Anyone else had this problem yet?

I have had our hatchback handle assembly unit completely shear off on one side in early Fall, and it came out of its mounts again in December.

I am not using the car for anything other than normal, everyday use. I maybe use the hatchback a dozen times/week, if that. Not overloading, not slamming, just normal opening/closing.

Anyway, I've had it replaced by the dealer twice already, under warranty of course, but now it's coming out/apart again, :flame: so I'm going to try and get it fixed before the bumper-to-bumper warranty expires in another 1500 miles.

Is this a potential recall issue or am I just unlucky enough to have an isolated problem?

The dealer admits it isn't the stoutest, smartest design for a hatchback (how about just an integrated one-piece door unit with no external mount that can break off??).

That's wild. Sounds like you're the "lucky "one I can't say I've heard of that problem before. Is it the entire plastic piece that comes off that the handle hides under? I know bBist.com makes a CF replacement so it doesn't seem like the OEM would need to be superduper solid to do the job. I've never looked real close to see how those are fastened, but it can't be too complicated. Are they replacing it or just fixing the faulty one?

Anyone else had this problem yet?

I have had our hatchback handle assembly unit completely shear off on one side in early Fall, and it came out of its mounts again in December.

I am not using the car for anything other than normal, everyday use. I maybe use the hatchback a dozen times/week, if that. Not overloading, not slamming, just normal opening/closing.

Anyway, I've had it replaced by the dealer twice already, under warranty of course, but now it's coming out/apart again, :flame: so I'm going to try and get it fixed before the bumper-to-bumper warranty expires in another 1500 miles.

Is this a potential recall issue or am I just unlucky enough to have an isolated problem?

The dealer admits it isn't the stoutest, smartest design for a hatchback (how about just an integrated one-piece door unit with no external mount that can break off??).

I've had the same problem. Mine busted off within the first week, that was the day before Thanksgiving. My dealer has been dicking me around on this. So, I burned them on the last survey and I can't wait to get this one. The first time they replaced the main piece only, because they didn't order all the parts for the lift. Maybe that is what they did on yours.

I'm taking mine in tomorrow got get the rest of the parts put on. They are some kind of pins or something. Or so that is what the Service Writer tells me. These parts were supposed to be in stock within three days and that was three weeks ago. The parts dept. and writers suck at my dealership.

Anyway, I think that I"m going to ask to watch them put these parts in tomorrow. Maybe I can update you some more on this tomorrow............Don

That's right, it's the entire plastic shroud/piece that the handle is underneath. It is bolted into the hatchback door on both sides using plastic posts. They wanted to just fix it at first, but couldn't. Had to do an entire replace both times.

Both times it took 3-4 weeks for the dealer to get all the parts in on special order, which was definitely a pain, especially since I had the handle shroud lashed to the rear wiper with a piece of cord so I could still open the hatchback! (It worked, even tho it had fallen off the door.) Yeah, I was feeling pretty smooth for those coupla weeks, let me tell you...

Good idea on watching them install, Don. Let me know how it goes and I'll do the same if I can get them to fix mine for the THIRD time, too.

Mine just broke the other day. Has any one had this problem recently or is this just a few isolated incidents.

never felt all that sturdy to me but i haven't had a failure yet and mine is3 years old with 64k on it but it seems like i don't use mine as often as the op maybe 3-6 times per week(max)

I was at a local (Winter Park Fl.) garage the other day on business and the owner commented on my xB.
He said he had a spare hatch handle for when I needed it. I looked surprised :doh:
He services a local pharmacy that has a fleet of xB's and told me they have to replace them all the time.
News to me - but, there you have it.
I'm being extra careful with mine, now that I know it's a weak link.

hmm , more than 60 k never had a problem , I HAVE to think that the pieces are failing because of quickly pulling up on the handle to open or by slamming the rear hatch.

