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shorted wires: no radio, MFD, side mirrors, etc. working?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by benjita, Aug 1, 2011.

  1. benjita

    benjita Junior Member

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    I installed an aftermarket device to be able to play music from my phone through my radio (similar to DICE). The device connects directly to the back of the headunit. Anyways it was working fine until I accidently tugged on some wire coming off the device last week and shorted it and blew the panel fuse.

    I replaced the blown panel fuse but none of the items below work. I did a continuity test on the other fuses and they all appear fine. The dealer took a look at it and could not find the problem. Dealer says that they will have to start taking the car apart, at about $250.

    Does anyone have any thougts/ suggestions on what I could have possibly damaged? Are there other fuses/wires I could check myself?

    The following things no longer work:
    radio
    clock
    MFD
    aux power outlets
    side mirrors

    Following things do work:
    speedometer, fuel gaguge console
    A/C controls on steering wheel
    courtesty lights
     
  2. benjita

    benjita Junior Member

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    UPDATE:
    Told by the dealer that the power source ECU was damaged. I think they want something like $1200 to replace plus the $250 in diagnostic. Grateful to know but I never authorized them to do the work. Any one have any idea what my "rights" are on this matter?
     
  3. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    You don't have to pay $1200 for the power source ECU. That should be an easy fix with a salvage part. Contact autobeyours.com or adoptapart.com
     
  4. benjita

    benjita Junior Member

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    @seilerts- Thanks. I was thinking about that earlier and found, I think, the part on ebay. I'll check your links too. Any suggestions on where to find instructions on getting to the ECU? From what I've found online it is somewhere behind the steering wheel and towards the firewall. I found instructions here on how to disassemble the dash but I don't know if that gets me in the right area.
     
  5. pachai

    pachai Junior Member

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    benjita,
    How is it going with your MFD not working?

    Today, I went to change the Passenger headlight. As I pulled into my new carport for the first time, I bumped into some wood that was stacked on the passenger side.

    Went to repostion the car and could not adjust the mirrors. Later I saw that I also could not use the clock, MFD, radio.

    I think everything else is working.

    I thought it was a fuse. Curiously, the owners manual and the fuse box cover and my observations had 3 different locations for the 7.5a fuse. I tested and found that 7.5a fuse at #17 is not getting power - at the Buss side of the fuse.

    Can any of these functions be regained by a jumper from an empty fuse slot?
     
  6. vertex

    vertex Active Member

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    The short answer is yes. I take it the fuse is good, but it is not getting 12 volts? If it is the fuse I think you are talking about it is powered from the T-LP Relay. Did you check that?
     
  7. pachai

    pachai Junior Member

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    I didn't test the fuse yet, but it looks good, so I tested the slot and compared the results with other slots. This one slot is dead. I'll look up the T-LP relay.
    Thanks
    Seth
     
  8. pachai

    pachai Junior Member

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    Is there an easy way to test the T-LP relay? or the power source ECU? My local autoparts store reads codes for free - and they found nothing.

    Are either the relay or the ECU situated near the passenger side headlight? I dented the bumper about an inch just before this problem was observed.

    Thanks

     
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The power source ECU is located near the combination meter within the dashboard.

    The T-LP relay may be located within the relay fuse box under the instrument panel. The electrical wiring diagram is unclear about its exact location as the schematic shows that the relay should be within that relay/fuse box; yet the pictorial of the relay fuse box does not show it. In any event neither part is near the front bumper.

    If your tail lights work then the T-LP relay is functioning.

    I suggest that you find and test the 7.5A PANEL, the 7.5A ACC, and the 15A DOME fuses.

    "Test" does not mean that you squint at a fuse. "Test" means that you remove each fuse, one at a time, and use an ohmmeter to verify continuity across the fuse. Good luck.
     
  10. pachai

    pachai Junior Member

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    I tested brake lights, tail lights, turn signals - all OK.

    No MFD, no radio, no electric mirrors.

    I will not rule out that this
    failure is independent of
    the "fender bender" I had
    with a chord of wood.

    Thanks
    Seth
     
  11. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    Anyone else have issues like this? I too have no MFD, & no radio...
     
  12. pachai

    pachai Junior Member

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    With some help from my mechanic,
    I did isolate the problem but only after
    it happened again.

    In my case, there seems to be a short in the passenger side mirror. This blew the fuse for the Dashboard, which affects the MFD, the radio, and the mirrors. The AC works, but in a 2004, the only control for Fan Speed is on the MFD.

    The mechanic's electrical guy changed the fuse but informed me that he didn't know which accessory has the short. Then I adjusted the passenger side mirror, and it blew again. (I didn't have the brains to ask which fuse :)

    I did some more tests with a voltmeter,
    and it seems one of the motors in the mirror is bad. I haven't gotten back to test it further. It happens that I have the old mirror that is broken but has good motors, so I will try to use the old motors.

    I will see whether I have time to find
    the bad fuse before I have other business
    at the mechanic.

    Hope this helps
     
  13. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    Seriously why did Toyota put the fuse box under the dash like that! :mad: I have to flip myself upside down, and lay on my back 1/2 way out of the car... (which does no good for my existing lower back pain...) squeeze my body in there and pull the super-mini fuses out of that confined space!:eek:

    I've examined as many fuses as I can that I think may affect the MFD and Radio by eye, but none look blown. I guess I'll have to check them all by holding them up to a small flashlight or use the multi-meter continuity check...

    Dude, No MFD and Radio sucks! -- I've searched for other posts and haven't found anything other than replacing a faulty MFD - which I doubt this is that case, I'm 99% sure this is a simple fix, but don't know where to look...

    After a lot of searching for anything other than MFD - No radio, No Clock etc. I found several posts that talk about the #24 - 7.5 ACC fuse affecting the MFD, Clock and Radio.

    Even though I pulled it earlier and it wasn't obviously blown, I pulled it out again and sure enough, it didn't blow in the center, but towards the edge of the fuse I could see a very fine break. As soon as I replaced it, the MFD, radio and clock all powered right up!

    I hope you get your mirrors fixed soon,
    Hey! have you checked Rockauto.com? I searched and Heated Electric mirrors for my 2009 prius are $40 each made by TYC. -- TYC is a good aftermarket brand may be worth looking into... I guess it all depends on how much you like to mess around with things, and how much time you have available... Here's a link to the Rock Auto website:
    RockAuto Parts Catalog

    I can tell you how to easily replace the mirrors, but if you already know how to swap out the motors in the mirrors, you probably already know how to take the mirrors off the car...
    Anyway, thanks for your reply and I hope you solve your issue.