Any way to clean a dirty combination meter?

Below the combination meter display is a glass plate this is where the dirt is. The display you are looking at (and pictured) is nothing more than a mirror. Turn the display on and slide your hand across the top of the dashboard towards the display and you will see what I mean.

John (Britprius)

 

it'll melt some plastic; I wouldn't risk it. maybe you can get a fingernail under it and scrape it off?

 

You could try other cleaners that are suitable for plastics.

Also, you did clean the mirror as well, didn't you?

 

Replace the "glass." It's about $40 at the dealer.

 

It would be very difficult to make one. The lens is injection molded from acrylic (Plexiglas or Perspex) plastic. Just think like what it takes to mold the one piece safety glasses like those made by 3M. An injection mold would cost $30,000 to $50,000+ to make. Toyota could only afford it, because they make millions of vehicles to biing down the cost.

As I see from the Toyota parts catalog, there are three versions for the 2005 Prius. Most likely, they are special order.

I would first take out the lens and try to remove the spot with a mild polishing compound followed by a plexiglas polishing compound sold at aircraft, watercraft or motorcycle dealers. But the two compound would cost you near $20 already, For me, I'd bite the bullet and just get a new lens.

 

Here are directions for taking apart the rest of the dash. I've done it a couple of times--the first time took nearly two hours, the second time about a half hour. And if you take it all apart, you may see the problem more clearly and be able to fix it. Here's a video, too. Good luck.

 

whatever you do, don't clean plastic with fingernail polish remover.....that is acetone.

 

I suggest tryiing the polish intended for restoring yellowing and hazy plastic headlight lenses, especially if you have determined it is possible to purchase a replacement plastic window at a reasonable price if this should fail.

 

Are you referring to the Item #83857? That part number is 8385747100 .

Toyota refers to it as a "reflector."

 

The only optical part I can see in that diagram is 83857, the reflector. I don't think that's your problem. It's been a while since I had mine apart, but there may be clear plate as part of the large case, part 83182, or maybe on the dashboard itself.

 

The image doesn't completely load, but there is a "cover" for the computer part #8329147320.
The "cover" is Part #8382347100.

Overal, there are three(3) different combinations of meters and cases for the 2005 Gen III Prius.

The "reflector" is the same for ALL three, however.

 

There is a variation in other parts of the display in the option catalogue, but this part is the same for ALL Gen II models.

 

I suggest that the OP needs to determine whether the dirt is on the vertical transparent surface which is visible to the driver when seated; or the dirt is actually on the horizontal surface which can only be seen from outside the car standing near the driver's door, looking onto the dashboard. Once he is clear about that then it would be easier to determine what replacement part he should look for in the event cleaning is not effective.