NHTSA Complaint #10365646 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA LIMITED REAR HATCH HANDLE BREAKS OFF. CAN'T OPEN REAR LIFTGATE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM SINCE 1999 WITH TOYOTA. THERE ARE SEVERAL TOYOTA FORUMS WITH OVER 500 COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THE HANDLE PART IS INFERIOR IT IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC. THE PART HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 1999 AND IS STILL USED. MOST SEQUOIA OWNERS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED MORE THAN ONE TIME. THE PROBLEM STARTS FROM WATER POOLING IN THE HATCH AREA UNDER THE LIFTGATE. AS A RESULT, THE LOCK /HATCH HANDLE AREA CORRODES/RUSTS PUTS TENSION ON THE HANDLE AND THEN EVENTUALLY BREAKS. THE PART FAILS WITHOUT WARNING EXCEPT THAT THE LATCH MAY BE HARD TO OPEN FOR QUITE AWHILE BEFORE COMPLETELY BREAKING. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE HAD THIS LATCH PROBLEM SINCE THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP . ASK ANYONE WHO OWNS A SEQUOIA, AND THE WILL HAVE OR HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REPAIR COST IS APPROXIMATELY $500.00. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, YOU CANNOT ACCESS THE REAR PROPERLY AND OR GET TO THE SPARE TIRE. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IF OUT OF WARRANTY WILL CHARGE YOU ANYWHERE FROM $500 TO AS MUCH AS $800 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. GENERALLY, THEY SEEM TO TELL THE OWNERS THAT IT IS A WEAR ITEM. *TR