DISPLAY NOT FUNCTIONING

There's a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) out for this. Mine froze and would say check air-conditioning connection. ALL car functions worked (from steering wheel controls), just could not access or see them on the display screen. It's covered under warranty. Half hour to replace the display with a new one with new connector. Search here or google 'MFD inop Prius'.

 

Under the 3/36 warranty, hopefully 36K hasn't been exceeded yet. If so and dealer won't cover, then plead with corporate, since this is something that shouldn't have a mileage limitation, and was a known defect. One way to know if you have the problematic display: pressing Info on the steering doesn't toggle between energy and consumption screens.

 

Most LCD's - especially those with touchscreens - will fail to function in below freezing temps. Last winter, when we had long streches of -40 temps, after parking outside at a mall for a few hours the display would be blank and stay blank until the car warmed up.

Fortunately, you can adjust temp from the steering wheel buttons.

Most Aviation LCD displays - such as Avidyne, the Honeywell PlaneView/ Primus Epic, and Garmin among others, will usually incorporate heaters to ensure the display works at a cold start.

Most industrial LCD operator stations, such as those from Maple Systems, Rockwell Automation, and Emerson, also incorporate heaters if the operator station is expected to be used outside or below freezing. Oilfield, terminal gas storage, and some manufacturing are examples.

BTW the brochure for the Canadian market Lexus LS430 has tiny-type in the back page warning the LCD functions will not work in very cold temps until the car is warmed up.

 

Live in Minnesota, have 05 Prius...never have had any issues. We have had a mild winter, but have had about 10-15 days below 0.

How cold is it where you live?

 

The MFD touchscreen will become sluggish and erratic if the car is parked in temps of -20 C or colder. As I park in heated underground parking at my condo, that has never been an issue. Parking outside for long periods is different.

I parked at a local mall last winter for almost 5 hours. The MFD stopped working around -30 C or -22 F. As you can select defrost and temperature from the steering wheel button, it wasn't critical. Likewise the rear defrost, the steering wheel button turns it on.

At -40, the display wil bugger up if you only park outside for a couple of hours. I don't think I have a defect, all LCD screens stop working in bitter cold temps. Leave your notebook computer or calculator in an unheated space of -18 C or colder overnight, let me know how it works next morning.

Actually, my selling dealer went to careful steps to explain to me the center LCD may stop working in bitter cold temps, and that the steering wheel buttons would still control the front defrost, rear defrost, and temp.

I have a brochure for the 2005 Lexus LS430 Canadian market, and on page 35 with the rest of the cautions/warnings:

"Under very cold conditions, the operation of some vehicle electronic systems using liquid crystal display technology (Such as CD, DVD, NAV, and Audio displays) may be adversely affected until a warmer interior vehicle temperature is reached."

It would probably not be cost effective to equip these cars with heated LCD screens, like the ones we can order for industrial operator stations. The cost is almost 3 times higher.

 

My display stopped working today in Florida in 75 deg temps. The energy screens would eventually come up without any of the power indicators showing. The Nav pages would not load for 15 minutes and would then come on. The bluetooth would frequently drop calls. Climate control would only work from the wheel and various connection error messages would come up.

This is 5 days after having my 30,000 mile service. It makes me think they screwed up the connection somehow while changing the filter or checking something else.

I'll be curious to hear what the dealer finds when I take it back to them on Monday.

 

My MFD was replaced this week after about three months stuffing around by Toyota Aust.
This is covered in another recent thread "MFD Problem".
I have an issue with Toyota over their handling of this, but that's another matter!

Basically no data is displayed.
In my case, I don't think it was a temperature related fault - we never get that cold here. (+2 to +40 C)
The fault was evident on all days immediately after startup, normally clearing after a few minutes, but sometimes locking up with data displayed.

What is the situation in USA - are replacement MFD's readily available?
From the increasing reports on this forum, it seems that MFD problems are becoming more common.

kenmac

 

if you're out of warranty, they won't change out the MFD for free. they do have an out-of-warranty exchange program, though, where you can get a refurbished MFD for about 10% of the cost of a new one.

David, they probably wouldn't have gotten near your MFD connectors while doing routine service. you have to pull off half the dash to get to it. but good luck and do let us know what they find.

kenmac- you can get them within a couple days in the southeast US. there is a known defect in the 04 MFDs, hence the TSB and the discounted exchange program for anyone out of warranty.

 

on many LCD devices this happens... if "while you can read it" you can play with the contrast often you can get it to show in colder temperatures, but then it will look crappy when it gets hot again....
Maybe you can find a happy medium.

BTW.. have you messed with your contrast?.. if you have it turned the wrong way rather than dead center, it may be working against you when its cold?

 

I am selling a new OEM replacement LCD for a 2001 Prius if anyone is interested.