Radio Knob $4 fix

Thank you the pics are a big help. Only question now is does the origional push to retrack button detent feature get negated / defeated by this fix as a compromise?

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Someone borrowed my car and brought it back missing the turning knob ... we searched and found it in a door pocket, popped it in place as shown in the picture but now it doesn't pop out when pressed. I didn't know to look for a spring--is that all that I need to get it to work properly? If so, where can I get a spring?

 

How about from Amazon?

 

Hi 2k1 Toaster,

It's good to see this chat about the same issue I have, well I bought a used Prius and it already has the volume knob missing. Do you still have any spare parts? It looks like it is difficult to remove a part from an existing one that sells from a junk..

 

I had this issue too. I recently got a 3D printer and got into CAD. So I designed a replacement and printed it out. And it cost, well maybe a few cents? And I didn't have to wait for shipping or leave the house

To my surprise, the replacement button fits great and works better than I thought it would. Although you do lose the ability to push the button in flush against the console (I never used this, and wasn't aware of it until after it broke off, so no harm here)

It's up on thingiverse now, just search for "Prius Generation 2 Volume Knob" (this forum doesn't allow me to post the link)

(the pix below show it in grey, but eventually I printed one in black to match better, as you should)

 

Okay, I want to print a larger bigger tuning knob for my 2014 Prius Level 5 (not V) Nav, lane assist, etc. I can't get the existing knobs off to get an idea on what I need to print. I've searched here high and low and this thread is the closest I got. Thanks

 

Sorry I may be a bit dense but I can't quite understand the instructions for assembly

• The instructions say "So wedge the #6 screw between the 2 #4 screws." but the parts list doesn't list a #6 screw and lists 1 #4 screw (instead of 2) Is the parts list correct?
• What is the #6-32 nut in the parts list used for? The instructions didn't mention where to put it.

Maybe I can figure it out after I buy the items but just running it through my head and getting stuck

 

I know it's been a few years, but I wondered whether you identified something in your design that could be changed to allow it to push in flush like the original.

 

So I've given it a shot and here's my experience. I used 1 #6-32 x 3/4" flathead screw and 2 #6-32 nuts

My volume knob broke off because my phone fell off the magnet and sheared the button while it was extended


Step #1 was to remove the broken metal insert. I was able to do it with some needle nosed pliars and jiggled it out of the split. I'm sure there must be an easier way if it was possible to loosen the friction while pulling the metal piece out, but I managed to do it by wiggling it.





The objective is to replace the broken metal piece with the screw, and use the two nuts to recreate the rimmed edge of the metal shaft. So the two nuts act as a centering mechanism


To set the screw in the button, you have to glue it in. I didn't have much luck with my epoxy putty stick because it was kind of firm. I used epoxy resin instead under the screw. After it was set, I put a bit more resin from the top of the screw as well

Then I took the final piece and screwed it back into the radio.

Two side notes:

• In my case, I'm fairly sure there's still a broken piece of the knob shaft in the radio, so the 3/4" screw is too long. It functions fine but sticks out further than it should. If I can get it out again, I will try dremelling it shorter.
• I thought having the spring would help me restore the push functionality, but I lost the spring before I could get the right height worked out. It doesn't pop in/out the way it is now

 

Following advice to pull the volume knob off before spraying contact cleaner into the rotary encoder, I succeeded ... breaking the shaft at a point where it appears there are three "teeth" surrounding a stepped-down diameter (I'm not clear on that, I really need bifocals.)

I will try this out in my own good time, but what I wanted to comment on is that I still have my spring, thanks to owning a variety of magnetic picker-uppers, and with the (inner) shaft broken, replacing the spring only serves to launch the knob (and itself) back out into the cabin.

I don't have the slightest idea what to google (and in the 2022 era, Google itself is a big part of the problem) to find a trade name for this rotary encoder with a spring and telescoping shaft ("telescopic" returns some results, but they get conflated with telescopes quite easily), but I suspect that the inaccessible bottom end of the broken inner shaft is what limits the spring to a knob-extender instead of a knob-launcher.

I have a secondhand 2008 non-Touring with SKS, no navigation, and as far as I know, nothing special about the radio.

If the contact cleaner actually worked, I think I will carefully choose my screw length to limit the amount of knob exposed to any future mishaps.