NHTSA Complaint #10779526 — 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

I PURCHASED MY PRIUS IN 2008. APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE BACK HATCH HAD STARTED TO GET REALLY SOFT IN HOT WEATHER AND FREEZE UP A LITTLE IN COLD WEATHER. AT FIRST IT WAS JUST A NUISANCE AS IT SOMETIMES LEFT A BLACK STICKY SUBSTANCE ON MY HANDS; HOWEVER, OVER TIME IT BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND THE HATCH BECAME HARDER TO OPEN. I CANNOT OPEN IT AT ALL NOW (SEPT. 2015), LEAVING ME WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE SPARE TIRE, THE BATTERY, SNOW SHOVEL, OR MY ACCIDENT KIT (FLARES, BLANKET, ETC). MY BACK LIGHT ALSO KEEPS GOING OFF THEN COMING BACK (I GOT A TICKET FOR IT) BUT I CANNOT GET TO THE LIGHT FIXTURE BECAUSE I CANNOT OPEN THE TRUNK. THIS IS THEREFORE A SAFETY HAZARD AND TOYOTA SHOULD FIX IT. I AM TOLD THAT THEY HAVE ADMITTED LIABILITY AND FIXED THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE IN JAPAN. IF THAT IS TRUE, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE US! LACK OF ACCESS TO BATTERY AND SPARE TIRE AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE REAR LIGHT POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.