Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 1 | ||
| The rubber rear hatch release button (wide rubber piece which activates an electrical switch) first became sticky and black rubber would stick you your hand. then the rubber piece hardened and became so hard (and cracked) that the rear hatch release does not work. this is a safety issue in addition to making the trunk unusable. toyota owners of this model year frequently report this problem in all climates, toyota clearly has a manufacturing defect in the rubber material they used for this model year and should perform these repairs for no charge. *tr | |||
| 09/23/2012 | 1 | ||
| We have had some unseasonably hot weather here recently; on the day in question the car thermometer said it was 91 degrees in full shade. the rubber gasket covering the hatch opening switch was attached when i parked. when i came back, it looked like the gasket had literally melted off one of the screws; the covering was just hanging on to screw on the driver's side by a few gooey threads. that left a melted, tar-like residue on the hatch opening switch. now the switch is covered in gunk and nearly inoperable. the prius does not have a trunk release, and without a repair the hatch is nearly inaccessible. this is a major safety issue because the hatch on the prius is a safety access point (the largest on the vehicle); the hatch is also the only way to access the batteries stored in the rear in case of fire or accident. when i googled the issue, i found multiple reports in hot weather areas of exactly the same issue, but i found no official response from toyota. my understanding is that this is a very common problem, especially here in southern california, and dealerships keep the part on hand in hot weather for exactly this reason. *tr | |||
| 08/13/2012 | 56817 | 1 | |
| The trunk handle had melted off, making access to the spare tire impossible in the heat. *tr | |||
| 07/09/2012 | 23320 | 1 | |
| On the trunk is a door latch with a plastic cover. the plastic cover has melted or is disintegrating. there are many posts on google if you search for the terms prius trunk latch melt. considering i don't drive very often my car is almost always covered in the garage. plus i live in hawaii so heat shouldn't be too much of an issue like other states. this isn't my picture but it shows what mines looks like. http://priuschat.com/attachments/p1000894-jpg.22615/. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2009 | 35000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2007 toyota prius. the contact stated that while driving at 48 mph, the brakes suddenly locked up and swayed to the left side when he depressed the brake pedal. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for diagnosis. the dealer repaired the axle and driver side body but it was unknown if the dealer repaired the brake system. the contact believed that the rain was a factor in the failure as it caused the computer chip for the brake pedal to malfunction. the braking system for the vehicle failed periodically in rainy weather. the vin was unavailable at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000. the current mileage was approximately 60,000. | |||
| 11/17/2008 | 33050 | 1 | |
| 1. after i opened the automatic electric garage door and waited for my wife to enter from our home and seat herself in the front passenger seat i started the vehicle, geared it into reverse to prepare to back out of our attached indoor garage. 2. as i started to back up, proceeding not more than about 18 inches, we heard a loud explosive sound accompanied by a tremor and shattering glass at the same moment. immediately i shut off the engine and both of us exited the vehicle. we discovered that the right rear gas pressurized strut had exited with such force through the rear hatchbach trunk lid window shattering the glass and the impact of the strut had damaged the metal railing of the garage door. had anyone been in the path of the strut they could have been killed. the back of the vehicle was at least two feet inside the open garage door. the rear trunk lid did not collide with any part of the garage door. there were no injuries. 3. upon my insistence the vehicle was towed to our dealer for inspection. and eventually repaired. i have most of the old parts at my home. *tr | |||
| 02/28/2007 | 20 | 1 | 02/28/2007 |
| Tl*- the contact purchased a 2007 toyota prius on february 28, 2007 with 4 miles from beaver toyota of santa fe new mexico. the day after purchasing the vehicle while driving over 40 mph it did not drive straight, it moved left to right. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer, and was told that this was how the vehicle drove. the service manager explained that these vehicles had many complaints because of the way the vehicle was aerodynamicly made, the vehicle tended to move from side to side going over 40 mph on the highway. the failure mileage was 20, and the current mileage was 300 miles.*ak updated 04/09/07. *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 11/12/2012 | 44000 | 1 | |
| The rubber trunk release is cracked, melted and does not function in cold weather. it is a sticky gooey mess in hot weather. the estimate to replace it is $187. it is not covered under the warranty. the dealer claims it is not a safety issue. i think that if you are not able to open a door to your car, it is a safety issue. how, for instance would i be able to remove my spare tire in the event of a flat tire. big safety issue. what if i was in an accident and the only accessible way out was the hatchback? big safety issue. really. *tr | |||
| 11/12/2012 | 44000 | ||
