2007 Toyota Prius Structure

catalytic converter is easily accessible and there should be a recall to have a safety operation and stop all these cars from being sold in the market because there is a rise in many thefts of the catalytic converter due to it being very easily accusable without any guard in place to prevent thieves from getting to it to remove and sell for parts. Spray paint can be cleaned off and vin numbers can be sanded down. simply trying that will not work. i was unaware that it was stolen off of the vehicle until i drove it a little ways to where the vehicle was then burning and i could smell it catching on fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRIM AROUND THE TRUNK LATCH MELTED AND WAS STUCK TO THE VEHICLE, WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JAY WOLFE TOYOTA OF WEST COUNTY (LOCATED AT 14700 MANCHESTER RD, BALLWIN, MO 63011) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN BROKE THE LATCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THE TECHNICIAN GLUED THE LATCH BACK AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

THE REAR HATCH IS EXTREMELY HARD TO OPEN IN THE SUMMER AND NOW IN THE WINTER EVEN HARDER. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. MY CAR IS PARKED UNDER A CARPORT WINTER AND SUMMER. I HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET IN THE REAR HATCH TO CHANGE A TIRE OR GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN CASE OF EMERGENCY AND I SOMETIMES CAN'T GET IT TO OPEN. IS THERE SOME WAY TOYOTA CAN HELP MAKE THIS RIGHT. THE RUBBER PART THAT YOU PRESS IS HARDER THAN A STICK AND WON'T RELEASE. THIS HAPPENS SOME TIMES AT THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT OR AT ANY STORE PARKING LOT. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE HOME AND CAN'T GET MY GROCERIES OUT BECAUSE THE HATCH WON'T LET IT RELEASE. IS THIS A DEFECT THAT CAN BE CORRECTED?

HOOD LATCH WILL NOT OPEN 50, 60% OF THE TIME. MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE RECALLED..

THE REAR LIFT GATE LATCH ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE EXTERIOR RUBBER OVER THE LATCH MECHANISM/SWITCH HAS MELTED, TURNED GUMMY AND WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION TO OPEN THE LIFT GATE. IN COLD WEATHER THE LATCH HAS BEEN EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND THE TRIM PIECE CONTAINING THE TRUNK HATCH LATCH BEZEL WHILE TRYING TO GET THE LATCH TO RELEASE BROKE. I CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE TRUNK OF MY CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A SECURITY AND A SAFETY HAZARD AS I CAN NOT ACCESS THE REAR HATCH OF MY CAR IN UNDER NORMAL USE NOR AN EMERGENCY AND DEFEATS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A HATCHBACK CAR WHICH IS ACCESS TO THE CAR'S INTERIOR. THE CAR JACK AND EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE, BATTERY LOCATED JUST BEHIND THE FAILED HATCH LATCH. I AM DISABLED, I CAN NOT PUT A WHEEL CHAIR IN/OUT. THIS IS UNSAFE AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THIS REPLACEMENT PART/SERVICE ONLY IS WARRANTY FOR 1 YEAR AT A PRICE OF $675 TO REPAIR. UNDER THE ADA ACT - PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVOCATE A RECALL.

WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DIPS BELOW 40 F, THE REAR GATE DOES NOT OPEN. THE RUBBER COVERING OF THE SWITCH TO LIFT THE GATE GETS VERY HARD AND DOES NOT RESPOND TO PRESSURE TO OPEN THE REAR LIFT GATE.

THE RUBBER HANDLE OF THE REAR LIFTGATE LATCH HAS "MELTED" INTO THE OPERATING PART OF THE LATCH, MAKING IT TOTALLY INOPERABLE IN THE WINTER, AND COOLER MONTHS. THIS IS NOT DUE TO EXPOSURE TO HEAT EXTREMES - THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGED IN A NORTHERN PART OF THE US, WHERE SUMMER TEMPERATURES RARELY EXCEED 80 DEGREES. IN AN EMERGENCY IN THE WINTER, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE USE OF THE HATCHBACK. THE OPERATION IS PROBLEMATIC IN THE SUMMER - SOMETIMES IT CAN BE FORCED OPEN, SOMETIMES NOT. IT HAS TAKEN A FEW YEARS FOR THE LATCH TO BECOME INOPERATIVE; IT BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND STICKY BLACK RESIDUE TRANSFERRED TO HANDS TOUCHING IT FOR THOSE YEARS. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR; CLEARLY DEFECTIVE RUBBER WAS USED.

