NHTSA Complaint #10476932 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

WE HAVE HAD SOME UNSEASONABLY HOT WEATHER HERE RECENTLY; ON THE DAY IN QUESTION THE CAR THERMOMETER SAID IT WAS 91 DEGREES IN FULL SHADE. THE RUBBER GASKET COVERING THE HATCH OPENING SWITCH WAS ATTACHED WHEN I PARKED. WHEN I CAME BACK, IT LOOKED LIKE THE GASKET HAD LITERALLY MELTED OFF ONE OF THE SCREWS; THE COVERING WAS JUST HANGING ON TO SCREW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A FEW GOOEY THREADS. THAT LEFT A MELTED, TAR-LIKE RESIDUE ON THE HATCH OPENING SWITCH. NOW THE SWITCH IS COVERED IN GUNK AND NEARLY INOPERABLE. THE PRIUS DOES NOT HAVE A TRUNK RELEASE, AND WITHOUT A REPAIR THE HATCH IS NEARLY INACCESSIBLE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE HATCH ON THE PRIUS IS A SAFETY ACCESS POINT (THE LARGEST ON THE VEHICLE); THE HATCH IS ALSO THE ONLY WAY TO ACCESS THE BATTERIES STORED IN THE REAR IN CASE OF FIRE OR ACCIDENT. WHEN I GOOGLED THE ISSUE, I FOUND MULTIPLE REPORTS IN HOT WEATHER AREAS OF EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE, BUT I FOUND NO OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND DEALERSHIPS KEEP THE PART ON HAND IN HOT WEATHER FOR EXACTLY THIS REASON. *TR