Display Message: Audio OFF"

[Ilyaprius]

I have Prius 2004 and recently I am having an intermittent problem with my radio. The display message is "Audio OFF" and also says, "Check Air Conditioning connection" When I switch from radio to Tape/CD, it works, then I switch to AM/FM and it works again, but it may go OFF at any time. Then I again push Tape/CD and it's starts to work again. My air conditioning is not working, it blows regular, not cooled air. Anybody has any ideas what the problem is?

[richard schumacher]

If you're lucky it may only be a loose cable connection, but those are classic symptoms of the 2004 MFD failure. Contact a dealer about getting it replaced. This is a known problem and Toyota is often willing to pay part of the cost.

[Ct. Ken V]

Hi, Ilyaprius,

Don't pay the big bucks for a new unit (a couple of thousand, I think) for your 5 year old car. Refurbished units still should be able to be ordered by your dealer (or another dealer if yours balks at this solution) for between $400 to $600 plus installation labor. Also, it needs to be the part number for an '04 or '05 only (especially if you decide to replace it on your own from a salvage yard car) because they changed the screen resolution starting in 2006 & the newer ones from then on won't work in your car.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

[northwichita]

web sites covering repair. Or in my case, disassembly of dash and removal of MFD.

Prius MFD

DISCOUNTED INSURANCE SALVAGE which sells refurbished units.

Prius: 2nd Gen - Repairing the Multi-function Display

I'm having the same problem, on intermittent issue. I'll drive the car 6 hours a day on the job and the screen will cut off temporarily, for a minute of so, often on start up, and then sometimes when I toggle the buttons. I suppose I should just leave it on climate control screen , since that is the only one I really need. I toggle to screen off in hopes that this will keep it running longer.

This morning I followed above sites in disassembling dash, and removing MFD. One of my buttons on the bezel ,my climate which I often use, was not clicking like the rest (sort of a slight bind when hitting it) which I thought could be the cause of my problems. I didn't take the buttons off, but I could take the backside pieces off, the circuit board and the rubber piece right underneath the buttons. I used electrical spray wash in a can, and worked the button against all sides to release the binding. Dryed and back together, the button seems to work /click like the rest. I actually did all buttons to be thorough. I cleaned the connections to the unit with the spray, dryed and reassembled.
Same problems, screen on slow mode for about minute on startup.

Two questions for the experts.

If I do send in my MFD for repair/replace, how do I remove the wire attached to the bezel? There is a small white connector, is this simply pried from the circuit board?

Also, I really only need the screen for climate controls, I dislike 'auto air', and like to control the fan speed. Lacking any knowledge on wiring these externally to the unit, is it illogical to consider/attempt to remove extraneous wires to the MFD unit, just keeping the ones I need, in the theory less input, less problems. I have a scangauge unit, and just want to consider all options.