2007 Prius MFD Blank sometimes, comes on others. ?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by macrossmaster, Sep 17, 2014.

  1. macrossmaster

    macrossmaster New Member

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    Location:
    Okmulgee, OK (74447)
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hello all,

    Thanks so much for this forum. I've lurked here for a long time without an account. Even ordered my sunshade from Priuschat's shop! Anyhow, I've scoured the forums for two days on this issue and I'm flummoxed:

    My 2007 MFD just didn't come on one day. Then, later in the day, it did turn on when I started the car. Did the logo and everything before going to back up view. This morning, I start it, no logo, but when I shift into reverse, the back up cam comes on. I drive to work, stop the car, park it, and then look up maintenance mode so I can see how the battery is doing (I replaced the 12V battery less than a year ago). Reads 13V so that seems fine. I know you are supposed to wait awhile, but I can't tell when my MFD is going to work.

    Turned car off and then back on to see if I can check it while it's not running, and the MFD will not turn on.

    Thus far, I have a list of the fuses to check, but if it's a fuse, shouldn't it not work at all? Could it be soldered connections within the MFD that are momentarily making contact? I've looked and looked and haven't found anyone with this issue where it comes and goes.

    Thanks so much!
     
    #1 macrossmaster, Sep 17, 2014
  2. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    Vehicle:
    2020 Prius
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    LE AWD-e
    This is a problem that occurs in many Gen2 MFDs as they age (including mine). It gets progressively worse over time. Steve at Prius hybrids sales and service Scottsburg Indiana offers a repair service for less than $400 for these MFDs. You remove the MFD (your Prius is still usable) and ship it to him. He repairs it and ships it back to you for local installation. Removal and installation is a reasonable DIY or you can have a local car stereo shop do it for you. Instruction for the removal/installation process is on his web site.

    JeffD
     
    #2 jdenenberg, Sep 17, 2014
  3. macrossmaster

    macrossmaster New Member

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    The cost seems prohibitively high vs. buying a refurb model on eBay. There they seem to go for $185 or so. Also, out of curiosity, can one buy a MFD that contains a navigational system so as to upgrade the Prius, or is the nav system separate in the car from the MFD? And I am taking anyone's guesses as to what's wrong. I figured not fuses because it does periodically work.
     
    #3 macrossmaster, Sep 17, 2014
  4. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    The problem is a combination of solder cracks and failing surface mounted capacitors due to vibration and heat cycling. I would take care with refurbs/salvaged units on eBay as you may have a short term re-occurrence of these problems. I have lived with the problem for a while now as my Prius is 11 years old and has 261k miles so the $400 is a bit high to fix an irritating, but not critical, loss of function.

    JeffD
     
    #4 jdenenberg, Sep 17, 2014
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