Toyota Matrix: Bad MAF Sensor → Symptoms & Causes

  The mass airflow sensor (commonly abbreviated to MAF) is one of the most important engine management sensors.  A bad mass airflow sensor can leave your Toyota Matrix’s engine running rough, or even inoperable. A MAF sensor measures the density of the air entering the intake manifold.  It passes this information onto your Matrix’s ECU. … Read more

Toyota Matrix: Bad Fuel Pump → Symptoms & Diagnosis

  One of the worst problems that can happen to a vehicle is a bad fuel pump.  If your Toyota Matrix’s fuel pump goes bad, no fuel (or not enough fuel depending on whether or not it’s out all the way) can enter the engine.  Without gas your Matrix will not run at all.  With … Read more

Toyota Matrix Bad Fuel Filter: Symptoms, Causes, Hot to Fix

A bad fuel filter is one of the worst problems that can happen to your Toyota Matrix.  When the filter fails, it can limit the amount of fuel that enters the engine.   Without proper fuel pressure, your car will not run at all.  With that in mind, most of the symptoms of a bad fuel filter revolve … Read more

Toyota Matrix: Won’t Start When Cold → Diagnosis

Extreme weather can be very difficult on your Toyota Matrix.  If there is an issue it often make itself known when conditions are at their worst.  When it’s extremely hot. it’s the cooling system that is put to the test.  In the winter, the vehicle won’t start when it is cold.   There are a … Read more

Toyota Matrix: Key Stuck in Ignition → Diagnosis

There are a few easy to fix reasons why your Toyota Matrix’s key might get stuck in the ignition.  It’s often easy to unstick the key.  Whatever you do, don’t start trying to rip it out of the ignition.  That can cause bigger problems. This article is written with the assumption that your key is … Read more

Toyota Matrix Steering Wheel Hard to Turn: Common Causes

If your Toyota Matrix’s steering wheel is hard to turn, it’s almost always going to be caused by an issue with the power steering system.  But there can be other causes as well. Your car’s power steering system is responsible for taking energy from the engine, converting it to hydraulic pressure, and using that pressure … Read more

Toyota Matrix Whining Sound: Identification + How to Fix

If your Toyota Matrix is experiencing a whining noise, determining where and when the noise is happening is coming from is key to diagnosing and tracking down the cause.   With that in mind, this page is divided by when you hear the whining noise and common causes under those conditions. Is the whining noise … Read more

Toyota Matrix Airbag Light:  Meaning + How to Fix

When you start your Toyota Matrix, the airbag module runs a self-diagnostic check on all its major systems.  If any of these checks fail, you will see an airbag warning light on the dashboard.   Depending on the model year and what country you happen to be in, you may get something along the lines of … Read more

Toyota Matrix Smells Like Gas Diagnosis (5 Main Causes)

If your Toyota Matrix smells like gas, it may indicate a serious issue. It would be best to treat your car as though you have a fuel leak (don’t drive it) until you know there isn’t one.   A bad gas cap typically causes the smell of gas, the evaporative emissions system leaking, overfilling the … Read more