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Need serious troubleshooting help.... display / shut off issue

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by sciencekit, Jan 10, 2015.

  1. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    2004 Prius. Here's the scenario.

    Picked up my girlfriend from work. On the way there (~10 miles) no issues, all normal. Parked behind the vet office, turned the Prius off, and waited for her to finish with clients. She came out, I started the car, and pulled out of the parking area. At some point a few minutes into the drive I noticed my combination meter (digital speedo, odo, etc.) wasn't on. I tried the dimmer, but that didn't help. While driving I also noticed no MPG information was showing on the other display. The cartoon worked, but no MPG information, and the traction battery was indicating normal recharge.

    We stopped at a store on the way home, and the Prius would not shut off. The power button was useless. At that point, I simply drove home. Once home, however, the Prius did shut off, and I was also able to restart it. I immediately jumped on Google and investigated. Someone had suggested putting the fob into the "ignition", and cycle the car on and off. Well, I put the fob in the ignition, started the Prius, and like magic the combination meter is now working. Because that didn't make any sense, I also tried starting the car with the fob in my pocket, and the combination meter is still working like it is supposed to.

    No warning lights, no indication of malfunction (other than what is stated above). The only other oddity is my MPG has been in the high 30s the last two weeks. Yet, this seems to happen a couple times each winter when it is bitter cold, and it has been exceptionally cold the last couple of weeks.

    Any ideas? I have the horrible feeling this might be a foreshadowing of something yet to come. I would take it to the dealer, but unfortunately I am unemployed at present. Over 12 years with NASA has made me "overqualified" every time I look for a job. Damn sequestration budget cuts.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Try changing the fob battery? Our 3rd gen warns when fob battery is getting low, not sure about second gen.
     
  3. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    ? The problem was not with my fob... it was with my combination meter. That, and the car would not shut off.
     
  4. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Well somebody is going to tell you to test and/or replace the 12 volt battery.

    But not me.

    I have no idea.
     
  5. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    12V battery is only a year old. Tested it anyway, and it's showing the proper voltage. I know the combination meter had a TSB associated with it, but two years ago the dealer said my VIN was not on the list. Maybe it should have been? If the culprit turns out to be my combo meter, then I need to figure out the capacitor fix for it, so I can repair it myself.
     
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The culprit is your combination meter. It doesn't require much serious thinking to come to that conclusion.

    Combination Meter Warranty Enhancement | PriusChat

    If you documented a failure of the combination meter in 2013 or earlier maybe you can make a claim under that extended warranty.

    Otherwise, since the extended warranty has now expired on your 2004 model year vehicle, you can either install a used combination meter or you can troubleshoot the failed component. I think the former would be a lot easier to accomplish unless you have the skill to rework PCBs with surface mount components.
     
    #6 Patrick Wong, Jan 10, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2015
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  7. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    I was afraid of that. Supposedly there is a way to repair the combo meter issue by soldering in a capacitor between two connections either on the board or before it. Luscious Garage discovered that method, and supposedly repaired quite a few. Since I am on the east coast, with no expectations of visiting San Francisco anytime soon, maybe I can talk them into letting me in on their secret. That or, as you say, convince Toyota to cover it. For now, the combo meter has resumed working. If worse comes to worse, I can use my GPS as a speedo when it happens again. Still have no idea why it would cause power button to become unresponsive.

    Thanks all.
     
  8. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    As a safety measure, the ECU which receives signals from the POWER button will ignore driver input when the car is moving. This is so that an accidental press of the POWER button while you are driving merrily along at 70 mph does not shut the car down.

    You can probably see the safety issues that would arise should that be allowed to happen - for example, no power assist of steering and brakes, the possibility that the transaxle parking pawl might engage and lock the transaxle output shaft, etc.

    If the combination meter is not working then that ECU has no idea what speed the car is traveling at, hence it will ignore a normal quick press of the POWER button. However, if the button is depressed at least 3 seconds continuously, that will eventually get the car's systems to power down.
     
  9. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    Excellent. Thank you the enlightened information. I have sent an email to Toyota customer service to see if they will cover it. Will keep my fingers crossed. If not, and it fails again and remains that way, I will have to rely on my GPS as a speedo until I can find another job and afford to purchase a used combo meter. The economy has been horrible over the last year.
     
  10. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    You missed "repairs no longer available." Revisit the old obsolete notice. Visit the newer notice.

