Update: December 19, 2007:
No need to read through all the pages of this topic, Toyota has introduced a technical service bulletin to deal with this problem, number TSB2754.
A copy of the bulletin is viewable at this thread (first post).
http://matrixowners.com/index.php?showtopic=72524
To know if you have a problem requiring this solution, listen to the audio recording at the following link to shared thread containing MP3 recording, click on attachment at bottom of first post:
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=20409
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Initial Post starts after following consolidated statistics, as of Dec 9, 2006
Poll results
Corolland .............Yes= 2...............No= 21...........Yes,but different sound= 2
MatrixOwners...........Yes= 9...............No= 52...........Yes,but different sound= 1
GenVibe................Yes= 11...............No= 34...........Yes,but different sound= 0
ToyotaNation-Corolla...Yes= 4...............No= 26...........Yes,but different sound= 0
ToyotaNation-Matrix....Yes= 0...............No= 15...........Yes,but different sound= 1
The creator of poll....Yes= 1
Total..................Yes= 27..............No= 148..........Yes,but different sound= 4
Grand total = 179
Percentage with identical sound = 15.1%
Percentage without sound = 82.7%
Percentage with different sound = 2.2%
While the polls are anonymous, there are posts in all these forums by owners claiming to have the identical issue.
For the purpose of identifying which models and production years are involved, they are as follows in no particular order:
There are no automatic transmissions among this group.
From MATRIXOWNERS.COM
MaidkarenD......'03..Matrix.XR......location:Illinois
Lime............'03..Matrix.XR......location:Ontario
PegMatrix.......'03..Matrix.XR......location:Manitoba
oracle (friend).'04..Matrix.XR......location:Ontario
Purplenv........'03..Matrix.XR......location:Ontario
Bridgejoe.......'03..Matrix.........location:Minnesota
dominator.......'04..Matrix ........location:Ontario
Truckerbob......'03..Matrix.........location:Ontario
chmodx..........'05..Matrix.........location:Virginia
TheCrispyness...'04..Matrix.........location:Illinois
dexter..........'03..Matrix.XR......location:Ontario
Montreal........'03..Matrix.........location:Quebec
Ontario member..'03..Matrix.........location:Ontario
From COROLLAND.COM
BobLevine........'03..Corolla......location:North Carolina
euzeka...........'04..Corolla......location:Quebec
Ti-Jean (friend).'03..Vibe.........location:Quebec
amember..........'03..Corolla......location:Quebec
Mr.Ed............'04..Corolla......location:?
Lethal 7.........'04..Vibe.........location:Illinois
From GENVIBE.COM
Heh!heh!..........'03..Vibe.........location:Ontario
joatmon...........'03..Vibe.........location:Maryland
martinz...........'03..Vibe.........location:Ontario
Andrew-4ce........'03..Vibe.........location:Ontario
burkeyro..........'03..Vibe.........loaction:Ohio
Neouka............'03..Vibe.........location:Ontario
stoutvibe.........'??..Vibe.........location:Minnesota
sylvainber........'04..Vibe.........location:Illinois
From TOYOTANATION.COM (Corolla)
John2000ve........'00..Corolla......location:Texas
CorollaULEV.......'03..Corolla......location:Virginia
AUDI..............'03..Corolla......location:Ontario
rated_w...........'01..Corolla......location:Ontario
From TOYOTANATION.COM (Matrix)
Salsa03...........'03..Vibe.........location:Ontario
Other stats
Thread Hits
Corolland................22676
Matrixowners..............6418
GenVibe...................5959
ToyotaNation-Corolla......2717
ToyotaNation-Matrix.......1738
Audio recording downloads..1165
Links to polls
http://matrixowners.com/forums/Does-your-e...old-t38489.html
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=15929
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t72739.html
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t72737.html
Links to technical discussion.
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=9403
Listen to the sound recording of my engine and please participate in the poll questions which appear at the end of this post. The recording last 20 seconds and captures an event that typically lasts about 40 seconds. This happens at least once a day in winter since my 2003 Matrix was new. Matrix and Corolla use the same engine.
Link to shared thread containing MP3 recording, click on attachment at bottom of first post:
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=20409
In another thread titled "idle speed pulses (hunts) when starting", some forum members participated in a discussion aimed at finding a technical solution for a rare characteristic that affected a small number of Corolla and Matrix owners in the colder climates of North America.
It is only because Toyota head office has recently thrown in the towel that I regretably feel obliged to place my complaint in the public domain. Also, there has been some confusion as to what the sound is really like. I am pleased to offer for the first time ever a sound recording of the event.
What we all hoped to eliminate is a unique sound that our engines make during the second minute following a startup after the cars have sat in below freezing temperatures for a minimum of 6 - 8 hours.
For the most part, this issue appears to be cosmetic. Neither drivability nor fuel economy are negatively affected. Nor do these cars pollute.
Many dealerships have made honest, but unsuccessful, attempts to find a solution.
The turning point for me was when I realized that I could pull the fuse on the engine computer and make this sound go away for 2 days at a time. I concluded that no single engine component was defective, rather that all my engine components behaved in a unique combination so as to challenge my engine computer to its limit in order to properly manage the engine when cold.
The sound you are hearing is when the engine software can no longer reconcile all its objectives regarding long term pollution control and keep the idle speed smooth at the same time.
If I were Toyota, I would not want to change the multi-million dollar software of their engine computer in order to satisfy a handfull of unlucky owners. Nevertheless, I paid a full price for my new car and did not end up with one that sounds like all the other Toyotas in my city. Toyota writes that my car is "not abnormal”. But it doesn’t sound normal to me. How about you?
Please vote in the poll and post answers to the following:
1) how objectionable would you find this sound were your car to make it at the same frequency and for the same time duration as mine, and
2) if you were offered for sale a second-hand Corolla or Matrix that makes this sound, would you offer less money to purchase it, and if so, how much less money, bearing in mind that this issue is strictly cosmetic?
Thanks in advance for your participation.