Hello; Is there a way to extract your car's current odometer reading through the under dash assembly line data port? I have both a wifi reader attachment w phone app, and a programmable ScanGuage which plugs into it. Also, is there a way to display the car's current gas tank level with them as well? Thanks;
Did your speedometer cluster (combo meter) die? If so, it can be easily fixed instead of having to read it from the OBD-II port.
Yes. And from reading up on the CM failures, the fix does not look too easy, especially with all the work pulling the dashboard apart to get at it. I know the info is in there somewhere, and I want to know how to get it out of the computer. I am currently using my ScanGuage as the speeometer.
I've had two CMs out on Gen 2 Prii. Wasn't hard at all. You just take it step by step with this video. A bad combo meter will usually also make it hard to shut off the car. As for the ODO miles, I think you can read it with Techstream, but I'm not positive because I've never tried it.
The first time of doing something always does take longer, but I'm confident I could take my combo meter out in less than 45 minutes now that I've done it once. Then the fix itself is only about 15 minutes. I might add that since the odometer reading is tracked by the combo meter and doesn't update while the combo meter is dead, you won't be able to read that and it will be forever halted at the reading it was at when it died. I'm not sure about the gas gauge, but I would expect the tracking of that to be integrated in the combo meter as well, not the main ECU. There are just too many reasons to repair it.
The fuel level sensor is hardwired to the CM, which then sends the data out on the network. So if the CM doesn't work, then nothing on the car will have that data.
So simply put, neither your odometer reading nor your gas gauge reading will be available, since both are provided by the combination meter. Just today I watched a video of Carolyn from Luscious Garage replacing an MFD start to finish in about 6 minutes. Total time. That's halfway to removing the combination meter. So for someone experienced, it's about a 30 minute job to remove, fix, reinstall, and clean up. I too expected it to be a much bigger job than it actually is.
I'm 65 and had no problem replacing the combo. Eventually the combo meter fails to where the car wont shut off without disconnecting the 12 volt battery in the trunk a real hassle. So buy a new combo there like $125 and throw it in. Matt at TexasHybrids sold me one 3 years ago still working great.
Thanks for posting the dashboard removal video. That was my worst fear. That news sucks that the info is stored in the CM. Has anyone done that 100uf capacitor to 220 fix and how did it work out for you? I'm thinking of doing the capacitor swap and then running the car for a bit with the dash not fully reassembled just to make sure the fix takes. Then if that doesn't work, I'll chance a refurbished unit. I have read a lot of complaints online where people take their cars in for repair, or order refurbished meters and install them, only to have the problem creep back in a year later....
I never needed to replace the caps. I just had mine out for cleaning. But lots of people here have replaced them.
I personally replaced my capacitor last week, so only time will tell whether it ever has trouble again. But look here for plenty of people who have had success: combination meter repair - DIY | PriusChat
Also did mine a week and a half ago. The CM died the morning I was going to go to state vehicle inspection (which would have been a failure.). Has worked fine since, including some cold (45* F) mornings. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
