NHTSA Complaint #10566973 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

DURING THE SUMMER OF 2011, WE NOTICED THE TRUNK LATCH MECHANISM TO BE STICKY AND MELTING, LEAVING BLACK STUFF ON OUR HANDS. WE LIVE IN SOUTHWEST OHIO, SO TEMPERATURES ARE USUALLY IN THE 80S-90S IN THE PEAK OF SUMMER. AT TIMES, THIS WOULD CAUSE THE TRUNK LATCH NOT TO WORK, AND WE COULDN'T OPEN THE TRUNK. DURING THE FALL MONTHS, THINGS IMPROVED, AND IT WASN'T AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE. ONCE THE COLDER WINTER MONTHS BEGAN, THE TRUNK LATCH BEGAN TO STICK AND WOULDN'T OPEN WHEN IT WAS COLD. I CAN RECALL SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO OPEN THE TRUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY. AGAIN, THINGS IMPROVED ONCE TEMPERATURES WARMED UP IN SPRING. THE WHOLE CYCLE STARTED AGAIN IN THE SUMMER AND REPEATED OVER AND OVER. OVER TIME, THE PART THAT THE LATCH IS CONNECTED TO BEGAN TO FEEL LOOSE. I ASKED ABOUT IT DURING MY ROUTINE 80K MILE SERVICE, AND THEY SAID THAT THE WHOLE PART WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, NOT JUST THE LATCH. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE, APPARENTLY IT WAS NOT COVERED AND WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE IT AT THAT TIME. WELL, THIS FEBRUARY, THE TRUNK LATCH WAS ONCE AGAIN MALFUNCTIONING AND WOULD NOT OPEN WHILE RUNNING ERRANDS. AT ONE LOCATION, I TRIED OPENING THE TRUNK, SQUEEZING THE MELTED BUTTON, AND THE ENTIRE PART THAT THE SWITCH IS ATTACHED TO (INCLUDING THE PUSH BUTTON LOCK, THE BACK-UP CAMERA, ETC.) BROKE OFF OF THE CAR. I AM 30SOMETHING WOMAN WITH AVERAGE STRENGTH, AND I DON'T FEEL I WAS BEING OVERLY AGGRESSIVE ON TRYING TO OPEN THE CAR. I BELIEVE THIS WAS DUE TO THE PART NOT FUNCTIONING AND OVER TIME, THE CONNECTIONS WERE JUST TOO WEAK. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, AND IT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ON MANY OTHER TOYOTA PRIUS VEHICLES OF THE SAME AGE. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REFUND THE $312.03 I HAD TO SPEND TO REPAIR A DEFECTIVE PART. *TR