HELP! Very wacky problem with display, dealer baffled????

Can't tell where you're located.
In US, it is 3yr/36K whichever comes first.
However, you should call Toyota USA customer service to register a complaint
about a 2yr-old MFD failure. Usually (or possibly), they will pay the parts, and you pay the labor or some kind of arrangement to alleviate your financial burden.
It happens quite a bit to Honda and Toyota which try hard to please their customers as much as they can.

 

It's not like the MFD wears with milage. I agree, it seems like it should be covered under warranty. Ask your dealer, or another Toyota dealer if there is one, who the zone service manager is and take your problem there. You might also try calling Toyota's 800 number. Some of the early 2004-2005 MFDs had problems and Toyota was fairly good about helping.

If you can't get help that way, get a display from a newer wrecked Prius, it will be less than $4K by a long shot. Fairly easy to swap.

 

The MFD will posibly fail with mileage due to movement and fatigue. There is a cheap fix, read this thread. http://priuschat.com/forums/care-maintenance-troubleshooting/33923-mfd-issues-04-05-prius.html

If your not up to the job print the instructions and take your car and instructions to a good car audio shop, you should get it done for under $200 or if you can pull the MFD out and apart the repair might cost just $15 to $25.

 

If I ever do this I will use tin-lead solder. It's easier to use and is likely to result in a better repair.

 

Guess you are not observing RoHS at your house!

Actually, like you, I also plan to use lead solder for those repairs if necessary...

Responding to the OP, the cost can be potentially reduced to three figures if you ask for a remanufactured MFD. Also if you ask the Toyota Customer Experience Center for help, you may receive a substantial reduction in the repair cost. Good luck.

 

I use 63/37 for everything that doesn't require RoHS, with the exception of of the initial soldering of complex surface mount parts, such a a TQFP80. With these, I start with a small amount of silver solder to hold the part in place, and then roll a ball of hot liquid 63/37 down the pins to finish the job. It's a bit like wave soldering, but done with a very small hand soldering iron.

Tom

 

I promise never to sell any of my work, send it to a third-world country for recycling, or add it to food :_>