1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Display Gone Bad

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by johnqpublic, Apr 1, 2005.

  1. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    Recently my display panel - the thing that shows the mileage or the power train diagram or the audio controls and so on - has been misbehaving.

    Often at start up it will not show any numbers on the mileage display, but will start working correctly after some time. Sometimes its a few minutes and once it took an hour.

    And after it starts working it freezes up occassionally.

    It doesn't seem to affect the way the car drives and I plan to take it to the dealer one of these days if I even get free time.

    Has anyone else experienced this? Any feedback?


    2004 Prius - 57,000 miles.
     
  2. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2004
    4,147
    19
    0
    it's been reported before and you need a new one. Take it to the dealer and they'll replace it under warranty.
     
  3. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    Under the drive train warrantee? That's all I have left.
     
  4. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2004
    4,147
    19
    0
    oppps sorry I wasn't thinking when I posted that. You should still contact a dealer and see what they say. Do you have NAV or non nav? If no dealer satisfaction it's time to start looking at wrecked Prius for another display.
     
  5. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    non-nav.

    I'm going to argue it's part of the drive train. :?
     
  6. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Yea, I think it's under the 3/36k warranty, but I'd still complain since the car is so new...pursue to Toyota corporate if necessary...I don't think they need/want the bad press and clearly this is an item that doesn't 'wear out' just b/c you've gone more than 36k miles...it's a defective product and they should replace it...whether or not it is technically still under warranty.
     
  7. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2004
    4,147
    19
    0
    I agree with Evan as most company's (car) have special circumstance "warranty" for just such cases as this. If you had a 150,000 on it your on your own but depending when you purchased yours, it's hardly a year old. It's possibly the controller card on the back of the display and not the actual display that is defective. Or possibly a wire connector that's become dislodged. Any case I'd drop in to the dealer and have a chat with the service manager not the little turkey at the check in counter.
     
  8. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    The local service manager is also a Prius owner, so maybe.

    Thanks for the information.
     
  9. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2004
    3,799
    27
    0
    Location:
    Tampa Bay, FL
    It is a known problem if you have the MFD that will not toggle between consumption and energy screen with INF button on steering wheel.

    When did you get the car?
     
  10. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    I don't think I have an INF button on the streering wheel. I got the care on October 18, 2003
     
  11. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    19,891
    1,193
    9
    Location:
    Nixa, MO
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    It's an INFO button, would be next to the "MAP" button if you have the NAV.

    But, in any case, with a car that early your does not toggle b/w the Energy and Consumption screen.

    Have you gone and spoken with anyone yet? I'm curious about how Toyota will respond to a case like this as it's entirely possible others could have delayed deaths of their MFD.
     
  12. johnqpublic

    johnqpublic New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    6
    0
    0
    I don't have NAV. I will be taking the car to the dealer on Wednesday.
     
  13. JeffG

    JeffG New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    94
    1
    0
    Location:
    Middle Tennessee USA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    This is johnqpublic using my original and forgotten name.

    I took the car to the dealer. They said it had to be replaced. I griped to Toyota and they called me back the next day saying they would reimburse me even though it's well beyond warranty.

    The display module costs 530.00 rebuilt and four grand new. I'm going for the rebuilt because I'm a hopelessly reasonable person.
     
  14. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 11, 2004
    4,147
    19
    0
    good deal! this is how all car companies should operate.
     
  15. Isabelle

    Isabelle New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2005
    30
    0
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Please tell us to whom at Toyota you griped! Maybe another reason NOT to get the extended warranty?

    I.
     
  16. JeffG

    JeffG New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    94
    1
    0
    Location:
    Middle Tennessee USA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Isabelle\";p=\"79968)</div>
    I called the customer service number listed in the owner's manual.

    I told them this is about my 9th toyota and I bought the toyota hybrid instead of others because I want quality and it's not fair I should be slammed with a big bill for a clearly defective part, a part that should not go bad in less than two years

    If I had the money when the warranty was running out I would have bought an extended warranty, though.
     
  17. Isabelle

    Isabelle New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2005
    30
    0
    0
    Location:
    Boston
    Thanks JohnG for two useful pieces of information. I donated you my only 5 points (although I admit I don't know what they are for).
     
  18. halfbreed

    halfbreed Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2004
    29
    0
    0
    Location:
    Santa Cruz, California
    Ack! This started happening to me this week!
    Sometimes when I start the car the display will not change or beep when I press the audio/climate/ etc. buttons, but the car otherwise runs ok. After a while it says check the air conditioner. Then after a while it starts working like nothing happened. It's almost like it needs to warm up. It's not a NAV unit. I did install xm radio myself, but the radio works fine when it happens and I can control it using the steering wheel buttons. I bought the car in feb 04, although it had 5500 miles on it already and was registered in nov 03. I'm almost due for 40,000 mile service, and at the 35000 mile service they reflashed it, so I wondered if it is a firmware bug. They better not charge me to fix it, everyone asks me how I like my prius and I'll tell them.
     
  19. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2004
    3,799
    27
    0
    Location:
    Tampa Bay, FL
    Yup, you have the older MFD, which seems to have a thermal problem, where it fails when cold.

    Flashing the car has nothing to do with the MFD. Reprogramming has to do with HV ECU and/or ECM.
     
  20. JeffG

    JeffG New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
    94
    1
    0
    Location:
    Middle Tennessee USA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Your situation is exactly like mine except for the xm radio.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(halfbreed\";p=\"80085)</div>