2007 Prius Hatch Handle Repair
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- How to repair a 2007 Prius hatch handle that has had disintegrating rubber.
NEW INFO (Aug 2016): Since creating this video, a new company is now making a rubber replacement part for this handle!
You can purchase the rubber replacement with slotted screwdriver at www.ieworksmn.com/
You can buy direct from them but their site also links to their Amazon and ebay listings.
If you have trouble getting the screw off using an offset screwdriver as I did (one of the screws was stripped), hopefully this guide will be useful).
Repair notes:
Rubber area measures 3 15/16 x 1 1/8 (you can round the 3 15/16 up to 4)
Replaced screws with #8 half-inch slotted hex machine screws.
Used a 7/16 deep well socket set to remove the nuts (metric conversion: extension.misso...) Thanks to Dave Nagy below, for providing the proper metric size of 10mm
Tools and Parts Used:
Bicycle inner tube (you can get one at Walmart, Target or any bicycle shop)
Scissors to cut the inner tube
Deep socket set (10mm socket, or a 7/16 socket will work if you don't have a metric set)
Screw driver
Sheet metal screws, #8 x 1/2" (You can get these at any home improvement store)
Drill bit or other hole punch to put hole in the inner tube
Servo tape (purchased at a local hobby store)
Tweezers to pull off servo tape backing
Nylon auto interior pry tools (purchased off ebay, I'm not sure where else you can purchase them)
Charcoal lighter fluid (this is used to remove the melted rubber goo. Other people have also used Goo Gone or Goof Off).
I can't thank you enough for this video! You've made it possible for this old lady to fix her latch. As noted in the comments, I used WD-40. Also as noted in the comments, all the time is spent cleaning off the gunk. With this video, taking it apart and putting it back together are a snap. Again, many thanks for saving me a trip to the dealership and a ridiculous bill!
Happy that it was helpful!
Just so everyone else knows, it takes a 10mm deep socket. I used the recommended 7/16 and noticed it was starting to strip. Great vid!
A Euro or Japanese car (basically any non US manufacturer) is never going to use SAE/English, except the spark plug wrench. Toyota = use metric when in doubt.
Thank you for sharing this! Your instructions were clear and easy to follow. A couple of comments:
1) If you don't have charcoal lighter fluid, use WD40. It's also less caustic on the surfaces and fingers. Be patient - 80% of the work on this project is cleaning up the old rubber.
2) The nuts are 10mm if you have deep metric sockets.
3) I was able to remove the screws without stripping them by using a #1 Phillips screwdriver. I think a driver bit on a small (
Excellent tips! Thanks for adding to the "knowledge base" for this repair!
Thanks for the video. Really helped. I replaced instead of repaired and found that the new switch was a bit more responsive than the old one. If you do replace (or remove to repair) you don't need the angled screwdriver. The screws will be more easily accessible once the switch assembly is out of the car.
One other note: If you replace and have the keyless entry option (with secondary small locking button) make sure that you order the right part. Some websites don't show it properly.
Can't thank you enough for the video, I ordered the entire assembly and without your video would never have figured out how to get to the electrical disconnect.
Excellent! It's great to know that the video has been so helpful!
Fantastic! Thank you, this is exactly what I needed. I am tired of getting sticky black fingers every time I open my Prius hatch, and your instructions make the fix look like a doable DIY.
Thanks so much for making this video. Followed your directions and now have a hatch that works better than it ever did. Every time I use it, I think: "I fixed that!". With your help.
I used this to replace the "garnish" (the panel on the back with the handle). This was VERY helpful. Get the tools he suggests, especially the nylon trim prybars. The screws that hold that panel on were only about finger tight on mine; don't over-tighten them when you put them back on.
Thanks for the help.
Greetings. Thanks for the video. I used this video to [re]orient all of my parts, when reassembling, instead of taking pictures with my phone. This is one of many visual descriptions on youtube, and all of them show how to take apart the entire rear panel in order to get to the plastic switch parts. I did not do this. It was not much trouble to simply - cautiously - pop out all of the plastic part. Then I soaked and scrubbed them in WD-40. Then I dried them and reassembled all parts, including an $8 dollar rubber replacement part with the screws from ebay. It is not necessary to disassemble the rear door panels to clean off the melted rubber and reassemble.
Great Video! I was glad to learn how to remove the panel and latch because I was tired of having black goo on my hands when I opened the hatch. I made a small change. I used a smaller piece of rubber tire over the switch and then I used 3 layers of black duct tape and wrapped it on all sides so that it will remain waterproof. Then I screwed in the screws to hold it in. One thing to note - it is possible to remove the switch without removing the panel, but that is not obvious before the repair because of all the black goo. Again, great video...it gave me the knowledge needed to do the repair without buying the expensive Toyota replacement.
