Screws stripped on rubber piece of rear hatch handle,how do I remove them?

You may need to use an "Easy Out". This is a screw-like device that is reverse threaded. To use, drill a starter hole in the center of the screw head, insert the Easy Out, and turn to unscrew. The threads on the easy out will dig deeper into the screw and allow you to remove it.

As to the size of the screw, you may need to ask a dealer for the correct screws to re-assemble.

 

Not to hijack this thread but would this work for a bolt that has broken as well? The bolt for a d hook in the back of my Prius broke off.

 

Easy Outs are available in a variety of sizes and at most hardware or auto part stores. I had a set of 6 sizes for many years.

 

I bought an Ontel Speed Out screw extractor from Home Depot in March to fix stripped screws in the hatch latch thing. The tool gets a mixed bag of reviews. It worked great for me and I have been using various makes/models of screw extractors for more than 30 years. I paid $19.99 in March. It is now $9.99

One caution -- READ the instructions carefully -- if you try this thing. It is a bit different than others I have used.
Here is my review from that purchase:

March 30, 2016
5.0 out of 5

Quality
5.0

Value
3.0

Recommended Product
Doing a car repair, I noted online that nearly everyone had the same two screws strip out on them and everyone was having the same hassle removing the stripped screws.
They were metric -- M4 10mm length.
I saw the kit, bought it, took out the instruction sheet where it is hidden under the lid of the box, read the instructions several times and still started out with the wrong side of bit (my error).
Quickly corrected my error (flipped bit over) and within 10 seconds the screw spun out -- I did not need to flip to the extractor side.
Second screw -- same story. Worked for me and saved me $260 bucks.

 

What stripped, the recess in the screw head, or the threads in the piece it screws into? I'm guessing the former.

 

In my case the actual screw head (the phillips part) stripped out. All I did was line up the Speed Out tool with the messed up phillips "cross-hatch" and the Speed out grabbed hold and spun out the screw. I was amazed. No drilling out the center of the screw, etc.

BTW, the reason I bought the new extractor was the two in my tool box were made for much larger jobs, like starter/generator bolts.

 

Even better.

 

Easyout would be the answer.

You could try a dermal tool to make a horizontal line in the screw head in which a straight edge screwdriver may fit.
If that fails then Easyout.

As for size...take the old one to Home Depot or like and match it up or order new parts at Toyota.

 

I'm going to look that up, interesting. Thanks.

 

You know, I have tried cutting a new line in screw heads at least a half-dozen times and never worked for me.

Of course, I do not have a Dremel and always tried to use a file. I think I probably stopped too soon to be effective, using a half-round file in a confined space is never fun.

 

Good point! If the latter (i.e. the threads in the piece into which it screws) one trick I learned from my old Dad (Master-Joiner) I've used in the past is to insert a sliver of wood (toothpick, matchstick, trimmed-down popsicle stick) into the stripped hole before inserting new screw. For more security, the wood-sliver may be soaked in glue (wood-glue, Gorilla-glue, Epoxy) to make it even stronger! - hope this helps - Wil

 

Here's a demo:

Kirk, does it work? Speed Out Damaged Screw Extractor | FOX31 Denver

My take: it's good for screws, because unlike the typical extractor kit, it includes drill bits housed in a screwdriver, holding the drill bit steady.

Stripped screws are symptomatic of the ubiquitous power driver's, too. Not a problem doing it by hand, but all the pros use the power drivers.