2007 Toyota Prius Structure

REAR HATCH HANDLE LIQUEFIED. *TR

THE HATCHBACK HANDLE/LOCK HAS MELTED. NOW WHEN IT'S VERY COLD YOU CANNOT OPEN IT WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE FORCE. MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IS DRIVING THE CAR AND SHE CAN'T GET IT OPEN. *TR

EXTERIOR REAR HATCH LATCH HANDLE STICKY/MELTING. MUST USE RAG TO AVOID TOUCHING THE MESS WHEN USING THE DOOR. LATCH AND LOCK OPERATION HAS BECOME UNRELIABLE AND HATCH MUST BE SLAMMED TO ENSURE CLOSURE. PRACTICALLY IDENTICAL TO COMPLAINT ID 10632829. *TR

I HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS AND THE RUBBER HAS "DECOMPOSED" OFF THE LATCH AND HAS MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE REAR COMPARTMENT OF MY VEHICLE. THE RUBBER DEGRADATION HAS MADE THE SENSITIVITY OF THE HATCH DOOR LATCH ERRATIC AND NOT WORKING MOSTLY. ITS CAUSE ME TO TRY TO YANK THE HATCH DOOR A COUPLE OF TIMES WHICH HAS CAUSE THE LATCH DOOR HANDLE TO COME LOOSE. TOYOTA PLS ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THANKS *TR

LIKE SO MANY OTHERS WITH A 2007 PRIUS, MY HATCH BACK RUBBER LATCH STARTED GETTING STICKY AND THEN SLOWLY STARTED DETERIORATING TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN'T OPEN THE HATCH DOOR. I TOOK IT TO MAITA TOYOTA IN SACRAMENTO AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD FIX IT, BUT THEY CHARGED ME. I'M SEEING THAT SOME PEOPLE COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA AND GOT THIS PAID FOR. I'M GOING TO SEE IF I CAN GET REIMBURSED FOR THIS. I'M GLAD PEOPLE PUT THEIR COMPLAINTS HERE TO SEE. *TR

REAR HATCH LATCH IS INOPERABLE AND PREVENTS ACCESS TO SPARE TIRE. RUBBER COVERING OF LATCH MECHANISM DEGRADED 'MELTED,' EVEN THOUGH CAR IS GARAGE STORED IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER, M-F. *TR

I NOTICED OVER THE SUMMER THAT THE HATCHBACK BUTTON BECAME EXTREMELY SOFT AND FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, GOOEY. ONCE THE WEATHER COOLED DOWN THE BUTTON SEEMED TO HAVE RESHAPED/MELTED SO THAT I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO OPEN THE HATCH OF MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA WITH THIS CONCERN BUT WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE I HAVE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE AND WARRANTY COVERAGE IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE OF FAULTY MANUFACTURING. I CANNOT ACCESS MY SPARE TIRE IS KEPT UNDER COVER IN THE REAR HATCH. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND ISSUE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY. *TR

THE REAR HATCH BECAME STICKY AND LEFT BLACK RESIDUE ON MY FINGERS. THE HATCH TOOK SEVERAL TRIES UNTIL IT UNLOCKED. NOW THAT IT IS COLD IN PENNSYLVANIA THE HATCH WILL EITHER NOT OPEN AT ALL OR IT TAKES NUMEROUS TRIES UNTIL IT UNLOCKS. THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT AS ACCESS TO THE REAR IS NOT GAINED SOMETIMES AND ITEMS MUST BE PLACED IN THE BACKSEAT AS A RESULT. ALSO IF I AM UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A FLAT TIRE I CANNOT GET TO THE SPARE. THE REAR HATCH AREA IS WHERE MY EMERGENCY KIT AND JUMPER CABLES ARE KEPT. OUR FAMILY OWNS THREE TOYOTA'S AND BEING LOYAL CUSTOMERS OF TOYOTA I WOULD THINK THAT TOYOTA WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE SINCE THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM! *TR