| The rubber trunk release is cracked, melted and does not function in cold weather. it is a sticky gooey mess in hot weather. the estimate to replace it is $187. it is not covered under the warranty. the dealer claims it is not a safety issue. i think that if you are not able to open a door to your car, it is a safety issue. how, for instance would i be able to remove my spare tire in the event of a flat tire. big safety issue. what if i was in an accident and the only accessible way out was the hatchback? big safety issue. really. | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Release button for 2007 toyota prius hatchback has defective rubber, which deteriorates prematurely and leaks hydraulic fluid used to actuate the door release. after a while, door will not open, and requires replacement of release mechanism. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 40000 | ||
| Release button for 2007 toyota prius hatchback has defective rubber, which deteriorates prematurely and leaks hydraulic fluid used to actuate the door release. after a while, door will not open, and requires replacement of release mechanism. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 120070 | 1 | |
| The rubber on the hatch entry deteriorated so severely that it coated my fingers with a hot tarry mess that burned my fingers and stuck there, continuing to burn. the hatch also became virtually impossible to open and several times, especially in colder weather would not open at all. this is also a safety hazard since entry to the vehicle from the rear becomes impossible at such times. since i am handicapped and on disability (serious heart, lung and back problems) i need to be able to place equipment and purchases in the hatch area, but i often cannot access the area. toyota is well aware that this part is defective, but has refused to cooperate with toyota owners. therefore, i am asking the nhtsa to consider the safety issues caused by this defective part and take action to force toyota to replace or repair this defective part. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 120070 | ||
| The rubber on the hatch entry deteriorated so severely that it coated my fingers with a hot tarry mess that burned my fingers and stuck there, continuing to burn. the hatch also became virtually impossible to open and several times, especially in colder weather would not open at all. this is also a safety hazard since entry to the vehicle from the rear becomes impossible at such times. since i am handicapped and on disability (serious heart, lung and back problems) i need to be able to place equipment and purchases in the hatch area, but i often cannot access the area. toyota is well aware that this part is defective, but has refused to cooperate with toyota owners. therefore, i am asking the nhtsa to consider the safety issues caused by this defective part and take action to force toyota to replace or repair this defective part. | |||
| 08/24/2011 | 55000 | 1 | |
| The rubber covering on the rear hatch opening mechanism is melting. i have two other model year prius vehicles (2004 and 2006) and this has not occurred on those - only on this 2007 car. it is becoming difficult to open the hatch and it will probably fail completely soon. *tr | |||
| 08/24/2011 | 55000 | ||
| The rubber covering on the rear hatch opening mechanism is melting. i have two other model year prius vehicles (2004 and 2006) and this has not occurred on those - only on this 2007 car. it is becoming difficult to open the hatch and it will probably fail completely soon. | |||
| 08/27/2009 | 25000 | 1 | |
| The switch sub-assembly, lug (part# 84905-47010) part for the rear door handle started to melt. black tar like material would get on your hands and under the fingernails. the entire part was decomposing and the door lock would not work as it should. searched the internet and found many other 2007 prius cars doing the same thing. called toyota, and they said during production they used an adhesive for insulation. this adhesive, when exposed to heat (normal summer conditions), would emit chemicals that would cause the rubber to melt, or decompose. toyota said that they would do nothing, and offered to clean the rubber. i told them it is like tar not rubber! this is not a cosmetic problem, it could lead to more damage to the car. i purchased a new part for $84.31, and will install it. also contacting the bbb. *tr | |||
| 08/27/2009 | 25000 | ||
| The switch sub-assembly, lug (part# 84905-47010) part for the rear door handle started to melt. black tar like material would get on your hands and under the fingernails. the entire part was decomposing and the door lock would not work as it should. searched the internet and found many other 2007 prius cars doing the same thing. called toyota, and they said during production they used an adhesive for insulation. this adhesive, when exposed to heat (normal summer conditions), would emit chemicals that would cause the rubber to melt, or decompose. toyota said that they would do nothing, and offered to clean the rubber. i told them it is like tar not rubber! this is not a cosmetic problem, it could lead to more damage to the car. i purchased a new part for $84.31, and will install it. also contacting the bbb. | |||
| 07/10/2012 | 32000 | 1 | |
| I was driving in heavy traffic about 20 or 25 mph the cars in front of me stopped, when i applied the brake nothing happened, my car crashed into the rear of the car in front of me. the time was about 2:30pm july 10/2012 the car had just been serviced by a toyota dealer on june 28th/2012 for the 30,000 mile check up. we live in west los angeles. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2012 | 32000 | ||
| I was driving in heavy traffic about 20 or 25 mph the cars in front of me stopped, when i applied the brake nothing happened, my car crashed into the rear of the car in front of me. the time was about 2:30pm july 10/2012 the car had just been serviced by a toyota dealer on june 28th/2012 for the 30,000 mile check up. we live in west los angeles. | |||
| 05/25/2012 | 48000 | ||
| On my way home from work on the frontage road along i-5. my tires hit the gravel and i lost control. i went thru the grass on the side of the road down a dip and landed on the passenger side of the car on the railroad tracks. i began to roll and rolled the car from side to side at least 15 times. a row of trees is what stopped me. the engine was still running and i was still buckled in the drivers seat. i had to kick out the windshield in order to get out of the car. i went to emergency that night where i was xrayed and checked out. i ended up with only major bruising on the left side of my body, the chp that responded where sure i was dead. they told me they expected to see a dead body in the car. i barely escaped with my life and the air bags never deployed in the car. | |||
