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2009 MFD intermittent blanking

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Shekibobo, Nov 6, 2018.

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  1. Shekibobo

    Shekibobo Junior Member

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    My wife was driving our 2009 prius (220,624 miles) and just as she was making a turn, the MFD went blank and the radio shut off. Everything else appeared to still be working. I got it home and have been troubleshooting. When the screen is off, bluetooth is also disabled. Radio can work fine. Side buttons are also off when the screen is blank.

    After sitting in the car for a while with it running, the screen turned on and immediately the Bluetooth connected to my phone. I've been monitoring it for a while now, and a few minutes ago the screen blinked and the radio went silent while it did.

    I have recently replaced the 12V battery and it's been running fine aside from burning oil. Anyone have luck determining what goes wrong on the '09 MFD? Loose fuse? Loose wire? Just dying of old age?
     
    #1 Shekibobo, Nov 6, 2018
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Potentially a bad spiral cable in the steering assembly

    Try turning it one way and the other to see if anything changes

    If not that, check the 12v health even thosugh new, or maybe the meter is going out
     
    #2 bisco, Nov 6, 2018
  3. Shekibobo

    Shekibobo Junior Member

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    Battery health seems fine. Staying above 12v on just battery, in the 14v range when powered on.

    Tried turning the wheel and its not seeming to cause any changes.

    The MFD is on now, but it's concerned it may go off again at a bad time.
     
    #3 Shekibobo, Nov 6, 2018
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    This is exactly what happened to me when the MFD in my 2007 started failing. It only took a few more days until it totally died. Luckily I had a spare in the garage from some parts I had purchased many months prior.
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Nov 6, 2018
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    a recent 12v should be close to 13 after it has been off for a few hours, but may not be your problem
     
    #5 bisco, Nov 6, 2018
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    You can buy a used MFD on eBay inexpensively. Pull the current MFD so that you can determine the part number from the label on the back of the unit, as several versions exist.
     
    #6 Patrick Wong, Nov 6, 2018
  7. Naminator

    Naminator New Member

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    My 2009 MFD acts the same way - it goes blank and does not respond to any button. The radio and A/C are working and can be controlled from the steering wheel. The 12V battery was replaced a few months ago. I suspect there is a loss of power somewhere. I appreciate it if someone can provide me some advices.
     
    #7 Naminator, May 28, 2019
  8. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Suspect as you wish, there's always a chance it's something easy, but it's like 99% probable that your MFD circuitry is failing and will need to be replaced. I would pull the MFD out, get the part number from the back and start looking for a reasonably priced replacement/repair service.
     
    #8 TMR-JWAP, May 28, 2019
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  9. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    Yes, my advice is to start looking for a replacement. It’s a known problem for these to fail.
     
    #9 Skibob, May 29, 2019
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