Hi guys, here's a picture of what my rear hatch looks like around the wiper blade area.

Over the years I have attempted to stop the rust from spreading by grinding away the rust, painting over with a rust paint, and attempting to seal the hole with fiberglass, then paint over it. I have yet to find a product that works decently and it seems I've only been able to slow down the inevitable.

Im looking for suggestions on products, hopefully something easily accessible for a Canadian (like Canadian Tire or Napa). POR15 has worked really nicely on my frame, but it's also really expensive. I don't care about aesthetics, just want to stop the rust!

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probably the easiest thing is finding a decent used hatch at a pick n pull. Mine looks even worse than yours but everything still works so I'm looking for a decent used black one and once I find it I will swap out my rusted one.

once it starts rusting... it's on the inside and it's pretty major job to cut all the rust out and seal everything up. my 2 cents.

I can find ok hatches in MN for $80 USD, mint ones go for $250 USD

we should setup a deal where you bring meds down and I bring T4R parts up.

My personal advice would be to apply some rust-inhibitor to it to prevent further spreading and start searching for a replacement hatch. I've come across several 4Runners in that color with a good hatch. Very common color. Only catch is, you might have to go pretty south to find a rust-free one.

Thanks for the replies, but I am really not looking to do an entire hatch replacement.

All the Youtube videos for rust repairs are such that they grind off the rust, then fiberglass/bondo over it. Which is exactly what I did before, but after only a season you can see the rust start to seep through the fiberglass again. I am wondering if maybe this time spraying it with a galvanizing compound would work better?

Professional Cold Galvanizing Compound Spray Product Page

Try Boeshield, used on rust forming on my 2005 rear hatch and seems to be holding, I only re-apply once a year. Can get a Lee Valley.
Boeshield T-9® Protectant and Lubricant - Lee Valley Tools

I have the same problem. I cant figure out how to remove the wiper. I think your rust is returning because it is rusty on the inside. I haven't pulled mine apart yet but accessing that area on the inside is impossible. What I'll gave to do is cut away the metal preventing access then re-weld it back afterwards.

What will probably work for you is to fo the bondo repair and then spray the inside with rust cure 3000 from Canadian tire. That should prevent it from coming back.

I'd spray inside the hatch everywhere else as well (remove the plastic cover and big metal plate to access it) as your hatch is probably rusting in other areas from the inside out.

The complication with replacing the hatch is that different years have different wiring and plugs.

LOLOL. In the time it will take to sand down the rust and lollygag with fiberglass and paint, you could find a friend and have a new hatch bolted in.

I'd go this route. If yours is this rusty up there, I'd bet the inside bottom is crap too. That's where the dirt, salt and water sits all winter.

Yup. It's rusting from the inside out. It can be fixed, but that is too much money. Unless it's the year 2080 and you need to have matching vin stickers on all body panels to show at the concours event you are attending, then I think a new hatch is peanuts compared to any other alternative.