NHTSA Complaint #10542068 — 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

REAR DOOR/HATCH ELECTRIC MOTOR AND LATCH/LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED. SEVERAL INCIDENCES OF THE REAR ELECTRIC HATCH FAILING TO SEAT/CLOSE OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DOOR WOULD START DOWN BUT WOULD NOT CLOSE/LATCH. TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT (DOTHAN, AL) SAID THE DOOR NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED AND DID SO. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER THE DOOR CLOSED WITH A LOUD NOISE AND WOULD NOT OPEN AFTERWARDS. UPON OUTSIDE INSPECTION, I SAW THE DOOR WAS OFFSET ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SEATED ABOUT THE SAME (1/4 INCH) FURTHER IN THAN NORMAL. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL AT THAT POINT. THE SAME SERVICE DEPARTMENT INITIALLY ACCUSED ME OF DAMAGING THE CAR IN AN ACCIDENT (UNTRUE). THEY PRIED THE DOOR OPEN, AND RECOMMENDED I DISABLE THE ELECTRIC DOOR MOTOR AND ONLY OPERATE THE DOOR MANUALLY. LATER THE SAME SERVICE PERSONNEL ADMITTED THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR HINGES THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. *JB