I mentioned it in a separate post because my spouse went in to the dealership and ordered the part. THEY ordered the wrong part based on the schematic they were looking at on the computer. Once I pointed out the difference, they were able to determine the correct part number and ordered the new one in. Now if I could just get the ....screws loose to replace the Smart Key side of the set up, all would be good. They are in there like they were put in with glue. I'm sure I'll end up drilling them out and replacing, just as you had to do. So much for a 15 minute job...
maybe hot weather is the root cause as I live in Puerto Rico. I have a 2008 Prius with 44K and I have the same problem. A friend had the same issue with his 2007 Prius--he also lives in PR.
I just got the switch (rubber handle piece) from an ebay seller for $30. My Prius has smart key, the switch I purchased did not. The difference is the smart key version of the switch has an additional seperate device on the harness that is not needed to repair the melted rubber problem. Not needed if you can solder and shrink tube two small wires that is. Hope this info helps someone, I had no idea if the switch itself was the same in both versions previously since they have a different part number. If you can solder and you have the smart key get the cheaper non smart key one and you won't be paying extra for a part you don't need to replace. I'm not sure what the price difference is at the stealer.
Thanks for everyone's input. I frequently can not get the hatch to open and thought it was senility setting in. Of course when I took it to the dealer she worked like a charm.
Just to throw my 2 cents in here: - I have an 07 Prius, purchased September 06 - Living in Cincinnati, Ohio (hot summers, cold winters), about a year ago I noticed a crack developing in the black handle. Started looking into replacing the switch, thanks to the great info in this thread. - Recently moved to Orlando, FL and I can already detect some slimy-ness starting to form with the rubber handle. It seems that the late 2006 manufacture dates are the ones with the bad handles.
Oh now my 2008 Prius is having the same problem. Singapore is a tropical country throughout the year. What can I do? Change it every quarter? I think Toyota HQ should do something about this. My car is no long in warranty now!
What you can do is to replace the hatch opening switch. Apparently there was a bad production run of switches with inferior rubber.
Can I just replace the rubber and not the switch? The Switch is not giving problem. Only the melted rubber.
No, you will have to replace the switch since it is sealed in the rubber. However, if you wish to fabricate your own rubber cover, then I suggest you remove the switch so that you can see what is involved.
Hey Patrick, Thanks for the goods information. I thought the rubber cover is just protecting the switch in some ways.
Hi Melvin, I recognize that spare parts may be hard to obtain and expensive in your country. If you are going to make your own rubber cover, you may find that a bicycle tire tube will provide a supply of raw material suitable for that purpose. See post #16 in this string for the story of another owner who made his own cover. Or, you can just apply package sealing tape over the rubber as a temporary (but cosmetically unappealing) solution.
Regarding my post #1 and my complaint about the screws: I recently became aware of Pozidriv screws, which look similar to Phillips but require a different screwdriver. Perhaps these screws are used to secure the hatch opening switch. I'd appreciate it if the next member to replace the switch would inspect the screws and see whether they are Pozidriv or Phillips. [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives]List of screw drives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
Hi everyone. Just a side note. Have any one written to Toyota and lodge a complain against this manufacturers fault? Did they have a replacement on this for free? I am trying my luck right now but maybe any one had such an experience and are willing to share? Thanks in advance.
My hatch release succumbed to the same fate as many others in this thread. The rubber cover completely melted. The switch itself still worked fine. However, I imagine it wouldn't last long once it started getting wet in there. I initially attempted to make my own rubber cover for it. While it can be done, I think it's more trouble than it's worth. I ended up abandoning that and ordering a new switch from Toyota Parts East. It was $43.60 + shipping, which is considerably less than I have heard others paying. The correct part number for the non smart key switch is 84840-47010.
The non-smart-entry part I got was 84840-47020. Both the early-failing headlights and now this tar baby switch are certainly a blow to my brand loyalty. It's one thing for a part to wear out, but this was a manufacturing defect in the rubber formulation.
My 2006 has the same problem, manufactured in August of 2006. So close to when 2007s started being made. Thanks Patrick for the instructions. I have printed them out and will order the part. Probably as before your instructions will be spot-on.
Thank you for the info & walk through. A couple of ideas: Wear disposable gloves to keep the old sealing tar from under the fingernails and, if not Smartkey equipped, tuck the smaller tab of the Smartkey switch underneath the closest support of the plastic trim plate above the hatch hole where the rubber moisture seal seats. Toyota Parts Barn.com has the switch for $71.88 + shipping; beats $115 + tax at dealership.
That might be incorrect. i have a 2008 and i just noticed today that the rubber handle is also all soft and gooey, does not open as easy as before either when its like that. anyone know if this part is covered in the extended warranty? im from Sacto, CA - fellow boricua!
