NHTSA Complaint #10347864 — 2005 SCION TC

THE TRUNK HATCH HANDLE OF MY 2005 SCION TC BROKE OFF ONE DAY WHEN OPENING THE TRUNK HATCH. THE TRUNK HANDLE IS NEEDED IN OPENING THE TRUNK. IT HAS AN ELECTRONIC BUTTON RELEASE THAT MUST BE PRESSED AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE TRUNK IS LIFTED. THE HANDLE BROKE OFF THE CAR WITHOUT WARNING AND WITH ONLY NORMAL USE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE PART I AND SEVERAL MECHANICS (INCLUDING TOYOTA TECHNICIANS) DETERMINED THAT THE PART IS FLIMSY AND OF POOR DESIGN. TOYOTA TECHNICIANS ALSO ADMIT THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE. IT IS A PART USED TO RAISE THE WHOLE TRUNK HATCH AND IS MOUNTED TO THE CAR WITH WEAK PLASTIC. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE FORUMS AND HAVE SEEN MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. ALTHOUGH SINCE MOST HAD THEIR HATCH HANDLE BREAK IN THE FIRST 3 YEARS (COVERED UNDER WARRANTY), THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED. IT IS A PROBLEM FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE FAILURES OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD BECAUSE THE PART HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE. I HAVE HAD THE PART REPLACED AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THE TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS TO DETERMINE THIS PART DEFECTIVE, BUT THEY DENY MY CLAIM SAYING IT IS OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY. BEING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY IS NOT THE ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE THIS PART TO BE DETERMINED DEFECTIVE SO THAT IF I OR OTHER OWNERS FIND IT BREAKS OFF IN THE FUTURE IT IS REPLACED BY TOYOTA AS IT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE CAR. *TR