I've just been through this and fixed it (so far). Disconnecting the battery for just a minute didn't reset it.What did fix it was disconnecting the battery (only ground of course) and disconnecting and re-connecting the connectors under the seats. They're a pain in the (removed) to get apart. That ...

You're asking about 2 unrelated things. The key getting hot is abnormal - you have bad electrical contacts in the ignition switch that are causing the heat. Have it checked out by someone who knows how to plug an ohmmeter accros the contacts.Yeah the engine gets hot - it's supposed to. The thermosta...

I've done several cars and did my rear window myself last summer. After doing the rear window, I suggest you have a pro do it. It took me two attempts with 3 strips - I'd rate my joints between strips as a 5 out of 10. Don't do it!

I guess this is kind of a funny story, now anyway.My mom has an '03, with the original battery. As I was replacing all her fluids last weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to replace her 6-year old battery as well. Since the Autozone is about 25 miles away in a larger town, we decided to pick ...

I also have the vacuum tool to suck out the fluid - what a waste of time and money. It takes too long, you mainly suck air past the threads of the valve, and you also have to keep disconnecting and draining the collector jar which is a messy PITA. I finally just did what I've listed below.You can do...

I just changed out the fluid in my mom's '03. Her manual didn't say anything about Dexcool, while the manual for my '06 says to use only Dexcool.I found the engine drain on the rear of the engine, and with the radiator drain also open, "flushing" was easy with a 1/2 gal of distilled water....

I've painted rotors (not the brake surface) on several cars to cover up and prevent more rust. I can't stand to have some nice alloy wheels on a car that show nasty rusted calipers and brake rotors. The heat actually bakes the rustoleum on. Spraying the cleaned rotor with a little brake cleaner/degr...

Until 2006, you got both ABS and the low pressure tire monitor system. If you have the little tire picture on a button next to your hatch release, you have ABS. If you lift the hood and see about 4 grey hoses stacked next to the passenger strut tower, you have ABS.

I just saw the "fuel11-7.pdf" You can mimic the injector input by using a 9v battery. I did this on some civic injectors, removed from the car. Submerged the ends in some injector cleaner, lifted them out one at a time and cycled them several times while listening and watching as they clic...

One clogged fuel injector can cause rough running. It can also confuse the O2 sensor and closed loop fuel control and cause it to throw a CEL. How do the spark plugs look? Got one blacker than the others? Got one lighter than the others? It just takes a couple hundred miles on new plugs for one of t...

You have some homework to do on the internet to find a source for a used harness. Most places that list other used stuff for Vibes can probably sell a harness.

The purge solenoid is supposed to allow gasses to be sucked into the intake from your gas tank. I don't think it's supposed to be ticking. Are you sure it isn't the fuel injectors making the noise? The purge solenoid shouldn't activate until the engine is warmed up either. Did they replace the "...

This link shows where I tapped power for the 2 sets of heated seats. Thats the fuse box under the dash. The tap wire goes to a 15 amp fuse seen in the top of the picture. The slot I used was empty, but the fuse diagram indicated that it was the power window slot. My power windows worked fine without...

Switch wire extension and connectors poking out mounting holes.The other wires are for the 120v module - it looks like the mating pocket was made for an ashtray?

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Switches, harness chopped and connectors added. Connectors have one slot shaved off to fit through switch hole.

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Both consoles removed. Good time to clean the carpet, eh?The silver shifter trim was "in place" to check for clearance.

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Passenger seat, bottom view with bungie cord on seat-back heater wire and relay mounted to frame. Relay connects to upper and lower heater pads and power source/switch harnesses. Relay makes power go one way for HI, reverses flow and through a resistor for LO. Maybe someday when I'm really bored, I'...

Passenger lower seat, heating pad installed:

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I have just installed the heated seat kit in my Vibe. It was a lot more work than I expected. My first mistake was buying the 2-seat kit from SportsImportsltd.com as I didn't get the lighted switches. They do sell the single kits with lighted switches, the double kit gives you extra wiring harness w...

I just purchased mine on Ebay from DeLand Toyota, advertised as a Vibe Bumper Protector. In my research, I have found that Toyota sold both versions of the step pad - I've seen several older Matrix on autotrader with the step pad we thought was only used on the Vibe.I'll have to wait until the weath...

My '06 "recirc" kicks out in both the floor/defrost mode and the defrost mode. I think in earlier years it only kicks off recirc when all the way to full defrost.I also did some exploration to get rid of this feature and found my "kick-out" is done by a cable. There were some cli...

Hey all. I've been lurking here for quite a while and have had my 06 for about 3 months now. Besides swapping out the whimpy horn, getting the Matrix lid is my first "mod".I called Champion Toyota/Toyota World (713-943-7010 and ordered the one GMJAP listed. $72.38 + $15 shipping. I have th...