NHTSA Complaint #10505982 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE MATERIAL IN THE TRUNK DOOR HANDLE IS DISSOLVING AND OR DISINTEGRATING. AT TIMES THIS APPEARS TO BE THE CAUSE OF A DELAY IN OPENING THE TRUNK. MY CONCERN IS THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY A DELAY IN REACHING ITEMS NEEDED TO DEAL WITH A ROADSIDE EMERGENCY THAT ARE STORED IN THE TRUNK MAY OCCUR. I HAD MENTIONED THIS DEFECT TO TOYOTA DEALERS IN PRIOR YEARS AND MY COMPLAINT WAS IN MY OPINION RELEGATED TO THE "UNIMPORTANT BUCKET". I RECENTLY RESEARCHED THE DEFECT ON THE INTERNET AND OBSERVED WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. IN A RECENT VISIT TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE I AGAIN PRESENTED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THE DOCUMENTATION I OBSERVED ON THE INTERNET AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE REPAIR WAS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE IF I WANTED THE REPAIR. THE CHARGE IMO WAS EXCESSIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT IMO WAS A BUILT IN DEFECT AND DESERVES A RECALL. *TR