+Matt Keown Duct tape usually comes off in freezing weather, within a day or so, in my (very little) experience. Won't it come off after enough weathering in very hot or cold climates? hmmm.
Great video! Very helpful. Thanks! I took a similar approach except that I put the double stick tape on the back of the switch and lapped the rubber around the edge on the front and back sides. The double stick tape plus the compression from the two screws should (hopefully) keep the rubber in place long term.
Excellent video! I was able to do exactly what you described and it works like a charm. The wife is more than thrilled that she can get the hatch open again with ease.
One thing that might be a good idea is to cut a paper template for the 2-sided tape and cut it from a single piece of 1" wide. That way the tape can be a kind of gasket for the new rubber cover, and keep water out of the switch area. I did it your way and I think it will be fine. Thanks for the help!
Thanks so much for making this video. This was incredibly helpful in replacing the rubber cover on my car.
Our Prius is a 2007, too.
Since I've posted that comment, I've learned that the button is simply there to be pressed in order to unlatch the hatch, and that the two hydraulic lift supports are supposed to do all the work of opening up the hatch. But, those supports wear out over time and you end up naturally pulling more and more on the garnish. Of course, that doesn't completely explain why mine is held on with clips and others' have garnishes that are bolted on. Anyway, replace your supports as soon as they show signs of not doing all the work of opening your hatch.
Mmmmm......I wonder if I can figure this out. Think I'll give it a try. Very nice video!
Thank you, very good presentation. Amazon has the OEM replacement pad & screws for about $15.
Thank you very much, very helpful video. I only add silicone to the edges, to strengthen protection against water, because in my country there is a lot of raining.
Good tip! Thanks!
Great video. Now I can fix it myself vs the shop at $$$. Too bad Toyota hasn't recalled this item as it seems like every Prius owner I talk with has the same issue, but the dealers want you to bring it in for a whopper of a repair bill for such a simple thing.
Thank you!! I did this today. I also had the garnish break and had to use glue to repair it.
Well, I was lucky. I haven't been able to open the hatch, but today was a 50 degree-day in the middle of 20s and 30s. I did get the hatch open, letting me easily see the "rubber". I couldn't loosen the two screws, but was able to scrape away most of the rubber with a screwdriver blade and hooked piece of coat hanger. Got the switch really free, and covered it pretty well with ducktape. I'll check that through the winter, maybe add more. Works for now, maybe as long as I need it to.
@Arnold R, I was unable to do this from the exterior of the car because I couldn't remove one of the screws. The handle is not parallel to the ground (it's not quite horizontal). It has a bit of an angle inward toward the car which makes it a bit difficult to get at the screws. In the end, I just couldn't get the right angle/grip on the screw head to remove the second screw. I believe I read a post in a forum where a user stated they were able to make this repair with the handle still attached, so it may be possible. In the grand scheme of things, this repair isn't very difficult, but it's a bit time consuming.
Thank you for posting and for all the effort to bring this out to all Prius DIYers. I do have some questions though: Is it necessary to remove the interior panel? Can I just remove, clean and replace it without removing the logo trim?
Excellent. If the plastic garnish is broken, like mine, can be found for well under 50 bucks, just not in same color as your car. The rubber replacement for the switch cover is probably worth the 15 bucks from amazon.
Very helpful. socket - Only one mistake - don't use a 7/16" - use a 10 mm - Toyotas are manufactured in Metric, not SAE.
GOOD VIDEO!!!
Thanks for the feedback and yes, a 10mm socket would be the best tool. However, for those of us who don't own a metric deep socket set the 7/16" will work in a pinch. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Excellent instructional. Thank you.
I just had that replaced at the dealer my trunk is easier to open but I'm still having some issues with the latch I hear it click but sometimes it won't open all the way
Beautiful
FYI charcoal starter fluid is paint thinner also know as mineral spirits. So is lamp oil but with coloring added. Paint thinner is the cheap way to buy all these products.
It's now 2022. I'm curious how your DIY modified repair lasted. I now have to do something about my 2008 model's hatchback switch. It won't even open any more. Even if I wanted to take it to a Toyota dealer and spend all that money, the closest dealership to me is about a 2 hour drive.
If you're doing this repair just to replace the rubber cover, you can skip most of these steps. All you really need to do is remove the two screws holding the switch in, pull it out, and take the cover off. (Scrape it off, actually, and keep a bottle of Goo Gone or CitraSolv handy to remove all the gunk.) You'll have a little more room if you take the license plate off first.
