1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Dash Display Question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Alan Sailer, Oct 24, 2023.

  1. Alan Sailer

    Alan Sailer Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2021
    37
    15
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    One
    I'm looking for a bit of information about my 2007 Prius. This is my second of this year.

    First, on my old Prius I ran into the classic dash capacitor slow failure. It was a typical case, the dash going out during cold weather. Removing everything and replacing the cap fixed it.

    The "new" car has had the same problem.* For reasons not worth going into I have delayed doing the dash removal. However, recently I have noticed a variation on the problem. The weather here right now is warm so I have not had the issue with the dash going out when I start in the morning. However, yesterday evening I turned on the headlights and the dash went out, The MFD went very dim. I can restore both displays by turning off the headlamps.

    The question is; does this sound like a variation on the capacitor problem? Or is a low battery the cause? I intend to replace the capacitor sometime in the next few weeks but am interested if I am having a parallel problem.

    Thanks in advance for any inputs.

    Cheers.

    * an irritating side gripe. The new car was serviced only by the dealer. They gave me the service records when I bought the car. As far as I understand, the capacitor problem was a recall like event. If so, the dealer just ignored it.
     
    #1 Alan Sailer, Oct 24, 2023
  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    8,929
    1,553
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I had no idea that was a recall event probably most cars in the States by the time it rears its ugly head It's out of the warranty by either years or mileage. I have a car that I just fixed that had the same problem and all I did to keep the display on and everything working If you open the door and you don't see the door open light light up when you start your car you're going to have no display guaranteed. So I lift up the trunk loosen the nut that holds the ground wire to its ground move that around while it makes electrical noise and you'll notice the light for the hatch being open magically come on tighten the ground now go open the door and start the car and you'll see you have a full display. So until I was ready to get the new display from Texas hybrids with the three capacitors replaced and the mileage done and all that All I would do in the evening so I wouldn't have to move the ground again in the morning is put a towel over the trunk latch and close the latch to the first step but not all the way down You look through the hatch and you see the light on the dash. Now I go in the house and do everything like normal when I come back out in the morning that light for the door open will still be on I move the towel close the trunk open the door start the car full display all day even if I turn the car off it seems that us to sit for a long time a good 5 hours or something like that and I don't know what happens to capacitors run out of juice I have no clue then you open the door you see no door open light before I even do anything I just walk to the back of the car undo the ground takes just a second.
     
    #2 Tombukt2, Oct 24, 2023
  3. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2012
    7,631
    3,849
    0
    Location:
    Wellington, New Zealand
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    That is news to me. As far as I can remember there was never a recall or a service campaign that adressed the CM issue.
    This sounds like you might have an electrical grounding issue.
     
    #3 dolj, Oct 25, 2023
  4. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2016
    6,194
    5,891
    0
    Location:
    Columbia, SC
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    likely to be a dimmer switch problem
     
    #4 TMR-JWAP, Oct 25, 2023
  5. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2020
    3,434
    1,493
    0
    Location:
    NJ-USA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    * When Toyota has some type of "design failure" with a car, they usually seem to do a warranty extension for 10 years. -IF- that fault occurs within the 10 year time frame, it will be covered.

    They will not do anything if there are no symptoms present. If the fault pops up a month after after warranty ends, they usually say "no coverage".

    This is different from a safety recall -like Tanaka airbags. Generally, recalls do not have a time limit.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #5 mr_guy_mann, Oct 25, 2023
  6. Alan Sailer

    Alan Sailer Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2021
    37
    15
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Thanks for all the information. I stand corrected on the recall .

    TMR_JWAP,

    If possible what or where is the dimmer switch?

    Cheers.

    CORRECTION: A quick search found the answer. It's a switch (dial) to the lower left of the steering wheel.
    It was turned all the way down which (strange design) makes the dash display go completely off when the headlights are turned on. Rotating the dial to MAX eliminates the issue.

    Thanks so much. Now I know I don't have two problems, just need to replace the capacitor. Hopefully it will all go as well as the lat time I did this.

    Cheers.
     
    #6 Alan Sailer, Oct 25, 2023
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2023
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)