NHTSA Complaint #10378842 — 2010 TOYOTA VENZA

WHEN MANUALLY CLOSING THE REAR HATCH DOOR LATCH ON THE 2010 TOYOTA VENZA IT AUTO SHUTS AND CAN CAUSE OBJECTS, INCLUDING MY FINGERS, TO BE CAUGHT. IT IS EQUIPPED WITH THE POWER CLOSE FEATURE BUT WHEN YOU CLOSE IT MANUALLY, IT OVERRIDES THE SENSORS THAT WOULD STOP THE CLOSING MECHANISM. I RECENTLY INSTALLED A CARGO MAT AND WHEN MANUALLY SHUTTING THE REAR HATCH DOOR, MY FINGERS WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE CAR HATCH. IT SHUT FULLY AND CAUGHT ALL 8 FINGERS AND THERE WAS NO OVERRIDE MECHANISM TO STOP THIS FROM OCCURRING. I HAD TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE AND MY WORRY IS THAT CHILDREN OR ANIMALS WILL EASILY BE CAUGHT AND SEVERE INJURIES WILL BE INCURRED. I REPORTED THIS TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE WORKING ON A RESOLUTION, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY PROBLEMATIC FEATURE THAT SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND ENHANCED FOR SAFETY REASONS. *TR