I'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR HATCH ON MY 2007 PRIUS FOR SOME TIME. THE RUBBER HAS SOFTENED AND PARTIALLY MELTED IN WARM WEATHER, MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO GRIP AND DEPRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON, PARTICULARLY FOR A WOMAN WITH WEAK FINGER JOINTS. SEVERAL TIMES IT HURT MY HANDS TO GRIP AND PRESS THE RELEASE. NOT TO MENTION THE GOOEY MESS IT MADE ON MY FINGERS WHEN I'D TRY TO OPEN IT. THEN ONCE THE WEATHER TURNED COLDER, IT SEEMS THE RUBBER SOLIDIFIED IN AN ABNORMAL SHAPE AND RECENTLY IT HAS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVEN A MAN WITH STRONG HANDS TO DEPRESS AND OPEN THE HATCH. I FEAR IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO WRESTLE THE SPARE TIRE OUT OF THE TRUNK WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE HATCH. SURE, YOU CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE HATCH AREA BY FOLDING DOWN THE SEATS, BUT HOW COULD YOU OPEN THE COVER FOR THE TIRE WELL AND PULL OUT THE SPARE TIRE? AND IN AN EMERGENCY, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK TO ASSIST SOMEONE. WE'VE OWNED FOUR PRIUS CARS, INCLUDING A 2008 MODEL, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA REALLY SHOULD RECALL THESE MODELS AND FIX THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. *TR