2007 Toyota Prius equipment problems

“I AM REPORTING A DEFECTIVE 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TRUNK HATCH RELEASE. THE MATERIAL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. IT APPEARS TO BE A GENERAL ISSUE DUE TO POOR QUALITY CONTROL AND FAULTY DESIGN BY TOYOTA. THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS CRUCIAL FUNCTION IS OBSCENELY HIGH (AROUND $500). *TR”

“LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT. IT GOES OUT AFTER 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I REPLACED THE BULB AND IT STILL GOES OUT. THE COST OF BULBS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE MADE TO REPLACE THIS ITEM AND HAVE ALL 2007 PRIUS RECALLED. ONE ACCIDENT COULD CAUSE A MAJOR CATASTROPHE ON THE ROADS BECAUSE LIGHTS TURNING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF A DRIVE IS UNNERVING AND DANGEROUS. *TR”

“2007 TOYOTA PRIUS TAILGATE LATCH RUBBER HAS DEGRADED AND EFFECTIVELY MELTED TO WHERE THE LATCH FAILS TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME, AND DEPOSITS RUBBER GOO RESIDUE WHEN CONTACTING THE LATCH. THE PART IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE AS INDICATIONS OF THE PROBLEM STARTED WITHIN 3 YEARS OF PURCHASE. CLEARLY SHOULD BE A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT VIA TOYOTA. IF NOT LABOR, AT LEAST COST OF NEW PART. *TR”

“HATCH LATCHES SHOULD NOT MELT DOWN IN 2-3 YEARS, AND ACCESS TO THE HATCH IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. AS WITH MANY OTHER 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES THE RUBBER MATERIAL ON THE HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH HAS BEEN DETERIORATING ON MY 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS AND IS GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO USE. WITHOUT AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT BY TOYOTA THE PART WILL FAIL BEYOND THE ABILITY TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH. TOYOTA REFUSES TO RECALL THE PART AND REPLACE IT AS A DEFECTIVE PART. *TR”

“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. 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. *TR”

“AFTER ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS USE, 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. WE BELIEVE THIS MELTING PROCESS STARTED AT ABOUT THE 2 YR. MARK. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS, PARTICULARLY IN FLORIDA. I LIVE IN LOUISIANA . TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $600, 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…”