2006 Toyota Prius Body & Structure Problems

I BEGIN TO NOTICE BLACK MARKS ON MY FINGERS. IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO LEARN THAT THE LATCH COVER WAS DISINTEGRATING. I ASKED OUR LOCAL MECHANIC TO LOOK INTO GETTING IT REPLACED. HE REPORTED BACK THAT HE CALLED TWO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS. ONE DEALER WANTED $500 FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART AND ANOTHER DEALER SAID THE PART WAS BEING CHANGE TO PLASTIC BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WANTED $230 FOR THE PART. SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL USED, I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THE CAR AND PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT. CAN YOU ASSIST WITH MY REQUEST? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TRUNK LATCH TO OPEN TRUNK WHILE STATIONARY NOW SERIOUSLY REDUCED FUNCTION. RUBBER HAS MELTED. NOW THE TRUNK IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN. SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS COLD OUT, TRUNK CANNOT BE OPENED AT ALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE CEILING AREA NEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FRO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. .. UPDATED 02-07-13 *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO DROP THE COMPLAINT. IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY. UPDATED 02/13/2013 *JS

AFTER ONLY ABOUT 4 YEARS USE, THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) OF OUR 2006 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. WE ALSO LIVE IN FLORIDA. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $96 PLUS REPAIR COSTS(200.00), 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 (IE AFTER 3 YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO THE BRIGHT SUN IN FLORIDA FOR EXAMPLE). 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 IN THE SUN!!! 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: *TR

THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH ON OUR 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS, MELTED INTO A STICKY TARRY, RUBBERY, GOOEY SUBSTANCE. IT'S LIKE A VISCOUS BLACK GLOB LIKE ROOFING TAR. WHEN OPENING THE HATCH, IT IS SOFT AND GETS UNDER MY FINGERNAILS. I BELIEVE THIS MELTING PROCESS STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT IT'S BEEN WORSE THIS YEAR WITH THE TRIPLE-DIGIT TEMPS. MY DEALER, LOU FUSZ TOYOTA (IN MISSOURI) SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE, BUT WHEN I RESEARCH IT ON-LINE, I FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS. TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS, AND IS SELLING THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR $250 PLUS REPAIR COSTS, AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT RECALLING THIS. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, THIS MEANS YOU CAN EXPERIENCE 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 LIFE SAFETY ISSUE AND A 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 4 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 IN THE SUN. I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 4 YEARS! *TR

RUBBER COVER TO THE REAR HATCH SWITCH (HANDLE) HAS DETERIORATED OVER TIME (CAR WAS 4 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS FIRST BECAME NOTICEABLE). IT IS NOW 8 YEARS OLD WITH 81,000 MILES AND THE DETERIORATION IS SO DRASTIC TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH, OR VICE-VERSA SOMETIMES THE HATCH WILL NOT LATCH CLOSE. STICKY GOOEY TAR ALWAYS GETS ON THE FINGERS UPON EVERY ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE HATCH. NUMEROUS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE NOTED THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ONLY HAND-WASHED THE CAR WITH PLAIN WATER, AND I LIVE IN A VERY MILD CLIMATE (SAN DIEGO). OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECTIVE BATCH OF RUBBER USED BY TOYOTA. THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY PROBLEM IN THAT IT COULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS THE SPARE TIRE AND TOOLS TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE IN AN EMERGENCY. THERE IS AN INTERNAL MECHANICAL RELEASE SWITCH, BUT THIS COULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS IF THERE ARE LARGE ITEMS STORED IN THE TRUNK. *TR

TRUNK LATCH RUBBER MELTS WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT. HAPPENS REPEATEDLY EVERY SUMMER, UNTIL THE TRUNK LATCH IS UNUSABLE. THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN.

TAILGATE STRUTS ARE RUSTING AND WILL FAIL SOON. *TR

I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH BECAUSE THE RUBBER/PLASTIC COVERING HAD HARDENED TO THE POINT THAT I COULDN'T CAUSE IT TO MAKE CONTACT AND OPEN. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OPEN THE HATCH WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN IT WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM. A DEALER IN TENNESSEE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST $300 TO REPLACE THE WHOLE PART. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS THE SPARE TIRE, FIRST AID KIT, OR TO OPEN THE HATCH IN EMERGENCIES TO ALLOW PASSENGERS TO ESCAPE IF OTHER DOORS ARE INOPERABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TWO FRONT FENDERS ON THE VEHICLE WERE SEPARATED FROM THE BODY AND ROCKER PANEL. HE ALSO NOTICED A QUARTER INCH GAP ON BOTH FRONT SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HE SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AND BUMPS, WHICH THEY DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. A CASE WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT IS AWAITING A RETURN CALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 43,000.

AFTER ONLY ABOUT 2 YEARS USE, THE RUBBER COVER ON THE HATCH RELEASE HANDLE (THE EXTERIOR HANDLE OF THE REAR HATCH) OF OUR 2006 TOYOTA PRIUS, STARTED TO BE STICKY. NOW, AFTER NEARLY 5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICE THAT IT HAS MELTED INTO A STICKY TARRY BLACK RUBBERY GOOEY MESS WHICH HAS SPREAD OVER A MUCH LARGER AREA. 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 (IT TAKES 2-3 DAYS TO REMOVE THE STAIN COMPLETELY FROM FINGERS/NAILS), WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE HATCH RELEASE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS MELTING PROCESS STARTED WHEN I NOTICED THE STICKY FEEL. I THOUGHT THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SINGULAR ISSUE, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL CAR OWNERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH. WE LIVE IN MOBILE, ALABAMA. IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS FAULTY MATERIAL, 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 IS OUTRAGEOUS). I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS. PLEASE REVIEW THIS. *TR