Swapped MFD at dealership

Flash Gordon · 03-17-2006, 02:40 AM

Local dealership changed MFD because they said something was wrong with the BT.

Supposedly the new one was a recondition MFD, but when I got the car back, the phone book was FULL with another persons phone numbers. Plus, all the numbers were from my local area. How could this be? If all the MFD are shipped back East, repaired and then installed in another car. What are the odds of me getting a MFD from the same area as I live in? Full of local phone numbers... To me is sounds like it just came from another Prius at the dealership and then they charged Toyota for a replacement and plus labor. When confronted with this situation -- they had nothing to say -- The factory must have forgotten to clear the memory -- sure. They did not clear it and all the numbers are local numbers --sure.

Anyway, now my milage has gone down 3mpg and the power scale never goes green-- Never had this problem before. Has any other owner had this same situation? Old average milage was 47 to 48, now its hard to get over 45.

galaxee · 03-17-2006, 09:58 AM

hmm, strange indeed.

the MFD has no influence on mpg or any other hybrid system function, it's basically like a computer monitor in that respect- just a readout of what's going on, but i don't know why they would have not cleared the memory. it's true they do send all defective MFDs back to the manufacturer for reconditioning and they send everything back out... but that's strange. i don't know how they could have gotten away with not sending one back and installing it in another car instead- unless there was a mix-up and they grabbed one that was intended to be sent back instead of the refurb one that was supposed to go in the car...

Tadashi · 03-17-2006, 10:11 AM

Yeah I would not put too much stock into the MFD. It is only a dispay. Heck, my MFD just said I got 59.7 MPG but when I hand calced it, it only came to 52.1 MPG.

What they probably do is install a reconditioned one in your car, then send yours back to be fixed. Yours will then go into someone elses car when it gets sent back. Depending on what they fixed does not necessarily wipe the data in it although one would think they should make that a step to clear all user data.

03-17-2006, 09:58 AM	#2
galaxee uphill battling Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 8,808 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 19	hmm, strange indeed. the MFD has no influence on mpg or any other hybrid system function, it's basically like a computer monitor in that respect- just a readout of what's going on, but i don't know why they would have not cleared the memory. it's true they do send all defective MFDs back to the manufacturer for reconditioning and they send everything back out... but that's strange. i don't know how they could have gotten away with not sending one back and installing it in another car instead- unless there was a mix-up and they grabbed one that was intended to be sent back instead of the refurb one that was supposed to go in the car... __________________ black 2005 prius, tweaked just the way i like it as DH was once told, someone with his capability should be in college, not doing mindless maintenance awaiting the occasional brain teaser. after conquering the entire ASE automotive series, he's busy retooling the diagnostic mindset for other life protecting applications. the prius tech is officially scarce, and his other half is sad without him.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Best dealership in WA?	Voltmeter	WA - Washington State	13	08-09-2008 06:06 PM
Dealership or no dealership?	gjertsen	Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	5	05-22-2006 08:02 AM
Did the dealership try to cheat me?	saechaka	Prius Main Forum	1	12-09-2004 07:54 AM
Leather from dealership	n3ok318	Prius Modifications	1	06-06-2004 09:22 PM
New DFW Dealership	bigbaldcuban	Prius Main Forum	0	12-31-1969 07:00 PM

03-17-2006, 02:40 AM	#1
Flash Gordon Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 3 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Local dealership changed MFD because they said something was wrong with the BT. Supposedly the new one was a recondition MFD, but when I got the car back, the phone book was FULL with another persons phone numbers. Plus, all the numbers were from my local area. How could this be? If all the MFD are shipped back East, repaired and then installed in another car. What are the odds of me getting a MFD from the same area as I live in? Full of local phone numbers... To me is sounds like it just came from another Prius at the dealership and then they charged Toyota for a replacement and plus labor. When confronted with this situation -- they had nothing to say -- The factory must have forgotten to clear the memory -- sure. They did not clear it and all the numbers are local numbers --sure. Anyway, now my milage has gone down 3mpg and the power scale never goes green-- Never had this problem before. Has any other owner had this same situation? Old average milage was 47 to 48, now its hard to get over 45.

03-17-2006, 10:11 AM	#3
Tadashi Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Fort Hood, TX Posts: 794 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Yeah I would not put too much stock into the MFD. It is only a dispay. Heck, my MFD just said I got 59.7 MPG but when I hand calced it, it only came to 52.1 MPG. What they probably do is install a reconditioned one in your car, then send yours back to be fixed. Yours will then go into someone elses car when it gets sent back. Depending on what they fixed does not necessarily wipe the data in it although one would think they should make that a step to clear all user data.