Replacement Center Dash Panel

When mine was removed to install a satellite radio, the cheezy plastic inserts broke and had to be 'plastic welded' back on. So I have held off on going there.

Have you given any thought to some better way to attach the facia?

Bob Wilson

 

Thanks for this info!

 

learned this today breaks like crazy. lol

 

Thanks, I just ordered a replacement from AutoNation, $175 delivered. The original fascia has cracks and the driver-side, vertical louvers were so loose I put a 'paper shim' (Ok, spit wad!) to hold it. The tabs had been 'plastic welded' in the past when we added Satellite radio . . . which we no longer use. The cassette deck no longer takes an adapter so I've been just listening to podcasts with the iPhone in my pocket.

Obviously this will be a good time to do some repairs and/or replacements. So questions are in order:

• Can the CD be removed or will I always get an error like the "No CD in player" that shows up now?
• How many of the audio devices can I remove or will I get error messages each time the car starts?
• Are removal of any audio devices likely to result in an immobilizer issue?
  
• Suggested replacements?

I am thinking about putting a socket in and running the MFD signals and power to a loop-back connector near the glove box. This would allow me to tinker with the signals and not have to take the fascia off and on. One bad day of soldering and heat shrinking and the access problem is solved. I'll also put in a similar setup for the engine controller, ICE temperature probe.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Bob Wilson

 

I shot this video back in August of removing the center panel, but only now got around to editing it for a hosting service. Caveat, the panel in the vid is newer than an original one from 2001-3, so it might still not be this easy, but I wanted to post just in case technique has anything to do with it and maybe some breakages can be avoided.

(In case the video embed feature in the forum software gives trouble, here's a direct link.)

-Chap

 

Hey bwilson4web, couple suggestions.

If your tape adapter won't work. Try a Bluetooth to FM adapter instead. There are several currently available for less than $20. Here is one example I picked at random.

I bought mine (different make/model) at Walmart. Works pretty good for playing music and podcasts from my phone.

If you want to remove the CD player from the Gen 1 Prius. I think you can just pull the player and pass-thru cable from the dash. Then plug the harness that previously plugged into the pass-thru directly into the radio. And the radio shouldn't even care. Unless you press the Disk button on the dash. Haven't actually tried this though.

I have driven my 2003 Prius with the center dash torn apart. No radio, no CD, no touchscreen, not even any ac/heater controls. No problems with immobilizer.

 

11 years since this post and its still not any cheaper!

 

I followed the advice in that video, and removed one of mine without breaking it.
These cars show up in the picknpull now (gen2 also), and so you can go there to get one (though I see some are also broken..)
I made a custom one for my daughters car, was lots of work, but looked kinda cool, definitely different.
Good luck with your gen1.

 

Pics?