Toyota - Matrix :: 2003 - Replaced The Differential - Handling Stinks - New Noise
Jul 25, 2011
2003 Matrix XR, 89K, well maintained by old owner, just about to become mine.Took it to old owner's mechanic for pre-sale checkup. He said humming noise was rear differential and replaced it.
Now it pulls to the right when driving, to the left when braking (also throbs), and generally just feels like total crap to drive. There's also a noise that I hear as sort of a ...rough grinding/roaring sound? Seems to be from the back.
Details: the hum increased in pitch as wheel speed went up. Nothing else changed it - not going from dirt to pavement, drive to neutral, uphill to down, straight to cornering. Otherwise, everything felt fine - handled really nicely, that's why I wanted to buy it.
When I picked it up from the shop after the differential implant I drove it about a mile, flipped out at the way it felt, and took it right back; it was near closing time. Kid put it up on the lift, looked and said it was a front wheel bearing and to bring it back next morning. This morning the still-owner picked it up, test drove it and said "Yep, feels all loosey-goosey," brought it in to the shop, and different guy says "it's the alignment, bring it in tomorrow."
Alignment? Wheel bearing? Why all of a sudden? Maybe the differential is bad or not installed properly? Why am I the only one thinking this? Also, they lost one of the springs to the bit at the front where the exhaust joins on to the engine so there's a big loud exhaust noise, which they didn't notice when they test drove it.
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When on the highway, there is an occasional scraping/grinding almost a windy noise from the front left of the car. Happens most at high speeds when going over bumps. it's a Toyota matrix 2003 with 163k miles. We're on a car trip and are wondering if we need to address this now or if it can wait a few days.
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My heater core must have sprung a leak this week. Not that I need heat in this weather but just the smell of it while running the A/C just stinks. I know I am going to have to replace it myself but just for S&G, what would a dealer charge to replace it?
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Passenger differential axle seal is leaking again. It was replaced twice already. My mechanic checked the seal...its not damaged. Its not a excessive leak. Both times, the seal were replaced with OEM. I don't want to buy another one and replace it.
Its a 1995 Celica, 5SFE, 5-speed MT. 98k miles.
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I have a 2002 f150 5.4 with 3.55 limited slip... For months now every time I hit a bump with the front right side there is a loud bang (sounds like a wore out bushing), and if I am driving slow at an idle you can here a thump every time the wheel goes around. And when I turn all the way it sounds more like a grinding sound.... The noise is getting very bad, what it is. I am very mechanically inclined but cannot figure it out.
Everything in the front end seem tight. When I lay under it if I get someone to spin te wheel the thump sound sounds like its in the front dif, kinda echoes through the front drive shaft but u joints seem good. I really think it's in the dif, and I'm hoping the banging noise I hear when I hit bumps is the same problem as the noise when the wheels go around....
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I had my gas tank replaced recently and upon replacing the tank, I now notice a sloshing sound when I stop my car. It sounds like I took a gallon milk jug and turned it over completely to pour everything out- glug glug glug. It seems to be coming from the fuel tank and the car rocks back and forth a lot. Also had work done on the struts at the same time. What is the cause of this and is it safe to operate? Is it reasonable to ask the mechanic to fix it? Is it possible that the wrong tank was put on my car? I've checked for information about this particular issue but have not seen any solution about this problem when it is resulting from a replaced part.
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I just came back from a long trip and during the 400 miles drive I started to hear noise coming from my differential - kind of like a constant high gear loud noise. I will hear this noise when I start to accelerate and it will only gets louder and louder as I go faster and faster. I had a pinion seal leaked fixed last week and I checked the fluid and it is full.
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I have a 03 Matrix and my AC compressor does not stay on long enough to cool the car. In cool weather (less than 80 degrees), on the highway, the AC works well enough if I have it on high. When the weather heats up or when the car is sitting still, the AC doesn't work at all. Today, it was in the 90s and I got an occasional cool breeze from it, when the car was moving.
When observing the pump, I see it kick on briefly then quickly turn off. It's off much more than on, when the car is sitting still. The coolant pressure is charged and I tried swapping the relay. For a time, it was making some noise. I would kind of make a rapid dove sound when running and a fart sound when shutting off. I didn't notice that happening today though.
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Bought this car new and really haven't had any major issues until the last month. It's a 2003, six-speed, inline 4, 1.8L engine. When I came to a stop, the engine just died and would not restart until I let it "rest" for a couple of minutes. It restarted and ran fine. This same thing happened again a week or so later.
Then, just yesterday, I was doing about 65 on the interstate and the engine died, tach dropped to 0, but I didn't lose power steering or brakes. I was coasting for a few seconds and the engine came back. When I slowed down to pull into a parking garage, it died but I was coasting enough to pop the clutch and it restarted for a moment allowing me to almost get into a parking stall. As I slowed to get into the stall it died completely and had to be pushed into the stall.
I left it there for a few hours. When I got back, it started and ran fine. I feel this is just the beginning of some problem with the electronic control module/unit.
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I took my 2003 Toyota Matrix with around 148K miles to a local shop for the 150K work. This is the first time I have not taken it to the Toyota dealership because I wanted to use a local shop that works on Toyotas. I live in Asheville, NC. I spent over $800 for this service, rotating and alignment, plugs changed etc and they checked a engine light and told me I needed a new catalytic converter. I took the car in on November 2nd. On December 23rd I was driving on the interstate and heard a pop and a coughing noise. I was stranded on the side of the highway in Knoxville, TN. I got a tow to the a Toyota dealership where I learned that "the spark plug shot out like a rocket" through the header. I ended up getting a used motor for $4400. I have since spoken with other mechanics, all who have said that this is a problem with Fords. All have said the plug must not have been installed properly. They said it could have been a faulty plug but they don?t know how.