TAIL GATE LIFTERS FAILED TO COMPLETELY LIFT THE TAIL GATE. NOT NOTICING THE TAIL GATE WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN NORMAL, THE DRIVER, WHILE STANDING ON THE GROUND TO REMOVE GROCERIES FROM THE BACK, LEANED INTO BACK OF VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE TOP OF HER HEAD ON THE TAIL GATE, SUSTAINING A CONCUSSION. SYMPTOMS INCLUDED NAUSEA, HEADACHES AND DIFFICULTY CONCENTRATING, LEAVING HER UNABLE TO COMPLETE HER NORMAL TASKS FOR THE DAY. THE SYMPTOMS LASTED 2 DAYS. DRIVER'S HUSBAND CAME OUT AND IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED THAT TAILGATE HAD FAILED TO OPEN COMPLETELY AND HE DETERMINED IT WAS NO LONGER OPENING COMPLETELY, REPRESENTING A PARTIAL BUT DANGEROUS FAILURE OF THE LIFTING MECHANISM. THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 PM; THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48 DEGREES. WHAT MAKES IT PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS AND PERNICIOUS IS THAT THE MECHANISM THAT USED TO OPEN THE TAIL GATE ALL THE WAY UP, PROVIDING AMPLE HEAD CLEARANCE, WAS NOW LEAVING THE TAIL GATE OPEN BUT WITH REDUCED HEADROOM. THE MECHANISM THAT USED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT HEAD CLEARANCE SO ONE COULD STAND BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND LEAN INTO THE REAR WAS NOW ONLY PARTIALLY OPENING THE TAIL GATE, TO A POINT LOW ENOUGH TO CAUSE A CONCUSSION BUT NOT LOW ENOUGH TO BE NOTICEABLE. THE CHANGE FROM HAVING AMPLE HEADROOM TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH HEADROOM CREATED A TRAP. *TR

THE RUBBER TRUNK RELEASE MELTED THIS SUMMER, CREATING A STICKY MESS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. HAD TO TRY NUMEROUS TIMES WITH GREAT FORCE TO OPEN THE TRUNK. NOW THAT THE TEMPERATURE HAS DROPPED, THE RUBBER BAR IS FROZEN HARD AND I CANNOT DEPRESS IT TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. *TR

THE REAR HATCH RELEASE ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS DETERIORATED AND HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCH. TONIGHT IT IS VERY COLD OUT AND THE MECHANISM STUCK AGAIN AND WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED UNLOCKING TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T RE-LOCK THE DOORS AND PULLED AGAIN ON THE LATCH AND THE WHOLE BACK PART BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. THE COMBINATION OF THE STICKING AND THE COLD MADE THE PLASTIC PIECE THAT IS ALL THAT IT IS HOLDING THE LATCH BRITTLE TO THE POINT OF SIMPLY BREAKING WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE HATCH. *TR

HATCHBACK LATCH DOES NOT RESPOND TO SMART KEY AND WILL NOT OPEN TO TOUCH AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT TEN MONTHS. ALSO, THE RUBBER LATCH COVERING HAS DETERIORATED INTO A SOFT, STICKY BLACK SUBSTANCE THAT STAINS MY FINGERS WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE LATCH. THE DETERIORATION PROBLEM PRECEDED THE HATCHBACK OPERATIONAL PROBLEM BY FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AS BEST I CAN RECALL. I WAS ABLE TO TOLERATE THE MESSY PROBLEM BUT CANNOT PUT UP WITH A HATCHBACK THAT IS INOPERABLE BECAUSE IT PREVENTS ME FROM ACCESSING THE SPARE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THE CARGO AREA. I THINK TOYOTA SHOULD NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF THIS DEFECT AND PROVIDE A FREE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK DOOR FAILED TO OPEN. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE MATERIAL THAT LATCHED THE DOOR WITH THE TRUNK WAS MELTED AND THE TRUNK COULD NOT BE ACCESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

THE HATCHBACK HANDLE/RELEASE IS SOFT AND GOOEY, AND AT TIMES THE RELEASE TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT WORK. GOOEY BLACK SUBSTANCE GETS ALL OVER HANDS AND FINGERS WHEN YOU TRY TO "POP" THE HATCHBACK. UNABLE TO GET THE TRUNK TO OPEN ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS. THERE IS NO INTERNAL RELEASE SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR. SINCE THE SPARE TIRE IS IN THE TRUNK, THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE NO ACCESS TO THE TIRE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE, INCLUDING NHTSA ID NUMBERS: 10541882, 10541772, AND 1053526. *TR

