MFD issues on '04/'05 Prius

[JimboK]

Originally Posted by patsparks

Is anyone else having trouble opening this link? http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/mfd/

Opens fine for me too.

[bredekamp]

Originally Posted by JimboK

Opens fine for me too.

It did go through a patch where it wouldn't open or be very slow. A tracert revealed that there were a lot of timeouts on the route at one stage. Probably a wonky router somewhere....

[BudJar]

This is big BIG thank you to that Mr Hobbit!

My story...

Stupidity on my part to begin with. Some months ago I tried to jump start my Prius, as my partner had left an interior light on overnight. Connected up the jump leads like I'd done many times before. Damn, smoke, something wasn't right, quick took them off again as fast as I could, but damage had been done. I'd connected up the jump leads the wrong way round. My heart sank as I knew I would have blown fuses etc.

Got in the car after connecting leads correctly this time and yes NOTHING, NADA, Sod all!. No electrics. Checked fuses in fuse box, found a couple had blown, replaced, and tried again. Still nothing. I needed the car that night so I called out the breakdown people. He was good, as he noticed that the main 100 amp fuse in the relay box area had blown also. All he could do was give me a temporary fix (a jubilee clip across the gap). Got the main electrics back. Alas still had warning lights, e.g. Check battery, big warning triangle and others to do with traction control I think. However now the car was now drivable.

I lived with it like this for few months until it was due for a service. Service came and I asked technician to diagnose the warning lights problem, informed them about the busted fuse and the jubilee fix etc. In the end they diagnosed somehow that the Inverter needed changing, cost of that would be nearly £3000 pounds. Even though they knew it was me who jumped it incorrectly in the first place, they still said that they would put it through warranty, including an hours diagnostics, a days labour and the inverter itself. All because it was part of the hybrid system (100k/8 years warranty on the hybrid system I think). Phew!

When I got it back all warning lights had gone, so they had done thier bit. Was hoping that they would have fixed my malfunction MFD. I noticed this going wrong sometime after my initial blunder with the jump start. In the beginning the display would return to normal after a few miles driving. By the time the Prius went for the service it was not working at all. I just assumed it was all due to my original problem.

The technician said that this was a known problem and that there was a Toyota bulletin about it. Unfortunately they couldn't fix under warranty as the car had done over 36k. I asked for further information. He said all I could do was get the MFD replaced. How much I asked. Over £1000. OMG. I had just paid £1000 for a service that included 4 new tyres, new pads, new front discs and the replacement 100 amp fuse. I didn't want to fork out a load more money.

So, to the internet I came. I found this thread. Followed it eagerly. Hopes were raised when symptons described matched mine. With the help of Hobbits description of what he did to fix a malfunction MFD I proceeded to attempt to fix mine.

Now, by no means can I say that I'm skilled in electronics especially PCB's and the like, but I do have an engineering background and will attempt anything, so long as I have the tools and some instruction.

First I took apart the dash and removed the unit. That was easier than I thought. Took the MFD into my shed and went about dismantling it, board by board. It did take me a while to figure out where that connector 60 was. So small (didn't have the benefit of a magnifying glass), but did eventually find it. Was not able to see if it had a hairline crack or not. So I got out my RS gas soldering iron. Wrapped the copper wire around it. Poked it at that tiny little bit of solder and could just about see that I must have "reflowed it" (thats a term I didn't know) and did the same to the point next to 60. Fingers crossed. I reassembled it all, gave the plastic mounting and the screen a nice clean in the process.

I had no idea I had fixed it and was dreading that after all the effort I went to following Hobbits fix description that it colud have been in vain.

Clicked in the main connectors, press the Start button twice, screen came on.

Everything was back to normal!!!

SAVED MYSELF A £1000 quid. Such a joyous moment. Had to remember my old password and login on this forum, logged in and wrote this reply. Needed to relate my story to others, that it can be fixed by a novice so long as you have a little engineering thinking and a soldering iron.

Once again

THANKS HOBBIT YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

[patsparks]

I keep getting this: -

ERROR

The requested URL could not be retrieved


While trying to retrieve the URL: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/mfd/
The following error was encountered:

• Connection Failed

The system returned: (110) Connection timed out

I have no idea why.

[richard schumacher]

The server hosting that site must be slow or unreliable. Perhaps hobbit could take it up with his provider.

[JimboK]

Originally Posted by patsparks

I keep getting this: -

ERROR...

Still no problem for me.

[patsparks]

I got in another way, yesterday. I will post the link tomorrow if I remember. Bed time now.

[patsparks]

Originally Posted by BudJar

This is big BIG thank you to that Mr Hobbit!

My story...

I went to following Hobbits fix description that it colud have been in vain.

Clicked in the main connectors, press the Start button twice, screen came on.

Everything was back to normal!!!

SAVED MYSELF A £1000 quid. Such a joyous moment. Had to remember my old password and login on this forum, logged in and wrote this reply. Needed to relate my story to others, that it can be fixed by a novice so long as you have a little engineering thinking and a soldering iron.

Once again

THANKS HOBBIT YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

I missed this post.
Thanks for that, still chasing Toyota for mine which is out of warranty but if no success I'll go the fix up route, nothing to lose. I'm a mechanic from a former life so it shouldn't be beyond me.

[bigbearballs]

How many 04 owners have not had a problem with this?

[relever]

Originally Posted by hobbit

I added an ultra-magnified version of the same shot. That should
show it up better. The crack goes *around* where pin sits down on
the board, not straight through anything.
.
_H*

Hi Hobbit,
You are really great ind finding this tricky MFD-Failure!!!!
I used this rainy sunday afternoon to disassemble my MFD following Your instruction. Honestly - I coul'd see a crack in the soldering of pin 60, but confident in Your diagnosis I resoldered the two pins. And miraculous enough - after reassembly a functioning MFD - great!

Thanks to Hobbit - from Germany

Reinhard