MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Yep, you're right Jay. Booking reading lessons as we speak.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

The clean-only method lasted for about 2 weeks, when the car sat idle for 4 days during vacation, the problem started up again. Therefore I thought I'd give the soldering a try, per instructions given by hobbit.

Cheap tools will work, if you feel adventurous, you can fix it for $10-$15. Luckily I had all these old tools in my toolbox.

I used a cheap old soldering gun, copper wire (hammered down to make the end sharp), solder, and a magnifying glass (unable to see details but helped). It worked! I haven't soldered anything for a long time, re-flowing the connections was fairly easy, I did 4 of the connections next to #60.

Good luck to those who want to try it out.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Further confirming my thoughts: - http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...923-mfd-issues-04-05-prius-26.html#post984717

 

You guys are adventuresome and handy. I have two left thumbs so I have 1 more year of extended warranty on my 2004. I hope something happens before then!!

 

Well, I almost got in an accident yesterday and narrowly avoided it. But in the process of bracing myself and the subsequent sudden stop, I cracked my MFD. Now, the LCD is in perfect working condition (no bleeding or discolorment). It seems that the glass in front of the screen is the only problem.
I've read the manual on how to remove the MFD, but I'm curious if I can just replace the glass with Plexiglass?
The only reason I think this can work is because i've done it with my iPhone when the screen cracked (Fix your broken iPhone screen for $5 - SlashPhone.com)
Is there an online schematic or whatever of the MFD itself? Is the glass in front of the LCD removable?

If this wouldn't work, where is the cheapest place to get a refurb unit?
I live in Columbus, Ohio and the Prius is a 2004(with NAV).
Just hit the 150k mark too!

 

Not a refurb, you need a salvaged MFD. Check out:

04 and newer Prius Parts Cars

JeffD

 

I've got a new chapter in the MFD saga, bringing to light what
might be another factory assembly problem that could contribute
to the difficulty. Read about it HERE.
.
_H*

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

I bow dow to you Mr. Hobbit.
We are not worthy.

I thought I recalled something about this in the original series you did. I remember when I re-assembled mine I was careful to assemble it so as to put the minimum stress on the plug by allowing the board to find its own centre before tightening the screws.

Just so you know, my MFD is still working perfectly about 2 years later.

Best $25 I ever spent. If I ever see you Hobbit I'll get you a drink or 6.

 

Hi Hobbit,

Great analysis, thanks for adding so much to our understanding of the MFD failures. However I disagree with your concluding comment:

"But the other important thing is that during reassembly, the four screws are partially threaded in but the rear board / connector mating angle is allowed to settle to its more relaxed position before the screws are actually tightened down. I'm really thinking that just doing that may actually help not-quite-failed-yet units continue working much longer than they otherwise would. Perhaps two more years hence and if enough '04/05 owners try it before their units actually fail, we'll actually be able to tell if it helps."

The 2004/2005 models are now 5-6 years old. If the MFD hasn't failed yet, then there's no reason to remove it and open it up.

But, if the owner is going to the trouble to open it up, then he or she might as well resolder pin 60 as well as any other questionable solder joints identified via visual inspection.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Thanks to Hobbit for the investigation into this issue and to patsparks and many others for the encouragement to fix the solder joint myself! A couple weeks ago (at about 86,000 miles) my MFD started acting up with the previously described symptoms (stereo turning off, no temperature or other data displayed, check a/c connection message, etc.) I made an appointment with Toyota service, but before I took my car in I found this forum! My husband and I decided to attempt the fix ourselves. The disassembly of the dash was a minor challenge, but not too bad. We quickly located pin 60. Out of sheer luck, my husband works with a NASA certified micro-soldering expert. He quickly found a "Grand Canyon" sized crack in the solder joint and repaired it. It's been 2 days, and there have been no problems!

Hobbit et al., I owe you a plate of cookies!

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Belated thanks to hobbit--using his detailed fix instructions we were able to find a local friend-of-a-friend with an electronics background and the right soldering equipment. The MFD in our 2004 prius had all the symptoms--the check A/C connection message, buttons slow or not working, the unit would just cut off and then come back on. Toyota quoted me $4,000 to put in a new one. Now fixed, and for alot less than $4,000.

 

I think hobbit is more like a god than a hobbit. I share your joy, I have been there too. My MFD is performing perfectly now, 2+ years after the fix!!

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

:hail:

I agree. I feel so unworthy ....

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

I have a Prius 2004 and now my MFD electronics seems to be acting up. Less than 90000 km. Sometimes the radio just shuts off, and once in a rare while, the energy monitor screen just stays blank. The grids and numbers are there, but nothing registers. I also get this message from time to time:



I got the 7-year extended warranty but when I took in the car they said there would probably be a diagnostics fee, despite my having an extended warranty. What gives? Shouldn't everything be covered, including the diagnostics? I got the impression that the dealership thought the item may not be covered, but they said they'd check, but obviously this worries me a bit.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Your car has a bad MFD. Typically the dealer will quote a diagnostics fee because in case no trouble is found, or a problem is found that is not covered by warranty, the service dept doesn't want to have spent the tech's time without receiving compensation.

Assuming that your car has a warranted problem, the dealer should waive that fee.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

Good to know. Thanks.

I would have assumed they would have already known about this issue since it's so prevalent, but I suppose they need to cover themselves.

P.S. For those of you with replacement (refurb) MFD units, has anyone had a recurrence of the problem, or all new refurbs free of this issue now? Sorry if I missed it in this long thread. My understanding is that 2006 or later Priuses don't suffer this problem, or at least don't suffer it in anywhere near the same numbers.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

My local dealer is saying Toyota Canada doesn't cover this as part of the Extended Care Protection. Nice. One big reason I got the extended warranty in the first place was for this issue.

A new unit is $4000, and a third party exchange program refurb is $1000.

EDIT:

After multiple calls to Toyota Canada, they said they'd look into it. The local dealer says it's not covered, they say presumably because it pertains to the stereo system which isn't covered and hasn't been covered in the past. However, both phone reps say it could be considered part of a computer monitoring system so it may be covered, but these frontline reps don't have the ability to make those decisions. So, it's being escalated to a review team at Toyota Canada.

What a pain.

 

Re: MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

So, are there any other Canadians who have recently tried to claim this under Extra Care Protection? If so, have you been successful?

These are the covered items. (Looks like this list is for Lexus, but I'm guessing it's more or less the same.) I see nothing about the MFD specifically, but I do note that the MFD displays engine status and controls the AC unit. If it was strictly for the audio system or something I could most definitely see them excluding coverage for it, but it's not strictly for the audio system.

Any recommendations for techs in Toronto who might do Hobbit's solder fix? I've done this sort of thing before on a similar failure on an old (multi-region) DVD player, but the connections were much larger and therefore easier to deal with for n00bs like me.