NHTSA Complaint #10534602 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE RUBBER COVER ON MY TOURING MODEL PRIUS'S HATCH LOCKING ASSEMBLY - THE HIDDEN AREA YOU GRAB TO OPEN THE HATCH - HAS DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT IT IS GUMMY LIKE TAR. THERE ARE DOZENS OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO 2007 AND 2008 MODELS, WHICH LIKE MY PRIUS, WERE MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN. I'VE OWNED SEVERAL HATCHBACKS AND NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON MUCH OLDER HATCH LOCKS. FROM ALL OF THE ONLINE COMPLAINTS IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT BUT WHEN CONTACTED, THEY FIRST TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEING A PROBLEM, AND NOW TELL ME IT ADVISES CUSTOMERS IT'S "NORMAL WEAR." FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE THE MELTING RUBBER MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH (A LIFE SAFETY ACCESS POINT), AND THE STICKY BLACK TAR-LIKE MATERIAL FROM THE COVER IS ALSO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I ASK YOUR AGENCY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE INSTANCES AND ALSO TO INQUIRE WHY TOYOTA IS NOT RECALLING THESE HANDLES THAT ARE MELTING, WHICH HAS TO BE THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE RUBBER. I THINK A DOOR HANDLE OR HATCH HANDLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LAST MORE THAN THREE YEARS. *TR