RUBBER HATCH LATCH COVER HAS DETERIORATED AND IT HAS BECOME DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCH, AND VERY DIFFICULT IN COLD WEATHER (MY WIFE CANNOT OPEN IT AND IT IS HER CAR). I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE RUBBER ON MY TRUNK RELEASE HAS TURNED TO A TARRY MESS MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND LEAVING BLACK TAR ALL OVER MY FINGERS. WHEN THE RELEASE DOES NOT WORK, I HAVE PULL OUT MY KEYS TO PRESS THE UNLOCK BUTTON OR OPEN THE CAR TO PRESS THE UNLOCK BUTTON WHICH SOMETIMES RELEASES IT BUT NOT ALWAYS. I OPT NOT TO USE MY TRUNK BECAUSE IT IS SO TERRIBLY INCONVENIENT AND FRUSTRATING NOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM JUGGLING PACKAGES AND/OR KIDS. I AM TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA IS NOT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROBLEM AS I SEE MANY POSTS DEALING WITH THIS VERY SAME ISSUE. *TR

DEAR GENTLEPERSONS: TOYOTA MUST HAVE PURCHASED A BATCH OF DEFECTIVE RUBBER FROM A VENDOR BACK IN 2007 AND 2008 BECAUSE THE RUBBER THAT YOU PUSH AGAINST TO RELEASE THE LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE TRUNK/HATCHBACK HAS TURNED TO PLAY DOUGH OR SLUDGE ON MY CAR. I CONTACTED TOYOTA IN MAY OF THIS YEAR AND THEY DISCLAIMED ANY AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND IT IS WIDELY KNOWN ON SITES INCLUDING PRIUS CHAT, AND WHEN I SPOKE WITH MY SERVICE ADVISOR AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, HE SAID HE WAS WELL AWARE OF IT, THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON HIS 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA, AND THE ONLY RECOURSE IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE MECHANISM WHICH COSTS AN ARM AND A LEG. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF THE RUBBER DETERIORATES ENOUGH, MY FINGERS WILL PROTRUDE INTO THE LOCK MECHANISM WHICH I SURMISE WOULD NOT WORK AND PLAY WELL WITH FINGERS, OR MAY HAVE AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT IF I MAKE CONTACT. I FOLLOWED UP LAST WEEK WITH TOYOTA AGAIN, AND THE REP WITH WHOM I FIRST SPOKE, INITIALLY SAID TOYOTA HAD NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, THEN SAID THAT SHE KNEW OF THE ISSUE, AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY WERE AWARE OF A FIX THAT DID NOT INVOLVE A TOTAL SWITCH REPLACEMENT. AFTER I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AS SUGGESTED, AND MY OWN SERVICE ADVISOR SHARED HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE ISSUE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE ORIGINAL REP AT TOYOTA, AND THE NEXT REP WITH WHOM I SPOKE TOLD ME THEY'D LOOK INTO IT AND I'D HEAR BACK FROM TOYOTA WITHIN TWO BUSINESS DAYS ... THAT HAS COME AND GONE. MY WIFE HAS A 2004 PRIUS AND THE RUBBER ON THE LATCH LOOKS AND FEELS TOTALLY NEW. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A WARRANTY ISSUE (WHICH TOYOTA IS NOW TRYING TO TOSS OUT TO GET RID OF ME), BUT INSTEAD, A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT HAS SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, [XXXX] *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

REAR HATCH LATCH RELEASE BUTTON IS RUBBER. IT HAS DETERIORATED RELEASING BLACK SUBSTANCE ONTO FINGERS, IT IS STICKY AND BUTTON DOES NOT RELEASE AS WELL AS BEFORE. *TR

THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS HAS MELTED MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH. I CAN BEST DESCRIBE IT AS BEING A VISCOUS BLACK GLOB LIKE ROOFING TAR. THE VEHICLE'S SMART KEY LOCKING SYSTEM HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED BY THE MELTED SWITCH. IT NOW TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO FIND THE SENSOR DUE TO A LOSS IN SENSITIVITY IN THE SWITCH, CAUSED BY THE MELTING OF THE RUBBER COVER. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM OTHER CAR OWNERS. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE EXTREME DIFFICULTY OPENING THE REAR HATCH (A LIFE SAFETY ACCESS POINT) 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 (IE AFTER 3 YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO THE HEAT). I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *TR

