, with the most significant recall relating to the engine control module.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | Unknown | $200–$600 | common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $100–$500 | occasional |
| Air bags | Unknown | $600–$1,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections and fluid replacement
- Tire rotation and balancing
- Engine air filter replacement
- Coolant flush
- Transmission fluid check
- Battery testing
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive gas pedal
- Intermittent electrical failures
- Airbag warning light
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Toyota Matrix at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.