THE TRUNK LATCH ON MY '07 PRIUS HAS "MELTED" AND IS NO LONGER WORKING. SINCE THE LATCH IS NO LONGER WORKING, THE TRUNK IS UNABLE TO OPEN, AND ALSO UNABLE TO REMAIN IN A FULLY LATCHED, CLOSED POSITION. BECAUSE OF THIS, I AM UNABLE TO LOCK THE DOORS. SOMETIMES, I CAN GIVE THE TRUNK DOOR AN EXTRA PUSH TO TURN OFF THE "DOOR OPEN" SENSOR TO LOCK THE VEHICLE, BUT BECAUSE IT IS NOT FULLY LATCHING AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM WILL GO OFF.

HATCHBACK WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE RUBBER THAT COVERS THE LATCH HAS DEGRADED TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS STICKY IN THE WARM WEATHER AND ROCK SOLID IN THE COLD WEATHER WHERE YOU CAN NO LONGER PRESS IT TO OPEN THE TRUCK.

HATCHBACK DOOR DOES NOT OPEN IN COLD WEATHER.

REAR HATCH DOOR LATCH FAILURE, STARTING WITH SOFTENING AND THEN COMPLETE MELTING OF THE RUBBER COVER AND FINALLY TO LATCH NOT OPERATING AT ALL, ESPECIALLY IN COLD WEATHER.

THE REAR HATCH LATCH RUBBER COVER HAS DISSOLVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS TO THE POINT YOU CAN NO LONGER OPEN FROM OUTSIDE. IF SOMEONE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT YOU COULD NOT OPEN THE REAR HATCH DOOR AND YOU ARE TRAPPED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO TIME TO GET YOURSELF OUT OR PULL ANYONE ELSE OUT, I HAVE SEEN ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS GOING BACK INTO 2011. THIS IS HAPPENING ON A LOT OF CARS, ESPECIALLY TOYOTA PRIUS'S. AS OF RIGHT NOW I CAN NOT OPEN THE HATCH DOOR ON MY 2007 PRIUS. IT HAS JUST GOTTEN WORSE UNTIL NOW WHEN IT WILL NOT OPEN. I USED TO HAVE TO FIGHT BY PUSHING DOWN AND PULLING UP, BUT IT WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL NOW.

THE REAR LIFT GATE LATCH ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE EXTERIOR RUBBER OVER THE LATCH MECHANISM/SWITCH HAS MELTED, TURNED GUMMY AND WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION TO OPEN THE LIFT GATE. IN COLD WEATHER THE LATCH HAS BEEN EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND THE TRIM PIECE CONTAINING THE TRUNK HATCH LATCH FRACTURED IN SUB-FREEZING WEATHER WHILE TRYING TO GET THE LATCH TO RELEASE. THE CAR WAS PARKED WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING. I CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE TRUNK OF MY CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS I CAN NOT ACCESS THE REAR HATCH OF MY CAR IN AN EMERGENCY AND DEFEATS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A HATCHBACK CAR WHICH IS ACCESS TO THE CAR'S INTERIOR. THE CAR JACK AND EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE LOCATED JUST BEHIND THE FAILED HATCH LATCH. I HAD TO PAY OVER $500+ TO HAVE TOYOTA REPLACE THE FAILED HATCH LATCH SWITCH AND SURROUNDING TRIM PIECE.

THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) OF OUR 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS, MELTED INTO A STICKY TARRY BLACK RUBBERY GOOEY MESS. I CAN BEST DESCRIBE IT AS BEING A VISCOUS BLACK GLOB LIKE ROOFING TAR. TO OPEN THE HATCH, YOU HAVE TO TOUCH THIS BLACK GOO EACH TIME, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE HATCH RELEASE. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $96 PLUS REPAIR COSTS, AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT RECALLING THIS. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE EXTREME DIFFICULTY OPENING THE REAR HATCH (A LIFE SAFETY ACCESS POINT), AND WILL GET STICKY BLACK TAR ON YOU FROM THE MELTED DOWN RUBBER COVER OF THE EXTERIOR HATCH RELEASE HANDLE. TO ME, THIS IS BOTH A SERIOUS LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AND A SERIOUS QUALITY DEFECT THAT TOYOTA IS OPTING TO IGNORE AND ONLY FIXING ON VEHICLES WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES, SINCE THE FAILURE APPEARS TO OCCUR AT AROUND THE 3 YEAR MARK. I AM AWARE OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK DONE BY NHTSA ON OTHER SAFETY ISSUES, INCLUDING THE PROBLEM WITH RUSTY FRAMES ON 02 ISUZU AXIOMS, AND I FIND THIS PROBLEM TO BE SIMILAR IN NATURE, SO I AM ASKING FOR YOUR AGENCY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE INSTANCES AND ALSO TO INQUIRE FROM TOYOTA WHY THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MELTING. IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS. PLEASE REVIEW THESE FORUM COMMENTS OF OTHER INCIDENTS: HTTP://PRIUSCHAT.COM/FORUMS/GEN-II-...RUNK-HATCH-RELEASE-RUBBER-PIECE-MELTED-4.HTML

FAULTY LIFTGATE HANDLE. THE RUBBER MELTS IN WARM WEATHER, LEAVING A STICKY BLACK TAR ON YOUR FINGERS THAT WILL NOT WASH OFF. THIS RUBBER MELTS INTO THE MECHANISM SUCH THAT THE LIFTGATE IS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS FAULTY BATCH OF RUBBER THAT WAS USED, BUT SO FAR REFUSES TO RECALL THE FAULTY MECHANISM IN THE US. THE LIFTGATE WOULD ONLY OPEN INTERMITTANTLY, WITH A LOT OF EFFORT ABOUT A YEAR AGO. NOW, IT WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL, SO WE ARE TAKING IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR.

THE RUBBER COVER ON THE REAR HATCH LATCH HAS DETERIORATED SO SEVERELY THAT THE LATCH HANDLE WILL NO LONGER WORK. THE RUBBERIZED COVER HAS BECOME GOOEY AND STICKY, AND COMES OFF ON YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU TOUCH IT. THERE IS NO ALTERNATE TRUNK RELEASE ON THIS VEHICLE, SO WITH THE HANDLE MECHANISM GUMMED UP BY THE DETERIORATING RUBBER COVER, THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCESS THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PIECE HAS BEEN DETERIORATING OVER THE PAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO HOLD OFF FOR A TOYOTA RECALL ON THIS PIECE, BUT NOW WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED.

THE BACK LATCH OF MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS DEGRADED ("MELTED" ALMOST). IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, AND I AM UNABLE TO OPEN THE BACK HATCH DOOR EASILY. SOMETIMES IT REQUIRES CONSIDERABLE EFFORT AND PERSEVERANCE TO GET IT OPEN. IF IT'S COLD OUT IT WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. THIS IS A MAJOR CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I CAN NOT GET TO SPARE TIRE OR TOOLS DURING COLD WEATHER. I AM UNABLE TO GET TO THE CHILD CAR SEAT STRAP THAT LATCHES BEHIND SEAT TO TAKE CAR SEAT OUT. THE PART IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AND I HAS SEEN NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON THIS SITE OF THE SAME ISSUES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. TIME TO MAKE TOYOTA OWN UP AND REPLACE IT. *TR

LIFTGATE LATCH RUBBER HANDLE IS DISINTEGRATING. *TR

TRUNK RELEASE HATCH BUTTON DEGRADED. TURNED STICKY, FELT LIKE, TAR. TO OPEN THE TRUNK TOOK CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK OR OPENING WITH DIFFICULTY. TRUNK RELEASE HATCH BUTTON "MELTED" THEN THE ENTIRE GARNISH BROKE OFF WHEN TRYING TO OPEN IT.