The rubber cover (Prius liftgate switch rubber grommet) is available separately from the switch: www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2141725.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xprius+liftgate+switch+rubber+grommet.TRS0&_nkw=prius+liftgate+switch+rubber+grommet&_sacat=0
It's ten bucks and change. If that link has expired, just search for "Prius liftgate rubber grommet" and you'll find it. The entire repair takes less than a half hour, and most of that time is spent cleaning up the old gunk.
Agreed. if you can get both screws out, definitely go that route (I even mention this option at 1:19). However, during my repair, one screw came out fine, the second screw was pretty soft and it stripped as I was trying to unscrew it. Therefore I couldn't get it out without removing the entire garnish.
Also, GREAT find on the rubber replacement on ebay! Thanks for adding that link!
Update: It appears that the garnish, which is made of plastic, is held in place by four bolts that are molded into the back side of the plastic garnish. Over time, as the hatch's two hydraulic lift supports wear out, the owner/user naturally begins tugging and/or pulling on the garnish, using it as a handle. Unfortunately, the plastic garnish is not designed to be used as a handle. Sooner or later, the plastic will snap somewhere around the heads of the bolts. (This piece of plastic is a $300 part at my dealer!) Prius owners need to be aware that they should replace their hydraulic lift supports as soon as they appear not to be doing their job of lifting the full weight of the hatch. If you press the button to release the hatch, and the hatch doesn't magically lift all on its own, replace those lifts. (It's an easy DIY. Parts are about $50 each. Watch a few how-to videos on UA-cam.)
This was not clear to me since I bought my prius used; the hydraulics never worked right in that regard and indeed after a while my garnish snapped right off. What lame design. So now I need to replace the whole garnish (can't find the part for less than $250 online for the keyless entry version) and some new lift supports are in my future too.
+OriEri I suggest replacing those lifts/struts right away. Because the hatch is very heavy and your lifts are weak, should one suddenly fail, someone could be seriously injured. When I was looking to replace them, I was fortunate to find two OEMs in stock at a local O'Reilly's Auto Parts at a reasonable price. I read comments from some people saying they had problems with after-market parts. Also, in addition to avoiding injury, new lifts will making opening your hatch easier and help you avoid stressing and breaking your new plastic garnish. I'm in the habit of using my right hand to release the hatch, and my left hand to help lift it by pushing up on the spoiler. Obviously, there are times when I'm carrying things and I need to put them down. Crappy design. (I'd like to attach a strap or handle via the license plate bolts so as to avoid pulling on the garnish even less, but one of the fastener nuts broke internally and so I can't remove it. But if I could, that's what I'd do.)
Of course, should have thought of that one.
Watched this video because the "garnish" on mine has loosened up slightly and I was looking for a way to tighten the part down. The actual latch doesn't have any issues, but this garnish piece is starting to bend away from the rest of the hatch when I pull it up. It feels like the nuts may have loosened up that hold it in place. I had this same issue with the spoiler, which required me removing the interior cover and re tightening the bolts (discovered spoiler was loose after a heavy rain; carpet above spare tire storage area was saturated). I didn't realize that the two strut supports were supposed to actually lift the hatch- thought it was only to hold the door up after fully extending it. Looks like I'll be doing those two struts so that I don't continue to pull on the garnish piece.
A simple method to use in order to avoid eventual fracturing of the plastic garnish is: when the struts wear out and it takes some real oomph to raise the lift gate, after initially pulling rearward on the handle to activate the switch, the remainder of the heavy lifting should be done by grasping the bottom edge of the lift gate (as opposed to grasping the garnish) and pulling upward, all the while being cognizant of not crushing your fingers/hands in the process!
Of course, this should be considered only a temporary technique until such time that the struts can be replaced (preferably sooner than later).
This is yet another problem with the Prius hatch locking assembly.
I've been driving since the mid-60's, have always bought new and had over a dozen cars. Nothing comes close to the stupidity and constant breakdown of my 2006 Prius' hatch assembly!
Twice due to stupid design the hatch would pop open on it's own, leading to a door ajar warning on the dash. If in a garage and not used for a few days it drains the battery. You can't start the car. Then the fun begins. You have to crawl in the back seat and manually undo the latch. Twice my dealer "fixed" it or so he claimed replacing the motor on the hatch for almost $300. A few month before I had them discontent the hatch from the door ajar warning going off constantly again so I wouldn't run down the battery a third time.
Today is the last straw. Was at Lowes had 10 bags of soil. Couldn't open the hatch to load them in.
Really Toyota? This is poor design and obviously defective. NEVER again will I buy a Toyota anything. Already 4 or was it 5 recalls on this car, not including this.
Toyota no longer stands for quality it stands for Japanese JUNK. Buyer beware.
Thank you! Very helpful!
i wrapped the duct tape around to the back and then screwed it on. I think the pressure will keep the tape in place...but only time will tell.
