The rubber covered latch to the trunk/hatch has disintegrated so it is impossible to open. This causes a safety hazard as I cannot access necessary safety equipment, including car jack, emergency sign, and jumper cables. I have read many other complaints about this piece on this model, and so believe it to be a defect of the substance used in the latch.

- Nashville , TN, USA

Trunk/hatchback opener/latch melted. Latch is now sticky and very difficult to open. This is a hazard as someone could be trapped in the car because the rear hatch will not open.

- San Jose, CA, USA

The trunk latch has melted making it very sticky/gooey in hot weather and frozen solid (immovable) in cold weather making it difficult to open the hatch. The situation continued to worsen to the point of while attempting to open the trunk yesterday the entire back piece fell off the car. I can no longer open the hatch at all. This is both a serious safety issue (a life saving access point) and a serious quality defect that Toyota has chosen to ignore. In addition, the cost Toyota is charging for repair is exorbitant (over $500). Also, I've noticed that there are no complaints on later model Prius', so it appears that Toyota has fixed the problem at the expense of many. I do hope that NHTSA will look into this issue.

- Belvedere, CA, USA

Liftgate latch rubber handle is disintegrating.

- Valencia, CA, USA

The lift gate latch on the 2007 Toyota Prius is inoperative because of the melting of the rubberized substance that covers the liftgate mechanism. I believe this is a defect that many 2007 Toyota Prius owners have experienced.

- Bethesda, MD, USA

The hatchback latching mechanism has degraded to the point that it is nearly impossible to open in winter conditions. In the summer the exposed rubber parts became sticky and basically melted on your hand when you tried to open it. The latch also became harder to actuate. Now in the winter the latch requires so much force to open it that it is difficult to open at all.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

The rear latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded to the point that it is inoperable. The rear latch release has melted to the point that it ends up all over my hands when I attempt to open the rear hatch and does not open. I am unable to open the trunk. This is a major safety issue. I have two children under the age of 5 who are strapped into car seats. In the event of an emergency, the rear hatch may be the only way to access them. Obviously, if I am unable to access them, the failure could result in serious bodily injury or death to the passengers, including my children. I have contacted Toyota requesting that Toyota correct this problem on my car, but they have told me that: 1) they are unaware of the problem; 2) my car is out of warranty and I do not have an extended warranty; and, 3) they will not fix the car. Do people need to get injured or die before Toyota reacts?

- Long Beach, CA, USA

Water collects in wheel well when driving in wet conditions.

- Scarborough, ME, USA

The back latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door easily. Sometimes it requires considerable effort and perseverance to get it open. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard.

- Santa Monica, CA, USA

Exterior rear hatch latch handle sticky/melting. Must use rag to avoid touching the mess when using the door. Latch and lock operation has become unreliable and hatch must be slammed to ensure closure. Practically identical to complaint id 10632829.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

2007 Prius rear hatch latch melted off. The rear hatch will not open. There is no way to get to emergency equipment and spare tire. This is an extreme safety issue. Please issue a nation recall as this repair is not covered by under warranty.

- Clearwater, FL, USA

The cover to the back hatch latch has melted into a gooey black mass this makes it difficult (at best) to open the back hatch. There is no alternative internal method for opening the hatchback/trunk, . since the spare tire and tire changing gear (jack, wrench, etc.) are stored in the back, this is a serious safety hazard. This is an obvious defect in the material used for the latch cover - the deterioration of this part can in no way be attributable to neglect or abuse on the part of the driver/owner of the vehicle. Should be recalled and replaced by Toyota.

- Orlando, FL, USA

The back latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door easily. Sometimes it requires considerable effort and perseverance to get it open. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard.

- San Diego, CA, USA

The rubber on the rear hatch latch was defective and degenerated into a pile of goo, making it difficult to open the rear hatch door. This is a well-known defect for this model and year, but Toyota has so far not made an extended warranty to have the problem repaired at no charge to the owner of the vehicle.

- Asheville, NC, USA

The rubber cover of the external trunk latch has melted. On many occasions, the latch opens only after many attempts. A web search found many other owners who complain about the same problem.

- Sunnyvale, CA, USA

Rear hatch release latch has been getting stick to the touch and increasingly difficult to open. Tried cleaning the latch and discovered that the rubber covering the latch seems to be melting. Checked online and discovered that this seems to be a common problem and, if not corrected, will likely result in latch release switch failure. The location of the rubber latch release cover protects it from direct sunlight and there seems to be no reasonable explanation for the failure of this part other than a defect in manufacture.

- Weatherford, TX, USA

2007 Prius liftback black rubber switch-handle is melting and black rubber tar is all over hands when touching the switch-handle. Reported for years by other owners on priuschat blog: priuschat.com/threads/2007-Prius-trunk-hatch-release-rubber-piece-melted.71647/page-3 should be a recall for this defective melting rubber handle which is on hands whenever you touch it. Very hot to touch during summer weather too. Part numbers for 2007 Prius (but always double check them!): 84905-47010 - for models with smart entry. 84840-47020 - for models without smart entry. Local dealer acknowledges the defective part is common, but would not replace/repair for free. The blog above shows countless numbers of similar cases costing as much as >$300 to replace. This is also happening in our 2009 Prius too.

- West Hills, CA, USA

The back door latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door. Sometimes it required considerable effort and perseverance to get it open. I cannot open it anymore as the latch broke. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard. Blue 2007 Prius in cupertino, ca.

- Cupertino, CA, USA

Parking my Prius, my foot on the brake pedal, I hit a very small patch of black ice with the right front wheel. The car slanted briefly to the left--then there was a sudden surge of engine power. The car rushed over a mound of ice and snow, jumped the curb, rushed forward between a wall and a tree, narrowly missing it, and crashed into a parked Toyota truck facing outward from the curb. My Prius hit the heavy truck with enough force to knock it six feet for their North and three feet to the West. After impact, the engine continued to make a lot of noise, a sound I've never heard before in seven years of driving the car. It was attempting to surge past the truck, which I believe caused the most damage to the front left bumper of the car. I was stunned and didn't think to turn off the ignition before it quit on its own after perhaps ten seconds. The body was sheared back, strips of blue paint hanging in shreds. I crawled out the passenger side unhurt. (the air bags did not deploy.)

- Santa Fe, NM, USA

The trunk handle has melted - turning the rubber into a sticky goo - and one is unable to open the trunk. Local Toyota dealer removed and replaced the rear hatch switch at the cost of $310.22..the local Toyota dealer informed me that this repair was not unexpected in that a similar problem on the Scion has been identified and is being repaired by Toyota at their expense. Other reports on the web highlight the same problem with the Prius. Request have been sent to Toyota to cover the cost of this repair, but they have refused to pay for this defect.

- Columbia, MD, USA