    Luscious learned that the repaired combo meters don't hold over time. Thus they only deal with new combo meters from Toyota. Unfortunately it appears that someone has noticed a failed new OEM replacement; Luscious doesn't state if they have experienced this too. If you go new, hopefully you'll get the same or longer lifespan as the failed original (10+ years).

    If Toyota says No, ask if they'll cover the part and you cover labor, or 50% of the part, etc. Anything helps.
     
    #10 exstudent, Jan 10, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2015
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i would grab a salvage unit or ebay if no luck with toyota. most units are still good, even though there were enough bad ones for toyota to extend the warranty.
     
  12. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    Not seeing much salvage out in Google land for the meter. Will someone please recommend a site for ordering a new one, in case Toyota will not cover it?
     
  13. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    Well, I found plenty of used units on eBay:
    prius speedometer | eBay

    autobeyours.com is an excellent source in general for 2G Prius salvage parts. I don't know if they have combination meters, you could try calling them.

    I buy new Toyota parts from AutoNation Toyota Gulf Freeway, Houston, TX.
     
  14. CrazyLee

    CrazyLee Member

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    My 04 Prius has the same problem. I think it is temperature affected. Occasionally when it is very cold out the heads up display quits. Possibly a power supply issue in the display. It may be a bad connection, but since this thing is a rolling computer it may be a timing issue between computer boards and the display never initializes correctly.
    I think his is so since the MFD doesn't clock the vehicle speed and no mileage shows up. I'm not sure but I think the VSS signal quits.
    It affects the cars mileage readings too. When mine goes out I note the mileage on my DashDyno SPD display and add that to my cars mileage when it comes back on to track my cars mileage.

    Several weeks ago I lost the display after starting up and the display was good, I turned it off, IG-off and shortly later I turned the IG-on again and the display quit. It was about 20 deg F.
    I couldn't get the display on again by several IG-ons and offs. I drove 35 miles and after I shut down the car and restarted the display came back on. The electronics were warmed up by then.

    I don't know what to do here, since anything looks expensive. I can live with it for now though. Just waiting for spring.
     
  15. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    Thanks, Patrick. I had found a few on Ebay, but they are the core exchange / repair services.... and a couple used ones from crashes. I was only searching combination meters but didn't think to see if people were listing them as speedos. I will learn one day.

    Hopefully this will only be an intermittent pain in the arse until spring, as it looks like an used unit is still too expensive... especially to take a risk that it too might fail. The only thing that would worry me about losing track of mileage is fluid changes, but I can keep a mental track and check the colour of the engine oil, as an indication. Most days I love my Prius, but days like today make me long for my old, simple Jeep Wrangler.
     
    #15 sciencekit, Jan 10, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2015
  16. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    This got me curious as to cost of ebay vs New.
    NEW Combo Display, Part# 8329147360, is $266.54 at Camelback. Rebuilt on eBay is $149. Small difference of $117.54; I'd go new b/c better chance of lasting as long as the original one that died. This would be a small selling advantage, should you sell your car private party later.

    Sciencekit. If you do go new, contact that eBay person to see if he will buy your dead combo meter? Maybe he'll give you the core vale of $75 or a slightly lesser amount, say $50? If he agrees to buy yours, the difference between new and rebuilt will be smaller than the $117.54 above.
     
    #16 exstudent, Jan 11, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2015
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  17. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    My Post #10 above contains links to Luscious Garage about this problem. Read both notices carefully and in their entirety, starting with the obsolete notice first. After reading both notices, you should be convinced that your combo meter is dying.

    If you can't DIY, consider contacting Steve at Autobeyours. Find out used part cost, labor for installing said part, and labor to install new part you supply. They are located in Scottsburg, Indiana 47170. Google Maps says it would be a 5hr:47min road trip, 352 miles.

    You should also price shop multiple dealers, near and far, as labor/greed rates vary, both for part and labor.
     
  18. sciencekit

    sciencekit Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the assistance / advice guys. The issue wouldn't bother me so much if I was gainfully employed. The more I investigate, the more sense it makes to buy a new one and see if I can sell the old one for parts... or place it in a sealed plasma field and watch it light up randomly. Might make a good bookcase item.

    Time to sell a few items on Ebay, order a new combo meter, and spend a day out in the driveway dismantling the dash.
     
  19. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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    Don't forget (quoted from Luscious site), "The dealer will need to special order the unit, to have it programmed with your current odometer, which takes two days (for ones we’ve recently ordered) or longer depending on the backlog. Maybe Toyota will come out with a gizmo to allow dealers to program in house. (It can be done “manually”, but requires soldering to the board.)"
     
  20. exstudent

    exstudent Senior Member

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