The hatchback release latch of my 2007 Toyota Prius has degraded ("melted" almost). It no longer functions properly, and I am unable to open the back hatch door easily. Sometimes it requires considerable effort to get it open. I am concerned that in the case of an emergency, I will not be able to get the door open. This is a major cause for concern and it is a serious safety hazard.

- Corrales, NM, USA

I was driving home from work on the morning of August 16th, 2008 when my 2007 Prius began to hydroplane. I struck the left guardrail, spun right and then the car catapulted across the interstate. I hit a concrete barrier and the car then rolled onto its left driver side and skidded maybe 100'. I chalked it up to the roads being wet but the odd thing was that the car accelerated once I hit the left guard rail and started to cross over the interstate. At this point, the brakes and steering would not work. I crashed head on into the concrete barrier on the right side of the interstate. My story sounds very much like some of the posts I have read. It is frightening that so many people have experienced the same ordeal and that Toyota continues to deny it and blame it on the floor mats!

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

I suspect the current Toyota recall is more than a floor mat malfunction. I own an '07 Prius. Ninety percent of the time the car shuts down immediately upon "firmly & briefly" depressing the power button, precisely as described in the owner's manual. However, about 10% of the time it does not shut down on the first push, and will move forward when I take my foot off the brake. I have to push the power button a second time to stop the engine. The dealer actually told me I should push the "park" button before pushing the power button to turn the car off. It says nothing about doing that in the manual. Now they're saying you should hold the power button 3 seconds to turn off the car? the manual says (P. 141 and elsewhere) "the hybrid system will start and stop by firmly pressing the "power" switch briefly with the brake pedal depressed." Three seconds is certainly more than "briefly, " and more than it takes to turn off the engine 90% of the time. Fortunately, I haven't hit anyone or anything, I've gotten used to it, and I'm careful to be sure the engine has actually stopped before I take my foot off the brake. Once in a while, I have to push the power button a second time, an inconvenience hardly worth mentioning. However, I'm now concerned that the minor problem I'm experiencing could progress into something much more dangerous. Look at the mat: Someone would have to deliberately install it so it was over (rather than under) the accelerator pedal to cause a problem. I don't think it's the mat. I think there's a problem with the computer.

- Memphis, TN, USA

During normal driving with my 2007 Toyota Prius, the accelerator has become stuck causing the auto to continue at high speeds. The situation was solved when the driver's floor mat was pulled back towards the driver's seat. This has happened at least 4 times over the last year - twice to my wife an twice to myself. This is an extremely hazardous situation.

- Bethalto, IL, USA