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Came out this morning and after letting the car warm up, went to shift into gear and was unable to get car to go from neutral to any of the gears. If I turn the car off, shift into any gear, and then turn the car on - then I can drive in the gear that I am currently in. As soon as I shift from any gear back into neutral, it will not let me shift into another gear while the motor is running. I have looked at some troubleshooting and even called a local mechanic who was baffled by the problem. I don't' know if it is the synchonizers, clutch control cable, or the clutch itself...
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Lots of flooded roads yesterday, and I drove through a few deep water spots -- maybe 8"-10" mostly at VERY slow speeds. The car is a 2009 Toyota Matrix, standard transmission. It was pouring yesterday, and very loud so I don't know if the grinding noise started yesterday. Today when I first started it, I heard a grating/grinding noise in the front about in the middle. It sounds a bit like I'm dragging a large stick or a piece of metal under the car, but there is nothing dragging. I can be coasting, sitting still (but only when I first start it), accelerating, or braking. That said, it's not constant. It comes and goes as I'm accelerating. Once I get up to speed in 4th, I don't hear it. What it might be? Usually, I just hope that noises will go away. Do I need a mechanic to check it out?
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2006 Toyota Matrix 60k, brake noise when car is off and parked. I hear a noise when I push the brake pedal. It happens whenever I press the brake pedal. I hear it when the car is on, or even if the car is off. It is a squeaking noise that is coming from outside the car. When I open the door the noise is louder. I only hear the noise when I press the brake pedal.
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I had the front right wheel bearing replaced on my Toyota Corolla (60,000 miles) replaced a couple days ago. One day after the repair, I heard a high pitched clicking noise which was noticeable around 20-30 mph. Yesterday, I still noticed the high-pitched sound but also a grinding/popping sound in front left side when coming to a stop upon every rotation of the tire. Took the car back to the shop to let them listen to the noise, but really weren't very compliant since it doesn't sound like a wheel bearing problem.
Here is YouTube link to noise car is making : [URL] .....
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My 2003 Toyota Matrix xrs blew spark plug, totaled engine. My husband had trouble with it stalling, the next day I drove it about 60 miles. I did have some trouble with it stalling but on the way home it got worse and was glad to make it back.
Took it in and they said pieces of the spark plug got in on top of the piston and got so hot it cut into the piston and won't hold compression. Hence totaled engine. The shop is willing to take car in payment of work done.
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On cold mornings when I start my car the engine revs sporadically. It will initially stay at about 1200 rpm for a couple seconds, but then the rpms slowly increase or surge until cut off about 2400 rpm and the process starts again until the car is warm. The colder it gets the worse it is, usually 50 degrees or less it's noticeable. It has done this since I have owned it with 40,000 miles (now has 117,000).
I did find this TSB EG022-07 but it is for a manual transmission, but describes my symptoms (mine is AT). Also, I believe the ECU was replaced with the catalytic converter on another TSB at 78,000 miles in 2009, which is 2 years after the TSB. Is it possible that the ECU still needs an update? Or, is there a different problem? I know its not the o2 sensor, plugs, battery, or intake gasket, and of course Toyota mechanics told me its normal, and cant duplicate the problem.
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I am working on a 2003 toyota matrix 1zz-fe automatic.
Replaced engine ran good for 20 miles, rough idle as if vacuum leak but no vacuum leaks to be found. If I disconnect and plug the vacuum hose that pulls from the air intake is smooths out and runs good.
Some reading suggests that it is the idle air control any?
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Are you experience abnormal tire wear? - I'm collecting data or tire wear for the Matrix.
My car is wearing the inner most tread only front and rear tires. And I am getting tire noise that increase with speed - it's annoying to say the least.
My mechanic says this is normal - yeah right!
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I put a clutch and throw out bearing in it about 4 months ago. All the sudden driving went to shift from 3rd to 4th and it wouldn't go. If you turn the car off you can shift it into gears. BUT if you try to turn the car on in gear it just jumps forward. I have had guesses all over the board about what it COULD be. It seems like a very exact problem to me. BUT with that said I have never worked on a car, just drove one.
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I have a 2006 Pontiac Vibe with 44k on it. It is making a clicking noise outside of the car whenever it is moving. I can hear it especially at higher speeds. I don't hear it when turning just going straight. I can hear it louder when I roll my window down. With 44k on the car I'm kind of surprised to be hearing a noise.
2006 Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix Clicking noise outside the car 40k
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There is no problem starting the car- it always turns over immediately, but every 1 out of 7 - 10 cold starts includes a strange noise from the engine compartment. Just as I let go from the crank position, I hear a sound similar to that of playing cards being shuffled. The duration of the noise is just a second or two, just like the time it takes to shuffle once.
It never has happened when the car is still warm. I had the Toyota dealer look at it, but they couldn't reproduce the noise- not surprising, since I didn't leave the car overnight, and even if I had, it still would be unlikely to happen when needed. The noise has been happening for a year or so, and it doesn't seem to increase or decrease in frequency due to air temperature or weather.
I did have a lot of corrosion on the battery terminals last summer and had starting problems then, and had the mechanic clean the terminals and check the battery, and the battery was fine, yet the sound continues, but no further starting issues. What might be going on?
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