Instrument cluster failure

The combo meter? Are there other issues? My dealer tried to hoodwink me into replacing mine. How is your 12v battery? I guess a low 12v can cause several strange issues.

 

Mine '05 goes out and comes back. For the past 60,000 miles (360K now)I found my "Combo Meter" would not sync at start up and be dead. Then Just as I was about to take it in, came back? It has been on and off since countless times I have not found the cause though I have found a cure you may enjoy:

This begins when I have started the Prius and noticed the Combo Meter is OUT.

• Action > Effect

1. Press Power > (quick off, if not, I press again & hold the button down 3 seconds)
2. Put foot on Break > (no dash light except the yellow Key FOB)
3. Press Lock on Key FOB (key FOB in hand) > (emergency flash once)
4. Turn on lights >(no indicator)
5. Take foot off break >(no indicator)
6. Press lock again > (emergency flash once)
7. Put foot on Break > (no indicator)
8. Turn lights on >( Headlamp indicator on)
9. Press power button.>>(Combo Meter returns)

I'll post a video of this when I get around to it.

 

I have a 2010 Prius with 26,600 miles. The speedometer and fuel gauge suddenly went blank about 10 days ago - the right side of the dash display remained normal. Since the failure of the combination meter, I have been using an iPhone app for a speedometer.

Took the car to a local dealer who confirmed, for $79, that the combination meter is faulty and will need to be replaced at a cost of $734. I called the Toyota Customer Service line, spoke with someone for about 45 minutes but basically got nowhere.

Ironically, the then called "Multi-function Display (MFD)" on my 2005 Prius (which I still have) failed in 2009. At that time the dealer quoted a total price of the repair at $4788.08 (the cost of the new board alone was $4244.44). On this occasion, Toyota covered the cost of the repair in the name of "customer loyalty" at a price which somehow was reduced to $946.90. Since that time, Toyota has extended the warranty on the displays irrespective of "loyalty." This warranty extension does not include the 2010 and later Prius models.

The customer service representative told me that the goodwill loyalty is a once-in-a-lifetime event and that since I had received it in 2009, I would never be eligible again for such a consideration. It did not matter that there was the subsequent warranty extension some years after my MFD had failed.

My current plan is to have the car repaired at the $734 price and wait and see if more owners begin to have similar problems.

 

this sounds wrong to mepretty sure there is a 15 year extended warranty.

 

Thanks for the reply. If there is a warranty extension that includes the 2010 Prius, I'm not aware of it and the Toyota Customer Service rep did not mention it. The only extended warranty that I know about includes 2004-2009 Prius models.

Maybe there will be a warranty extension if enough 2010 (and later) models have similar problems. I'm still a bit miffed that Toyota is not embarrassed by a combination meter that fails in a car with <27,000 miles.

The mph/fuel gauge portion of my 2010 Prius combination meter went out at 26,602 miles (just about 10 days ago). I checked fuses, obstruction, and the dimmer to no avail. The 12v battery is less than 8 months old.

The dealer confirmed that the dashboard combination meter is defective. A 45 minute call to Toyota Customer Service was of no help. Ironically, the then-called Multi-Function Display in my 2005 went out in 2009. Those displays are now covered under an extended warranty program. Got no such help on the 2010 model.

Just an aside - there are "apps" for smartphones that will function as a fairly accurate speedometer if your display goes out. I don't know of an "app" that will serve as a fuel gauge - just filled-up every 300 miles (odometer still working).

 

It seems line Gen III Prii have the same combination meter problem as the Gen II Prii have. I recommend you replace it with a used unit with mileage close to what you have now. I've replaced several.

Avi

 

Thanks for the reply. Finding a used meter for a 2010 Prius with only 26, 600 miles might be difficult. I am still a little put out with Toyota - this seems to be an ongoing problem that they do not wish to address. Not sure if other manufacturers are any better. Finally had a local dealer replace the part at a cost of about $825.

 

I'd buy my own, brand new, and install it myself.

You have a 2010 Prius 2. It shouldn't be that expensive.

2010 Toyota Prius Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

That's why I NEVER buy cars with high trim levels.

 

I have a 2010 Prius 2 and have the exact same issue.

Weird electronic issues started showing up several months ago:

1. My radio display started showing garbage characters upon power up, but would go back to normal after a restart.
2. A few weeks later the car would not get in "Ready" mode on the first try. Sometimes I have to hit the power button a second time, sometimes I have to completely turn off the car and try again. It is still like that months later.
3. A few weeks after that the right side of the display (with the clock and Hybrid System Indicator) went completely blank, but eventually came back on and I haven't had any issues with it since.
4. For the last week or so my left side display with the speedometer and gas gauge is completely blank. I can still see the "Ready" "Seatbelt" lights as well as the Mode and Trip pop-up displays on the left side, but no speedometer or gag gauge.

 

Check your 12 volt battery?

 

If I got a dollar for every time someone on this site recommended checking the 12V battery...

 

If I had 50 cents. ....

 

Just happens that the 12 volt battery does cause problems. If it is, it's an easy fix. They have to be replaced from time to time, anyway.

 

The only problem is 12V battery replacement in mentioned almost every time someone asks for help here, even if it has nothing to do with the problem.

 

Yeah, I've noticed that, too.

 

You do not sound happy about that. Check your 12V and replace if necessary or unnecessary.

 

Sorry for the delayed response. I finally received my battery tester and got a reading of 10.2 volts.

I replaced it with an Optima yellow top that got a test reading of 12.88 volts.

The good news is that the replacement was a lot easier than the Prius Gen 2 videos I watched on YouTube.

The bad news is that my speedometer and gas gauges are still missing.

Now that I've gotten the obligatory "check your 12v battery" task off of my list, what are my next steps? This is for a 2010 Prius 2 with a new 12v battery.

Thanks,

-Zork

 

okay, i won't suggest replacing the 12v. see post #8?

 

I wonder what the part costs them, what a reasonable price would be? These prices, and the lack of warranty, makes me want to get out of the car game.