I CANNOT OPEN THE HATCH OF MY PRIUS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. IN ALL PRIUS BASE MODELS THAT I KNOW OF THE HANDLE LITERALLY MELTS OFF OF THE CAR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE HATCH. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES UP TO $300.00 TO FIX THIS ISSUE WHEN IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL. IT IS COMPLETELY INSANE THAT THEY ARE MAKING PRIUS OWNERS PAY THIS AND ARE MAKING AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY OFF OF ITS CONSUMERS WHEN WE WERE SOLD A FAULTY PART. *TR

THE MATERIAL IN THE TRUNK DOOR HANDLE IS DISSOLVING AND OR DISINTEGRATING. I RECENTLY RESEARCHED THE DEFECT ON THE INTERNET AND OBSERVED WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. IN A RECENT VISIT TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE I PRESENTED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE REPAIR WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE IF I WANTED THE REPAIR. THE CHARGE IMO WAS EXCESSIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT IMO WAS A BUILT IN DEFECT AND DESERVES A RECALL. *TR

WITHIN THE HANDLE FOR THE REAR HATCH OF THE 2007 PRIUS THERE IS A STRIP OF RUBBER WHICH I ASSUME IS TO PREVENT MOISTURE FROM PENETRATING INTO THE INTERIOR COMPONENTS AND IT MAY ALSO SHIELD SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING. THIS PIECE OF RUBBER IS BECOMING SOFT AND MELTING. WHENEVER WE OPEN THE HATCH, OUR FINGERS AND HANDS ARE STAINED WITH A BLACK GOOEY SUBSTANCE THAT'S DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FROM OUR HANDS. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVER SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2011. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A BODY PART SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 4 YRS AND SINCE WE PURCHASED USED, IT MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN GOOEY BEFORE WE PURCHASED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REAR HATCH DOOR SEAL FAILED AND ALLOWED WATER TO PENETRATE THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

THE HATCHBACK HANDLE/RELEASE IS SOFT AND GOOEY AND AT TIMES THE RELEASE TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK WILL NOT WORK. GOOEY BLACK SUBSTANCE GETS ALL OVER HANDS AND FINGERS WHEN YOU TRY TO "POP" THE HATCHBACK. UNABLE TO GET THE TRUNK TO OPEN ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS. THERE IS NO INTERNAL RELEASE SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR. SINCE THE SPARE TIRE IS IN THE TRUNK, THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE NO ACCESS TO THE TIRE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR (USED). CONTACTED DEALER, WHO QUOTED US $300+ TO REPAIR. HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET. *JB

I'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR HATCH ON MY 2007 PRIUS FOR SOME TIME. THE RUBBER HAS SOFTENED AND PARTIALLY MELTED IN WARM WEATHER, MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO GRIP AND DEPRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON, PARTICULARLY FOR A WOMAN WITH WEAK FINGER JOINTS. SEVERAL TIMES IT HURT MY HANDS TO GRIP AND PRESS THE RELEASE. NOT TO MENTION THE GOOEY MESS IT MADE ON MY FINGERS WHEN I'D TRY TO OPEN IT. THEN ONCE THE WEATHER TURNED COLDER, IT SEEMS THE RUBBER SOLIDIFIED IN AN ABNORMAL SHAPE AND RECENTLY IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVEN A MAN WITH STRONG HANDS TO DEPRESS AND OPEN THE HATCH. I FEAR IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO WRESTLE THE SPARE TIRE OUT OF THE TRUNK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE HATCH. SURE, YOU CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE HATCH AREA BY FOLDING DOWN THE SEATS, BUT HOW COULD YOU OPEN THE COVER FOR THE TIRE WELL AND PULL OUT THE SPARE TIRE? AND IN AN EMERGENCY, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK TO ASSIST SOMEONE. WE'VE OWNED FOUR PRIUS CARS, INCLUDING A 2008 MODEL, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA REALLY SHOULD RECALL THESE MODELS AND FIX THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. *TR