Rear hatch latch issue apparently quite common

The problem must be quite common with the failure of part # 84905-47010, with the dealer apparently keeping several of these on the shelf -- the Toyota counterperson said they actually keep very few Prius-specific parts in-stock, because there is such a low failure rate.

So, 84905-47010 must be a somewhat common issue as they do keep them on the shelf.

What I can't understand is why I got the major runaround when I tried to order the latch switch.

I spent a frustrating half-hour or so this morning at a Toyota parts counter, after having spent at least 20 minutes on the phone with them over two separate occasions in the past month -- all in a quest to get them to order the rear hatch latch for me -- mine has suffered the rubber failure that has been reported many times on this board.

When I originally called and gave them the part number as posted by Patrick Wong and several others on this board, the counterman told me that it wasn't the right part, that 84905-47010 was a $250 part for another part of the car....well..this story goes on and on, with them trying to foist the "non-smart key" part on me -- which is what they special ordered for me..me refusing, etc. Finally, a mechanic got involved and told them what to get and behold, they had several of them sitting on a shelf.

They did discount it from $103 to $80 -- about $7 more than I could get it for from E-Bay, but I at least had it in hand today. The lesson here is that if you need this part and you have a smart key vehicle, insist on 84905-47010 and double-check when you pick it up.

 

Yeah, I saw that one, and a few others that were in the low $60-range. My issue is that the drawing made me a little nervous, especially since I had had such a hassle with the official Toyota parts counter over the phone. A photograph would have made me feel better. Also, I have used E-Bay for -- what -- 20 years and never had any issues with "less than honest sellers."

My last four E-Bay purchases all were misrepresented from kitchenware to chainsaw parts -- all by sellers with 99 percent or better reputations -- so a little leery of E-Bay at the moment.

Finally, I traveled to Oregon to spend Easter with relatives, where there would be no sales tax and my brother-in-law, nephew and I could spend part of the early afternoon installing the part together yesterday and hopefully finish in time to watch the Oregon Ducks Elite Eight game -- although the way that turned out, we should of stayed outside....

I have been seeing a scattering of reports about the 08-09's also. The issue with mine is that it was not "gooey and melted" as reported by so many, it just rotted away. Still "sound rubber" so to speak, it just came off in long stretched out pieces of rubber, sort of like a spider web, but again, not sticky or gooey. Maybe it is the damp Seattle weather.

A bit tedious of a job, but with the help I had, it really was not too bad. Followed Mr. Wong's instructions, as well as watched the videos, etc. Took about 90 minutes. Might have been less if we had held off on the microbrew samplings.

 

OPPS! Wifey has just started berating me about spending time on-line and not with the family on Easter morning, so I guess I had better sign-off -- BUT -- she reminded me that the switch had been acting quirky for the past couple months -- not always opening on the first try.

Yep, the new rubber seems much more "heavy-duty," but then I am comparing it to what the old switch felt like in the past several months or so -- started noticing a "strange feel" to the rubber about October. It started to drop down pieces about a month ago....The counter guy asked me why I just didn't replace the rubber only.

I told him:

1) Toyota does not sell it as a separate part
2) Wifey would never agree to the bicycle innertube fix I've seen online
3) As long as I go to all the trouble to disassemble the rear panels, I might as well install a new switch.
4) The mechanic who came in to help at the parts counter yesterday totally agreed with my opinion in point #3 about replacing the whole assembly -- and as I added -- switch had started to have an intermittent issue.