NHTSA Complaint #10886076 — 2007 TOYOTA PRIUS

THE REAR LIFT GATE LATCH ON MY TOYOTA PRIUS HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE EXTERIOR RUBBER OVER THE LATCH MECHANISM/SWITCH HAS MELTED, TURNED GUMMY AND WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION TO OPEN THE LIFT GATE. IN COLD WEATHER THE LATCH HAS BEEN EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO OPEN AND THE TRIM PIECE CONTAINING THE TRUNK HATCH LATCH FRACTURED IN SUB-FREEZING WEATHER WHILE TRYING TO GET THE LATCH TO RELEASE. THE CAR WAS PARKED WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING. I CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE TRUNK OF MY CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS I CAN NOT ACCESS THE REAR HATCH OF MY CAR IN AN EMERGENCY AND DEFEATS THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A HATCHBACK CAR WHICH IS ACCESS TO THE CAR'S INTERIOR. THE CAR JACK AND EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE LOCATED JUST BEHIND THE FAILED HATCH LATCH. I HAD TO PAY OVER $500+ TO HAVE TOYOTA REPLACE THE FAILED HATCH LATCH SWITCH AND SURROUNDING TRIM PIECE.