Tailgate latch handle

there are several hatch button rubber cover threads here. hopefully, one has the answer you're looking for. all the best!

 

I'll admit, I haven't actually installed it yet. But you can get replacement rubber button covers on ebay for way less that $65. I bought one and it's been in my center console since I got it almost a year ago lol. I really need to get that thing on haha.

 

$65? Bollocks!
Here's what I did:

(tip: remove the rear number-plate before you start - it makes the job so much easier!)

 

Wife's '07 has been doing pretty well for about a year with duct tape over the switch. But when I saw the price on this, I ordered it immediately. Thanks for the tip, Wil.

 

I did the duct-tape solution (even took pics) -

…before I found a post on PriusChat pointing to the amazon solution, so I can't take credit for that one (…see threads passim for originator, and thanks again!) However the remove the number-plate tip is one of mine, and makes the job so much easier!

 

I was going to replace the melted rubber when the entire plastic rear hatch panel broke off from the rear of the car. The replacement panel had a new switch and rubber cover included.

 

How did it go, Jack? I just installed mine.

It came with an offset phillips screw driver. I started using it and realized it was a major pain. Switched to a phillips bit with a ratchet wrench. Then it dawned on me that taking out the screws alone wasn't going to allow a proper installation because the rubber cover wraps around. Besides, there was still a gooey mess to clean up.

So, I popped off the inside hatch cover. Then there are just four nuts to remove and four plugs to unplug. A couple plastic clips hold the trim piece in place so it pops off easily. Then pull the wire grommet out of the hole in the hatch and take it to the work bench.

Paint thinner worked pretty well to remove the goo after I scraped off the thickest parts with a razor blade.

Edit to add: Watch out with the paint thinner. If you rub on it on the paint, the paint will come off. (Ya think!?!?) No problem on the hidden side, but less than desirable on the public side.

 

I wish I'd thought of the paint-thinner trick! I struggled using a thin blade with the release in situ and it eventually worked, but at least I'll know next time!

 

I never did get it really clean, but it was good enough for something hidden. Also, notice my edit above about caution with the paint thinner and the paint on the visible side. And I have no idea when the black spots will come off my fingers. Probably need to eat some fried chicken to get clean now.

 

I was digging that gooey crud out from under my fingernails for about a week! I normally wear nitrile gloves when working on the car or bikes, but this time I'd not bothered (more fool me! )

 

I only have cheap vinyl ones. The thinner would have dissolved them. And I never liked working with gloves unless handling sharp stuff like cutting sheet metal and so on.

 

I have a supply of Hardy 5-mil medium duty (I found them on sale at HarborFreight), so I stocked up. They're much stronger than the Walgreens nitriles I normally use!

 

X2....My Prius was bought with duct tape on the handle...Really didn't know why but it functions...

Seems like the handle compresses (molds to the "in" position) when you press once...hatch opens...But if I were to try to repeatedly open/close hatch I would have to wait until handle de-compresses...

 

I think there's a micro-switch in the handle which momentarily operates the catch and if you listen you may hear it "click", at which point you lift the tail-gate! (mentioned in a previous thread!)

 

Two layers of duct tape seemed to be flexible enough for me. I first outfoxed myself by using metal duct tape. I figured it had better stickiness and would be ore weatherproof. Imagine my surprise when the hatch opened fine on the first try, then I closed it, then it wouldn't open because the metal duct tape hadn't released the switch. Oops!

 

I have used a piece of synthetic rubber roofing membrane. I cut it to fit as the cover and made sure it was sized to fit around the flange that you can remove by extracting the two screws holding it onto the tail gate. I did not pay anything except for a bit of my time. If you have no access to the rubber roofing membrane then any type of rubber like material thick enough to last for years will work. I would have used something like a bicycle tire tube but I have access to rubber membrane so I used that. It is working great. I did also seal around the edges with a silicone sealant that adhered to both the membrane and the attachment frame. It is not visible when looking at the rear of the car so messiness is not an issue.

Let me know if you have questions via this chat room.

 

The duct tape wasn't all that bad, but I thought my wife deserved better, so I splurged after posting the last comment.

I thought it was the least I could do for her and you can always count on me to do the least I can do.

It turns out that there are other sellers on Amazon that have them for even less money.
Here's one that even includes a little goo scraper.

It's nice having the right part on there since it wraps around and you won't have to worry about it sagging or peeling off.