Anyone else had this problem yet? Apparently so: http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=153945

it was only made for light duty. being that the hatch release is a button, u dont have to pull on it much. i usually grab the bottom of the hatch after popping the door. this part should have been made stronger considering it will get alot of use

Mine came off recently, but only after an issue from being rear ended. I went to open the hatch and even though I was still holding the handle, the latch did not relese from the lock. Being myself I yanked the handle almose clean off.
When I took it back to the body shop it did the same thing a few times. you could hear the mechanism release, but the last part or something wouldnt.(really hard to describe)
Then suddenly it just started working again and the problem couldn't be duplicated. They fixed the handle back into position and all was good. Until recently.

It happened when my wife went to open the hatch, then it ripped off one side again. After looking at how it attaches, there are two posts, one on each end, and two clips. One clip was sheared and the other not holding the cover.
I ended up mixing some expoxy, applied to the clip and broken clip and post. Now it's solid as a rock.

hmm , more than 60 k never had a problem , I HAVE to think that the pieces are failing because of quickly pulling up on the handle to open or by slamming the rear hatch.

No, that is incorrect. :no: It is poorly designed. Plastic posts/screws for a hatchback handle that has to swing down from 6-7' up in the air? C'mon, Toyota. Just count your blessings that your plastic posts are stronger than mine (and apparently those of many others).

Mine broke again recently but at 74K I am all the way out of warranty so that's the way it goes. Very disappointing, but other than that annoyance (which I am reminded of several times a week when I use the hatch) the car has been outstanding in every way.

I'm curious to assess the hatch design on the new xB.

Hmmm...never had a problem either, but mine only has 9000 miles on it and I don't use the hatch much....Maybe I got one with the sturdier plastic posts.

Mines popped right off! I love this car but rear hatch poorly designed!!!
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff139/dsgb_in_a_box/mod_xb005.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff139/dsgb_in_a_box/mod_xb007.jpg[/img]

mine rattled clean off once or twice, but I locktighted the posts, if it breaks I'll just epoxy or panel bond it together, but mine seems pretty sturdy since its been lock tighted

isnt that new chrome one from scionpro a full replacement? the left side of mine is feeling a bit loose and i can see whats coming next

it probably just needs a tightening get some blue lock tight, its made to come back off unlike the red, take both 10 mm nuts off put a little thread locker on there and put the bolts back on, get them hand tight and a quick snug, you'll be good, I think the reason they are snapping is because they are getting loose and no one realizes it

They break all the time ( I work at a Scion Dealership) so I designed a stronger handle 2 mil thicker at the studs and 1mil thicker in the overall body with extra internal ribbing done all in chrome. This is my part produced under my Dare 2B Different Motorwerks label. 99.95 with free shipping for s/l members. You can find it here http://www.scionpro.com/cart/product_info.php?products_id=575
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z143/scionpro/GrabHandleInstalled006-1.jpg

Yeah, the rear hatch handle isn't defective....its just crappy and cheap.
There's a reason that the 1stgen xB was so inexpensive.

since I unbolted, put locktite on the studs, and rebolted the handle back on mine hasn't come loose, and doesn't even budge or feel cheap, if your having issues with it coming off, get some blue locktite undo the nuts, lock tite, put nuts back on and tighten down

The problem is not the nuts on the studs but the stud mount itself. The plastic just shatters. That is why on the new chrome handle I made the stud area thicker with more ribs.

well I've had no issues other then mine originally coming loose by rattling the nuts off

ill be poppin for a chrome one soon

Mine was off in the center. Dealer replaced it.

mine was loose just ont he left side, then the middle came off today. how can i fix it if i dont have it under warranty anymore the car has 52k on it. also i dont have the money for the chrome one

Not sure, call and see if it is covered. You can't be too far out of warranty..

anybody got a bsp hatch handle that they are willing to sell?

waiting for dealer to call me to see how much it is and if they will cover it at all. its tightened down with screws and bolts but the plastic is gonna break off i know it. its gonna be hanging off by tommorow night. is there a way to completely take it off including the wire to the lights till i get a new one?

