2009 Toyota Matrix Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

21Steering complaints

10.9%Of all 192 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS76 · 39.6%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL35 · 18.2%

STEERING21 · 10.9%

ENGINE11 · 5.7%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL10 · 5.2%

Share of the 192 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Toyota Matrix overview page.

What owners report

“I STARTED MY CAR, AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON. I TRIED TO TUN THE WHEEL, AND NOTED THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I…”NHTSA complaint 10916186 — filed 10/14/2016

“MY CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER I HAD STOPPED TO GET A HAIR CUT. I CLEANED THE BATTERY TERMINALS AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT…”NHTSA complaint 10722582 — filed 06/01/2015

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING…”NHTSA complaint 10670899 — filed 01/08/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Toyota Matrix have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Toyota Matrix: 21 of 192 complaints on file (10.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Toyota Matrix have in total?

192 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 34 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, 21 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.