| 05/09/2011 | |||
| After only about 4 years use, the rubber cover on the hatch release handle (the exterior handle of the rear hatch) of our 2007 toyota prius, melted into a sticky tarry black rubbery gooey mess. i can best describe it as being a viscous black glob like roofing tar. to open the hatch, you have to touch this black goo each time, which makes it difficult to operate the hatch release. we believe this melting process started at about the 3 yr. mark. we live in texas where temperatures were extremely warm last summer. apparently toyota knows about this, and is selling the entire wiring harness for $96 plus repair costs, and has done nothing about recalling this. from a safety perspective, this means you can experience extreme difficulty opening the rear hatch (a life safety access point), and will get sticky black tar on you from the melted down rubber cover of the exterior hatch release handle. i have had several instances where i was not able to get the hatch open on an extremely hot day. to me, this is both a serious life safety issue and a serious quality defect that toyota is opting to ignore and only fixing on vehicles with extended warranties, since the failure appears to occur at around the 3 year mark (ie after 3 years of exposure to the bright sun in florida for example). i am aware of the outstanding work done by nhtsa on other safety issues, including the problem with rusty frames on 02 isuzu axioms, and i find this problem to be similar in nature, so i am asking for your agency to take a look at these instances and also to inquire from toyota why they are not recalling these handles that are melting in the sun!!! it's outrageous. i think a door handle or hatch handle should be made to last more than 3 years. | |||
| 07/12/2010 | |||
| Vehicle was purchased new in 2007 in houston, tx. in summer of 2010 the rubberized cover to the back latch began to melt and has become malformed during hot weather. this has resulted in difficulty opening the back hatch door, since the malformed rubber has made it, at times, almost impossible to press with enough force on the portion of the handle required to release the latch. inability to open doors on a vehicle is obviously a safety concern. the handle continues to malform during hot weather, resulting in an ongoing change in the shape of the handle cover that solidifies into this shape for the remainder of the year (cooler weather) - making it even more difficult to open the door since the rubber is far stiffer in its normal state. as a separate annoyance, when in the melted state, the handle leaves a tar-like substance on your hands whenever touching the handle. | |||
| 12/01/2011 | |||
| The rear hatch release has become inoperable due to a deteriorated rubber cover. fixing the problem requires replacement of the entire release assembly. the area for the spare tire and hybrid battery are inaccessible until the latch is replaced. | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 36000 | ||
| I started to notice the back hatch handle getting sticky near the 3 year mark, which was about a year ago. it has become progressively worse where the black sticky tar will get hot & mark my hands so i decided to take it to the dealership. they said that it would cost around $330 to fix. after searching around it seems that this is a very recurrent problem that if makes it difficult to open the hatch back, which might result in injury or even death. i hope that toyota recalls this known issue of their's soon. | |||
| 10/11/2011 | 47447 | ||
| The rear door latch rubber cover has turned to a goo, and make it difficult to open the rear hatch door | |||
| 10/01/2010 | |||
| The hatchback handle on my 2007 toyota prius has melted over time. this causes the latching mechanism to fail, which is a potential safety hazard in that it leaves this door virtually inaccessible during an emergency. each time i try to open the rear door, melted rubber sticks to my hand. this car has performed satisfactorily otherwise, but the handle failure constitutes a manufacturing defect. | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE | |||
| 07/01/2009 | 35000 | 1 | |
| The hatch release on the hatchback melted making the hatchback nearly impossible to open. as safety equipment such as flares, spare tires, and flags are kept in the hatch under the flooring, not being able to access them in an emergency is a serious safety issue. *tr | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - TAILGATE | |||
| 05/01/2012 | 65000 | 1 | |
| The tailgate switch had a rubber cover that is melting and become nonfunctional at times. according to toyota service department, this is a common problem on many prius. the breakdown starts after warranty runs out in many cars. *tr | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - TRUNK LID | |||
| 09/01/2011 | 1 | ||
| 2007 prius trunk hatch release rubber piece melted and i had to replaced it with my own money in toyota dealer. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2012 | 110000 | 1 | |
| The rear trunk release has melted and the trunk cannot open or if it does requires much effort. poses a safety issue. *tr | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||
| 08/08/2012 | 55170 | 1 | |
| The car was involved in a collision north of san antonio, texas. the collision ended up being a total lose of the vehicle due to the frame being split, firewall bent and a broken windshield. my concern is the airbags did not deploy. the airbags not deploying with an impact of this nature could increase the likelihood of injuries. i believe a failure of safety equipment of this nature should be investigated to prevent possible future injuries or fatalities. *tr | |||