Mines popped right off! I love this car but rear hatch poorly designed!!!
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff139/dsgb_in_a_box/mod_xb005.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff139/dsgb_in_a_box/mod_xb007.jpg[/img]



hey how did you take it all the way off, mine broke and was hanging. how did you take it off including the wiring? does it just unclip inside the hatch?

That facebook page is a load of crap people. A bunch of the same few people creating multiple accounts because they think they can start a "class action lawsuit" over this. Apparently they have not only zero understanding of how this would never be a class action lawsuit, but are just plain dumb to boot. Its funny how for the past couple of years, these random users pop up on forums with just a handful of posts, just to talk about their hatch handle breaking.

you are an idiot!

^^^ This is the first post you made (out of 11 so far) that doesn't advertise this lawsuit. So is this the only thing bringing you to ScionLife?

Yes, it is. They think a small number (which they hugely exaggerate) of handles breaking constitutes a class action lawsuit. They also now are trying to lump xb and tc ones together.

I am not saying some have not broke them, but go read the many, many other posts these people have started on forums and the facebook page and you will see who the idiot is :P

Really, please share where you obtained those statistics then. I see countless tc's, as many of us do, every day. Even here in minneapolis, where supposedly the issue would be worse due to extreme cold, I just saw one with a broken handle for the first time ever (here or in any of the cities I travel to regularly) about 5 days ago. Just because you are mad because you and some had an issue does not mean "4 out of 5" have the same problem. Maybe a handful out of a thousand most of us would believe, but you are clearly just trying to create WAY more incidents than have ever occured in hopes you will get some money out of Toyota.

Go work for scion then if you dont already!

Great answer. In other words "we have performed zero statistically valid studies. We just have people creating user names on forums to up the numbers" .

I am not sticking up for Scion or anyone else. I dont doubt that some people have broken them. I just have a severe distaste for ambulance chaser style lawyers that will make anything into a lawsuit, no matter how much truth stretching it takes, just to make a buck. I also get sick of kids thinking a relatively small issue is grounds for a lawsuit, further feeding the lawsuit chasers and taking credit away from those with valid cases. And this seems to be an example of both. Especially with the baseless statistics you throw around. Heres a bit of amazing info: most of those on your facebook page will say they have this issue, otherwise they wouldnt be on the page ;)

I purchased a carbon one and when i went to remove the stocker one of teh posts broke but it was good until I messed with it.


Trying to find another carbon one as the sun has not been nice to this one.

Mine broke this last winter on a very cold day. I'm guessing cold temps might make the plastic easier to break. Darn thing just snapped off in my hand when I went to open the hatch. It looked to me like something that was destined to break again, so I decided to experiment with the one I have. I beefed it up with two pieces of 1/2" angle aluminum and JB Weld. One runs along the bottom edge on the outside. I painted it with chrome paint and even my wife says it looks nice. The other piece is inside where the two center bolt assemblies broke loose. This was a bit more fabricated than the outside one, but it was all done with a dremel tool, so it wasn't exactly hard to do. Most difficult part was getting the bolt position exactly right. Both parts are attached using JB weld and some small pop rivets. The pop rivets on the outside piece attach on the underside, so you can't see them from street level. I'll make sure this holds up while I try to find one in the right color from a scrap yard. Then I'll beef that one up and replace. When I do that, I'll post a new thread with pics. My fixed one has been attached about a month now with just the two bolts instead of the four and it remains more solid than it ever was.

Class action lawsuit? Yeah, right. If this is the worst problem I have with my Xb, I will be very happy. Considering the fact that it has 100k on it and this is the worst problem that was not just normal maintenance, I am happy as can be so far.

Mine just made a popping noise a month or 2 ago I though it was a spot weld breaking. and the handle seemed to flex more after that. Now I know my handle will fail. I wish Toyota would pay to fix this. I've owned for almost 8 years now and have about 50k miles on it.