Having issue with my MFD Panel might be on the way out, any ideas?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by bitminteruk, Aug 26, 2022.

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  1. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    Hi everyone,

    Ever since the heatwave(s) in the UK my MFD Panel has randomly started to ether reboot or turn off in the middle of driving (I would take a video but, I can't while driving), and the CD player keeps cutting in and out while doing it.

    I have noticed that if I hit it on the centre topside it normally comes back on for awhile then the same happens.

    I think it is the display rather than the whole unit, as it still accurately records my trip info accurately, or at least I hope it is ok.

    I spoke to my local dealership, they said for the parts they only do the whole unit which is £4,884.00 which is more than double what I paid for the car. They said if I got the parts myself it would £75 for fitting it but I am not sure about which part.

    Any pointers on what part would be the correct one would be a great help.

    I would try doing it myself, but I am disabled and taking the dash off would knock me out for a day and I need to use my car on a daily basis.

    Any help would be appreciated, I can give more info if needed, thanks for reading!
     
    #1 bitminteruk, Aug 26, 2022
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    If you want to get robbed of all your money then go ahead and keep taking your 17 year old Prius to the Toyota Stealership. But if you want to enjoy the low cost quality that Prius is about, simply get a new screen from a wrecking yard and swap it out. It's a very easy nuts and bolts process that takes less than 20 minutes. There's plenty of Youtube videos that show you how to do it. First step of course is looking for a loose connection, rather than replacing.
     
    #2 PriusCamper, Aug 27, 2022
  3. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    Thanks for the reply, is the car drivable without the MFD connected? As I would not be able to remove tha paneling, check and replace it in one day, but I need the car to be drivable.

    On the note of contacting a wrecking yard, I have already contacted all of them in a 150 mile radius and literally none of them have a gen 2 prius in, I know after looking for a replacement tailgate cover after mine came off opening the boot 1 week ago.
     
    #3 bitminteruk, Aug 27, 2022
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    If a bang fixes it then it is likely a loose or dirty connection. As suggested in the previous post, disassemble the dash to the point where you can remove it. Then check all the connectors - you are looking for evidence that one overheated, and once unplugged, for any sign of dirt or burns on the metal contacts. Also look for failures in the wire insulation, which would let a wire short to the frame, and so to ground. I would blast each side with some contact cleaner. Put it all back together and see if that fixed it. If not, the "loose connection" could be something like a cracked solder joint. That sort of thing can be a PITA to find, so at that point replacing it with another (used) unit would make sense. There may be some small business "near" you that refurbs these parts, or sells refurbs. That might be a slightly safer option than pulling a random unit off a wreck.
     
    #4 pasadena_commut, Aug 27, 2022
  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Since it happened following extreme heat (Was the car in the sun, too?) my guess would be a loose solder connection inside the MFD. You can get refurbished ones in the States on Ebay for about $150-300. I'd guess it's similar in the UK.

    You'll need to remove yours first to be sure you order the right one. The part number will be a 5-digit number starting with 47. For left hand drive cars, you'll need to remove the left AC vent cover. The bottom of that cover hides a phillips head screw. Remove that and another screw closer to the steering column. Then pop off the panel under the steering column. After that, you can pop off the upper panel which has the start button. Those can just hang. Next step is the AC vent cover between the steering wheel and the MFD. We call this the "money cover" because they break so easily. Finally, remove the vent cover on the other side of the MFD and then you can take out the two 10 mm screws holding in the MFD. It will pop straight out with a firm tug and you can flip it on its back and disconnect the cables. Of course, for right hand drive, just reverse the left/right references above.

    Note on the vent covers. If the car is old and been sitting in the sun, those things can get as brittle as sugar candy. Using a flat blade screwdriver and lots of gentle prying and patience works best for me. And sometimes, they just insist on breaking no matter how gentle you try to be. Those, too, are available on Ebay and sometimes on Amazon.
     
    #5 jerrymildred, Aug 27, 2022
  6. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions, I was going to get a hand looking at it tomorrow, but while driving to pick the misses up from work a message popped up saying "check the system", I'm presuming it just means the MDF as the car is handling fine etc.

    I can upload a photo of it later on, just have a busy day and almost no signal at the moment.
     

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    #6 bitminteruk, Aug 31, 2022
  7. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    #7 Another, Sep 1, 2022
  8. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    So this is where I am at the moment.
    I have fully removed the MFD and checked all the cables and connections, they look fine.

    I am trying to find a new replacement screen that I can get quickly, I will fall back to ordering one from Aliexpress if it comes to it, but in the UK it seems quite hard. I have called all of the breakers yards in the south-east and none have a gen 2 Prius in or parts of one.

    I have a video of the fault but its too large for me to upload on here.
     

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    #8 bitminteruk, Sep 1, 2022
  9. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    Also one more quick question, are ether one of these cables connect to the radio? I am hoping that one whole set will rather than specific cables from them. It is driving me nuts the radio cutting on/off all of the time.
    I found a document listing the port numbers of the each pin, but not one listing what each number is for, so if someone has a list that would be great!
     

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    #9 bitminteruk, Sep 1, 2022
  10. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    None on eBay.co.uk?
     
    #10 Another, Sep 2, 2022
  11. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    What is the MFD part number? 3 port version? 2004-05 Maybe 86110-47250?
    Maybe this may help, have a local repair shop look at it.
    Prius MFD

    86110-47250 for sale here.
    86110-47250
     
    #11 alftoy, Sep 2, 2022
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2022
  12. bitminteruk

    bitminteruk Junior Member

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    Thanks for all your help guys, I managed to buy one for £199 off of eBay, all is fitted and working now. It also came with the radio which I didn't need but at least I have a spare if needed.

    Just one more question, how long does display normally last? I guess the best form of measurement would be the mileage of the car, mine has only just hit 187k miles, and I read elsewhere that its normally 170k miles. Just thinking, I don't know the mileage of the car it came from so wondering if it is likely to need replacing again soon or not.

    Thanks again guys!
     
    #12 bitminteruk, Sep 6, 2022
    jerrymildred and alftoy like this.
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