Been babysitting this Matrix for my sister for roughly a year, driving it every so often to keep the battery charged and oil circulating. I've installed 2 new batteries in this car and they all have an issue in which the car will not start. I put the key in, turn it, nothing happens. The radio and AC start up, etc, but no engine. The alarm system works kinda and consistently bugs out as soon as you shut the door or slam the hood down and will never shut the hell up until you press UNLOCK 20 times on the keychain. The only time I can get it working again is when I've twice installed a new battery in it, and it acts like nothing was ever wrong with it.
Its not the transmission, never failed mid-driving.
It's not the fuse, I've visually checked it and even if it was the fuse then shouldn't work when putting in a new battery.
Cleaned the battery terminals and leads.
It's almost as if the alarm system is draining the battery to the point the car cannot start and only the alarm, radio etc work. That, or it's charged and the alarm system won't let me start the car? But then that wouldn't explain why installing a new battery always works. I've gone through 2 batteries in 1 year, and the odd thing is, it will not jump start as well. I attach jumper cables to my other car, turn that one on with all electronics off, still nothing when I turn the key in the Matrix.
The reason I point to the alarm system is that it has always worked with that red button near the door not pushed in. Whenever you put in a new battery, or mess with the current one, the alarm system goes off as well. Whenever that red button is pushed in, blinking after you LOCK, I got that issue of not being able to start it later on. Since the third battery I always kept it off, and that method worked for a good 4 months. I just got back getting it a full tire change, drove it home. Tried to start it up 3 hours later and this is the issue (Tires guys re-enabled it, thinking they disabled it).
Anyone know of this happening? solutions?
I'm going to recharge the current battery with another car, re-install and see if that works for now.
/2003 Matrix XR (showroom car, worked just fine for a good 3 years up until this babysitting session)
Any known way around this? I am the car owner, I have the keys, I hit UNLOCK a million times to shut the alarm up everytime it goes off. Other than that stupid red button being unplunged is there any way to get it to not starter kill now that it's acting this way?
get a good alarm system installed on it, like a viper.
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2003 Matrix XRS-6MT-Black Sand Pearl-Castrol Syntec 0W30 European Formula
Mods - 18" Incubus Paranormal wrapped in Toyo Proxes4 - T-Max Style front body kit - Escort Passport 9500i...what a friend to have in the car - Part Time Mod Thule Roof Rack
Been babysitting this Matrix for my sister for roughly a year, driving it every so often to keep the battery charged and oil circulating. I've installed 2 new batteries in this car and they all have an issue in which the car will not start. I put the key in, turn it, nothing happens. The radio and AC start up, etc, but no engine. The alarm system works kinda and consistently bugs out as soon as you shut the door or slam the hood down and will never shut the hell up until you press UNLOCK 20 times on the keychain. The only time I can get it working again is when I've twice installed a new battery in it, and it acts like nothing was ever wrong with it.
Its not the transmission, never failed mid-driving.
It's not the fuse, I've visually checked it and even if it was the fuse then shouldn't work when putting in a new battery.
Cleaned the battery terminals and leads.
It's almost as if the alarm system is draining the battery to the point the car cannot start and only the alarm, radio etc work. That, or it's charged and the alarm system won't let me start the car? But then that wouldn't explain why installing a new battery always works. I've gone through 2 batteries in 1 year, and the odd thing is, it will not jump start as well. I attach jumper cables to my other car, turn that one on with all electronics off, still nothing when I turn the key in the Matrix.
The reason I point to the alarm system is that it has always worked with that red button near the door not pushed in. Whenever you put in a new battery, or mess with the current one, the alarm system goes off as well. Whenever that red button is pushed in, blinking after you LOCK, I got that issue of not being able to start it later on. Since the third battery I always kept it off, and that method worked for a good 4 months. I just got back getting it a full tire change, drove it home. Tried to start it up 3 hours later and this is the issue (Tires guys re-enabled it, thinking they disabled it).
Anyone know of this happening? solutions?
I'm going to recharge the current battery with another car, re-install and see if that works for now.
/2003 Matrix XR (showroom car, worked just fine for a good 3 years up until this babysitting session)
I had the same exact problem before....if you have auto stater if could be it...if you installed an alarm system and if your car is manual it could be the clutch disable switch....
The Matrix is certainly a mysterious car. I came home a bit earlier today to take out its battery to charge overnight. Before I go inside to get the tool kit I hit UNLOCK, get in, turn the key and the engine actually revs up and I take a victory lap around the block. Certainly wasn't a battery issue after all...
The alarm system came with the car (showroom car). No auto starter installed. Car is automatic. Not sure what to do other than tell my sister to never touch the red button ever and get it looked at the Toyota dealership.
The Matrix is certainly a mysterious car. I came home a bit earlier today to take out its battery to charge overnight. Before I go inside to get the tool kit I hit UNLOCK, get in, turn the key and the engine actually revs up and I take a victory lap around the block. Certainly wasn't a battery issue after all...
The alarm system came with the car (showroom car). No auto starter installed. Car is automatic. Not sure what to do other than tell my sister to never touch the red button ever and get it looked at the Toyota dealership.
it is possibly the immobilizer...it is a starter kill if anyone tries to drive off your Matrix it is probably just loose wire or something....
03's didn't have the immobilizer feature. 05+ do have them though. However, because of the alarm, it is probably a feature of it. I'd have the dealer look into it unless of course the curse is over
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