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Speedometer just disappeared .....

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Can'tWait, May 31, 2011.

  1. Can'tWait

    Can'tWait Junior Member

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    Over the weekend I was driving on the highway....all of a sudden the gas and mileage indicators along with speedometer just disappeared....any fellow Prius'ers noticed this?

    I am curious what the solution is; the car is warranty so hopefully no cost repair but if it happens after warranty is over I'd imagine it would cost a bit...

    Thanks
     
  2. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    If you didn't knock the dimmer switch, then you might have a bad POR circuit in your combination meter. PM peef about it.
     
  3. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

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    We need a Wiki page for stuff like this. This is a very common question.
     
  4. adamace1

    adamace1 Senior Member

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    Just make sure nothing slid over the projector part like a bussiness card or something.
     
  5. Michgal007

    Michgal007 Senior Member

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    "Why officer, was I going over the speed limit"?
     
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  6. Teakwood

    Teakwood Member

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    +1 on that, and check the dash light dimmer (thumb-wheel located low and to the left of the steering wheel).
     
  7. Skoorbmax

    Skoorbmax Senior Member

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    Surely dash light can't totally black it out. Sounds like OP can't see it -at all-.
     
  8. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    If the thumb wheel for dash lights is turned all the way down and you turn on the headlights you loose everything except the warning lights. Just turn it up past the click for day time driving.

    If that isn't the problem it needs a trip to the dealer. Several people have had a failure of one side or the other.
     
  9. revhigh

    revhigh MPG Enthusiast

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    How and where would something have to be to block the projector from displaying that data ?

    Just curious/.

    Thanks

    REV
     
  10. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    The left half is a mirror with the projector mounted down in the dash. You can block it with a piece of paper, try it.
     
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The most common cause is turning on the headlights with the dimmer wheel turned down. With the headlights off, the dimmer wheel doesn't do anything, so it's easy to turn it down without noticing. The next time you turn on the headlights the display goes black.

    Tom
     
  12. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Yes it can. Try it. ;)
     
  13. chrisj428

    chrisj428 Active Member

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    And, don't call me Shirley. :D
     
  14. Bica2go

    Bica2go New Member

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    The same thing happened to me last fall driving to VT. The left side of my display went black - no speedometer, instant mpg, gear info or gas tank level. I took it to the dealership & they replaced the board that controls the display, shaking their heads as to why only 1 side when out since the board controls both the left & the HSI on the right.

    I've seen other reports of this problem here at PC.
     
  15. Can'tWait

    Can'tWait Junior Member

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    So..here is how it was resolved :)

    Took it local dealer - they kept it for a week and gave me a free loaner car.

    They found both upper and lower circuit boards/plates in instrument cluster burnt out. It was free replacement/repair since car is 2 yr old with 28K miles.

    If this happens after warranty, I'd imagine it will cost some real $.

    Thanks for all the insight.



     
  16. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    If this happened out of warranty, there is a tech in northern California who goes by the name pEEf here on Priuschat who repairs these boards at low cost. He works with a very good auto repair company in northern California, Luscious Garage.

    JeffD
     
  17. smurs

    smurs Junior Member

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    +three!! This just happened to me too!! It was pitch black out and all if the sudden, I lost that whole instrument cluster (fuel gauge, speedometer and shift indicator). I almost crashed into the curb looking for the speedometer. Didn't realize how much I look at that. I pulled over, made sure the dimmer knob was up (it was and all other indicators were working fine). I power cycled the car and that didn't help either. It is hard to drive in darkness without a speedometer! Was going to take it to the shop but when I went to my car a few hours later, it was working again! Very unsettling, this car is brand new!!
     
  18. jim256

    jim256 Member

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    Did something slide over the recess in the dashboard below the speedo? It reflects from below into a mirror.
     
  19. smurs

    smurs Junior Member

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    No, it really went out.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Just thinking: go back twenty years and this thread wouldn't make much sense.
     
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