melted back door/hatch/tailgate handle?

[Gibson99]

I just called my dealer to get a price on the little rubber button/handle release for the back hatch/tailgate on my sienna, and he said this is apparently becoming an issue on lots of 03-up 4runners and 04-up Siennas that use this type of back door release. But apparently there is no TSB or SSC for it that they know of.

I'm in Houston, TX. It gets hot, but i didn't think it got THAT hot... not to mention the fact that this handle is shaded from direct sunlight by the tailgate trim anyway.

So... Has anyone else here had their back door handle melt or at least get gummy/sticky?

[lbridges]

My wife's 4Runner (2008 MY) has had the problem for a little while now. While I'm a Tacoma guy, I looked over here specifically to see if anyone had a fix and saw your post.

EDIT: Found a reference about how to DIY repair: http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showt...109#post121109 Took me about a half-hour to R&R.

Part number for a 2008 Sport model (same "I think" for all models from 2006-2009) is 84840-35010, Switch Assembly, Back. My local dealer charged me $46.82 with a list price of $58.53.

[Gibson99]

there's a thread on it over in the sienna section here on TN. same part number covers 4runner from 03-up and sienna from 04-up.

wonder how hard it would be to replace the rubber cover part with something more durable and less likely to melt...

[MinivanMom]

Thanks for all the posts, I was just at my dealer today in hopes to get my Melted Switch cover replaced on warranty. I have a 07 Sienna and the rear hatch switch leaves a nasty smear of black melted rubber on my hands every time I open the back hatch. The dealership quoted $260 to repair with a new switch assembly and my extended warranty didn't cover it since the button itself did not have a "mechanical problem". I said no thanks, left frustrated... and will attempt the repairs myself suggested above. The dealer also said they have never seen this problem almost implying it was my fault.
We are in Charleston, SC where it is pretty hot but as Gibson99 says... it shouldn't get hot enough to melt the cover.

[Mark2010Sienna]

I am in Maryland - it is 100 degrees today and my rear latch felt like tar when I pushed it in. I thought it had some solvent or oil on it so I tried to remove it to clean it up. I tried to unscrew the cover but the screw head stripped and the rubber pulled off like playdough.

Now I have a ball of rubber, an exposed switch that still has the rubber residue on it. Another simple car repair!

[starfightr104]

Have this problem in our "07 4 Runner. Hot and humid here in Memphis TN area. Must be some kind of breakdown of the polymers...took 4 hot summers to happen. Gotta get this fixed, will try the do-it-yourself route.

[slvrAZtaco]

My wife's 2007 has the same issue. We live in Phoenix so I just figure we were a victim of the extreme heat, but now I see it is a bad part. Will have to try the DIY fix before it heats up again and we get black fingers.