Rust on rear hatch handle

I've had mine since Jan 2017 and no rust. NJ winters aren't that bad but they still salt the roads. Also mine has a rubberized coating on it, which I don't see on some of the other pics. See Post #58 for pic.

"Rust on rear hatch handle | Page 3 | PriusChat"

 

David, does yours have a rubberized feel to it?

 

Yes, I believe it does.

 

Canadian's version started with 2018 (2017 skipped only in the US).

All the 2018 I have seen so far, 4 of my friends have the same issue. Even the dealership went out to check another dealership's lot (customer car) had the same rust. Nobody really duck that low to see it and you don't really can tell until you use a phone+flash and look at the picture to tell the difference because it is so dark in there just by looking at it.

I think maybe Canada's first version forgot to have the rubber-insert? Jerry's (2017) from Florida got it and some others in this forum.

Anyway, I was directed to the body shop and they said because that metal piece is a bolt-on piece, nothing to be done from the body shop because even after sand/repaint that metal, it will rust again.

Now the dealership will check with Toyota Canada to see what actions to be taken:
- Replace that bolt on plate (let it rusts again in 6 months and replace again when it happens)
- See how many reported cases out there before making it as a recall.

If some of you have a pristine or rubber's version, good for you and perhaps to certain VIN number were affected. All Prime were made in Japan so could be a batch of them that were affected. I will find out more later from Toyota Canada this week and report my case.

 

If it helps, my Prime is a 2017 Premium manufactured 11/2016, production #3170 and it has the rubberized coating.

 

Mine is in Florida but not from Florida. It was originally bought in New Jersey and went through about 1-1/2 of their winters. It had no rubber coating.

And it's not a bolt on piece that rusts. It requires replacing the whole hatch framework. At some point, I may get ambitious and disassemble the whole hatch to expose all the metal and see how far the rust goes. Maybe. I'd rather drive it.

 

That I didn't know as I am in Ontario. Is yours ok without any rusts?

 

They gave me a diagram of all the pieces underneath. I will see if I can upload it when I have the chance

 

Cool. I'd like to see that. They didn't have it apart enough for me to see all the metal when they "fixed" mine.

 

The part suspected to be replaced either 14 or 16. They still need to take it apart to confirm. Still waiting for Toyota Canada to reply.

 

That's what my shop thought too. They found out differently. If part 1 is metal, that's the part. Unless that's the carbon fiber part and there's a large metal part not shown here. I'm going to have to just take the darn thing apart myself. The mystery is bugging me more than the actual rust.

 

Ours is a 2018 Premium purchased in CT in Dec 2018 and the handle is rubber covered.

 

The handle where we push to release the trunk is rubber covered but the metal behind it as seen here is always a metal piece which is rusting that could be 14 or 16 from the diagram.

 

Except it's not 14 or 16. But you'll see. I had to find out the hard way, too.

 

You took it apart already? I still haven't heard back from Toyota yet

 

The Toyota body shop did. They were fixing it under warranty. They let me see. And showed me those two parts they ordered that are the same as what your shop ordered. They had to send back the parts because they weren't rusted.

 

Got it. My body shop didn't do anything yet as they were bolt on pieces that can be done at the dealer's service department. I will update once I hear back from Toyota Canada.

 

Most likely the best you can hope for is the dealer to do the complementary one time only paint job to cover up the exposed rusted part just like mine. Rust on rear hatch handle | Page 4 | PriusChat
I have no idea how extensive they painted inside of the hatch. My guess is they did nothing inside.

 

This is corrosion warranty. If claimed during warranty period, and still happen after warranty is over, they need to fix it again regardless. So it is not "one time only"

Best course of action is to make this as a recall for certain VIN number as some part in the world does not have this issue.

My colleague and 2 other friends got the 2018 Prime and have the same issue. All in the Toronto/Canada area.