Help please my 2007 prius latch will not go back in the position to allow the trunk to close. Any help would be wonderful
THANK YOU! I am tired of my hand turning black from opening my hatch!
Do the washers you said to keep go on top of the rubberor under? I imagine on top .
I just covered the sticky part with a section of bicycle inner tube.
Is there anyway possible you can show how to diy repair video on both power outlets. Dealer checked the fuses and all are good =/ thx.
Good to
WD40 Works great on taking the rubber gunk off the plastic parts. Doesn't damage the plastic. Video was great, thanks.
nice video and very useful info...
Auto Zone sells the replacement part for $47.00 vs $80.00 from Toyota.
What's the item name please? Thanks.
+Arnold R did you learn the name of this part? very hard to identify.
Per my Toyota dealer it is the 'Back Door Switch Assembly - the part number is 84840G - 47020' for the auto open version for my 2008 Prius. They wanted 75$.
Keyless, not auto open. Sorry.
I need to replace the Lift Gate Garnish. Does that attach to the handle button? Do you have a DIY on replacing that?
I know I'm replying to this late, but I just thought I'd leave this comment here for others. If I remember correctly all you would need to do is, once you have the inside panel removed, you would simply unscrew the screws holding the garnish. I did the garnish replacement on a 2005 Scion and it was quite simple once you had access to the screws.
A few months ago, the garnish panel on our 2007 Prius came off in my wife's hand. Ours is held on with some plastic clips, some of which must have broken. It snapped back on, but it's come numerous times since. The dealer said it might be necessary to replace just some clips, or maybe the whole panel--which will be just over $400 for the part and an hour of labor. Have you heard of some Prius's hatch garnish panels being held on with clips, while others using nuts and bolts? Why would they have ever designed a hatchback handle lift to be held on with plastic clips?! Am I missing something?
I'm not a mechanic and I've only replaced two garnishes: one one this Prius, the other on a 2005 Scion TC. Both were bolted in. It seems odd that a piece with this much use/wear would be fastened with snaps. What model year is your Prius? Perhaps someone here with a little more knowledge can help. Or you can try a forum, priuschat.com, where you will find a lot of people who know a ton about the Prius and are always willing to help.
DIY and Repair Videos I posted a couple of updates, which I assume you saw. I've learned the importance of replacing the hydraulic lift supports on any and all hatchbacks, SUVs and station wagons as soon as they stop doing all the heavy lifting.
Anyway, I meant to thank you for the suggestion and link to priuschat.com; I found it very helpful.
is the same for the trunk with keyless opening? can i do that without buying entire electronical part?
Yes. This repair can be made without buying a new handle. As long as your handle still works, you simply remove and clean the parts as shown. Then replace the old rubber with either the bicycle tube, or you can purchase a better rubber replacement made by ieworksmn.com (which wasn't available at the time I made this video).
Like Arnold R. below, I'd really like to have that part name for Autozone.
Jerry Ryberg I'm not sure what part user "fullyautomated" is referring to. The handle/switch is a very specific part and I'd be surprised if any Autozone or other general auto parts store carried a replacement handle or switch. I even called my local Autozone and confirmed that it's not a part that they carry.
DIY and Repair Videos Hmm. OK, thanks.
My dealer wants to charge me $565 to replace mine. thanks for this
+Darius Corvo Happy to help! That is a crazy amount of money for this repair. However, I imagine they are essentially quoting the price to replace the entire rear garnish (the long trim panel with the Toyota emblem). The hatch handle is inside this larger piece. That's a bit overkill, but kind of makes sense that they wouldn't stock all the individual smaller pieces. Have fun with your repair and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you will have saved all that money!
Is this Paul Rudd??
Hi, buddy ! We have a Hatch Liftgate Switch Cover for Toyota Prius Sienna Scion and we want you to take an installation video for us.The new product will be a gift for you.If you are interested, please give us reply, Thank you.
Mine melted lol
Looks like the cover can be replaced from the exterior with an offset screwdriver.
Saw a guy do it on his Prius ua-cam.com/video/tuE5F3qZgnY/v-deo.html
This is fantastic! Thanks for that link Ron. I did a bit of research and that video is posted by IE Works Minnesota, a company that was founded in 2015 and now makes a rubber part specifically for this repair! Wish they were around when I was repairing mine!
Their website is ieworksmn.com. You can buy the part directly from them, or their site also provides links to purchase the part on Amazon or ebay. I have added this info to the notes above and have annotated this in the video. Hopefully my video will still help anyone who has trouble getting the switch or screws out or who wants to remove the switch to clean it out as I did. As I mentioned at 1:19 in my video, I actually did try to remove the switch with an offset screw driver first, but one of the screws stripped and wouldn't come out. Therefore, I had to pull it apart.
Metric car