READ HATCH DOOR LATCH SWITCH FAILURE DUE TO RUBBER COVER THAT HAS DETERIORATED AND MELTED INTO STICKY GOO. THE SWITCH NOW IS INTERMITTENT. BLACK TARRY RUBBER GETS ON MY HANDS WHEN I TRY TO USE IT. THE PRICE TO REPAIR WAS QUOTED AS $350

THE BLACK RUBBER ON THE HATCHBACK LATCH HAS MELTED AND MAKES OPENING THE HATCHBACK DIFFICULT. THE BLACK GOO STICKS TO THE HAND AND IS VERY MESSY BECAUSE IT GETS ON ANYTHING TOUCHED INCLUDING CLOTHES, DOOR HANDLES AND CHILDREN. THE MELTED RUBBER INTERFERES WITH THE LATCH SUCH ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE HATCHBACK DOES NOT OPEN.

FOR ABOUT 3-4 YEARS OFF AND ON IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCH BACK DOOR. OVER TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. AT THIS POINT EVEN MY HUSBAND IS HAVING TROUBLE OPENING THE DOOR. NON OF THE OTHER DOORS IS HAVING A PROBLEM. THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH OPENING SWITCH ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE IS DETERIORATING AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS. WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THIS IN TO HAVE IT FIXED. MY HUSBAND JUST CALLED OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $110 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. WHAT GIVES?

THE GAS TANK DESIGN TOYOTA PRIUS FROM AT LEAST 2007 AND UNTIL 2010, CONTAINS NO ACTUAL FUEL GAUGE. IN THE NORTHERN STATES WITH SEVERE WINTERS THIS RESULTS IN OWNERS FREQUENTLY RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHEN THEY THINK THEY STILL HAVE AMPLE FUEL AS SHOWN BY MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE INTERNET, AND FOR US ON A TRIP IN FEBRUARY TO MARCH 2015 WE WERE IN SERIOUS FEAR OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHEN IN FACT IF THE SPECIFICATION FOR CAPACITY HAS ANY MEANING WE STILL HAD OVER 4 GALLONS OF FUEL. WE GOT SO WORRIED, WE STOPPED AT A BROTHEL IN NEVADA SO MY WIFE COULD ASK HOW FAR TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. WHEN WE GOT TO THE GAS STATION THE FUEL PUMP INDICATOR WAS EVEN BLINKING TO INDICATE WE WERE IN DANGER OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL, YET THE CAR FILLED UP WITH ONLY 65% OF ITS RATED FUEL CAPACITY. RUNNING OUT OF GAS UNEXPECTEDLY IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN THE TOYOTA PRIUS BECAUSE SO MUCH DEPENDS ON ELECTRICITY INCLUDING THE STEERING TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT CANNOT HAPPEN WHEN THE BATTERY IS ALREADY AT MAXIMUM DEPLETION OR THE MAIN BATTERY ITSELF HAS FAILED BUT NOT YET BEEN REPLACED IN WHICH CASE THE CAR IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON CONTINUOUS FUEL FLOW. IT CERTAINLY CAME AS A SHOCK TO ME TO LEARN THAT WHAT IS DISPLAYED IS NO BETTER THAN A GROSSLY INACCURATE ESTIMATE OF REMAINING FUEL, OR ABOUT TO RUN OUT FUEL LEVEL. TOYOTA SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL OF THESE VEHICLES FOR FUEL SYSTEM REPLACEMENT IN THE INTERESTS OF SAFETY AND KEEPING PEOPLE FROM BEING KILLED FOR RUNNING OUT OF GAS AT THE WRONG TIME AND STOPPING DEAD ON THE HIGHWAY. AS THESE CARS AGE, THEY BECOME MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY WILL BE DRIVEN WITH A BYPASS OF A DEFECTIVE MAIN BATTERY, BUT EPA REGULATIONS PREVENTING ALTERATION OF ANYTHING EMISSIONS RELATED WILL MAKE THESE CARS ROAD HAZARDS ACROSS THE NATION IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT DEALT WITH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE SUN, THE DASHBOARD MELTED AND LEFT A SHINY SUBSTANCE WHICH CAUSED A REFLECTION ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT OBSTRUCTED THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR REAR HATCH HANDLE MELTED AND LEFT A MELTED RUBBER RESIDUE ON HER HANDS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS DURING WARM WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,900.