Hello
In November of 2010, I took possession of a new 2010 Toyota Matrix. My wife and I are quite happy with it, however there seems to be some noisy suspension component(s) in the front-end. It sounds like tapping and takes place mainly at low speeds. I have done some basic research but haven't found anything, any advice?
Thanks, Andrew from Georgetown ON
Andrew, I have good news and more good news.
Although this is a common problem with the Matrix, the fix is not mysterious or complicated – the other good news is that it should be covered under warranty.
The steering column in your car is made up of three shafts.
- The upper column (shaft)
- The No. 1 intermediate shaft and
- The No. 2 intermediate shaft.
Toyota has determined that there is a problem with the No. 2 Intermediate shaft; it has a tendency to emit a "clunk pop" or a "knocking" sound. As there are two universal joints and a slip joint associated with this shaft, there could be any number of problems so Toyota issued a Service Bulletin (T-SB-0243-09, issued July 31, 2009) that outlines the repair procedure.
This repair should be covered under warranty at your Toyota dealership.
Send your auto maintenance and repair questions to globedrive@globeandmail.com