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Is this unique to the 08's or is it just mine?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by paprius4030, Oct 20, 2007.

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  1. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Hi gang. I unexpectadly traded in my 05 for an 08 Seaside Pearl Pkg.#2. I love the new color and the subtle differences. But looking at the fuel gauge is seems it's sloped slightly downhill. The E if very slightly higher than the F. Does anybody else notice if theirs is like that?
     

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    #1 paprius4030, Oct 20, 2007
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Was expecting a picture of the fuel gauge...can you help us out with that?
     
    #2 efusco, Oct 20, 2007
  3. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    LOL see you should be careful what you expect....But your right I'll take a pic of it .

    Here's a pic of the fuel guage, I don't know if you can see it but it looks like it's sloped downhill from E to F
     

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    #3 paprius4030, Oct 20, 2007
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Interesting...
    Remember that what you're seeing there is a reflection off a mirror sitting just in front of what you see.

    I'm pretty sure the mirror is glass, and therefore it isn't likely that it's bent or that the reflection is the problem. So, it makes me wonder if the dark background that the light reflects off of is warped slightly giving that appearance.

    To me it also looks like the left side of the display has a slight curve/warp to it. My guess is that whatever that black thing is isn't quite snapped into place perfectly.
     
    #4 efusco, Oct 20, 2007
  5. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Yeah Doc it sounds like a Fuel guagedectomy might be required, but if nothing else changes I'll just leave it alone, I don't wanna risk a post op fuel infection LOL
     
    #5 paprius4030, Oct 20, 2007
  6. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Just point it out to the service guy at your first oil change...they may be able to pop off a panel or two, snap it in and fix it just that quick.
     
    #6 efusco, Oct 20, 2007
  7. jk450

    jk450 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 20 2007, 07:13 PM) [snapback]528285[/snapback]</div>
    The fuel gauge and the other reflected blue indicators are all part of the same mass-produced vacuum-fluorescent display, which is mounted on a circuit board. Toyota calls the assembly a combination meter. You will have disassemble the dash to get at it. There is nothing to adjust.

    It's possible that the prism may be incorrectly installed, but I'd expect it to rattle, and jiggle when going over bumps. And the whole combination meter would then be skewed - not just the fuel gauge.
     
    #7 jk450, Oct 27, 2007
  8. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    Mine's like this, in my '06. Almost exactly like your picture, but even worse. The 'gear' position indicators are actually slightly distorted and not quite rectangular.

    It seems to me like something is just a bit warped, somewhere, but I've not noticed anything lose...and I certainly wasn't going to have them take apart my new car for something that minor!
     
    #8 Pinto Girl, Oct 27, 2007
  9. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    Well now the car has 1,000mi on it and last night it started doing something different. The fuel gauge has stayed the same slightly lower on the F side then the E side but the odometer part stated really tilting so much so that the right hand side of it , the mi part started to dissapear on the bottom. Then it would slowly come back up. Guess I have to take it in before it due for it's oil change.
     
    #9 paprius4030, Oct 27, 2007
  10. Ichabod

    Ichabod Artist In Residence

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    I don't know from the photo, but it looks like the whole thing is slanted, not just the fuel gauge part. I'd venture a guess that either the mirror is mounted incorrectly (or loosely, given your new info) or that the whole LED unit itself is either crooked or loose... Or maybe you're just tilting your head to one side while you drive? :p
     
    #10 Ichabod, Oct 27, 2007
  11. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Oct 27 2007, 09:59 AM) [snapback]531158[/snapback]</div>
    LOL that's quite possible but then everything would be tilted not just the odometer and fuel guage
     
    #11 paprius4030, Oct 27, 2007
  12. Marvinh

    Marvinh Marvin

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    I think it might be an optical illusion. Look at the series of 'S's below. Don't they look a little wavy?



    SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS



    Marvin
     
    #12 Marvinh, Oct 27, 2007
  13. paulccullen

    paulccullen New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marvinh @ Oct 27 2007, 08:54 AM) [snapback]531195[/snapback]</div>
    Doesn't appear to be an optical illusion. The fuel gauge portion is definitely tilted.

    [attachmentid=12225]

    My guess is it was assembled that way in the mass produced vacuum-fluorescent display. It adds to the uniqueness of your Prius :)
     

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    #13 paulccullen, Oct 27, 2007
  14. paprius4030

    paprius4030 My first Prius

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    I'm sure something is loose because since last night the odometer part started really tilting much worse then the fuel guage and then it would slowly come back to almost level.
     
    #14 paprius4030, Oct 27, 2007
  15. jk450

    jk450 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paulccullen @ Oct 27 2007, 12:48 PM) [snapback]531207[/snapback]</div>
    That's why they are called optical illusions :)
    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Oct 27 2007, 12:50 PM) [snapback]531209[/snapback]</div>
    Time to take the car to the dealer, IMHO. I would still be surprised if it was anything but an optical illusion, as the segments are printed on a machine, and must fit a circuit board exactly.

    I'm traveling, but when I get home, I'll post pics of the meter board and the prism. I will guess that your prism is loose. In the meantime, here's a pic of the intended line of sight, not that it helps much:
    [attachmentid=12226]

    The meter is actually facing the FRONT of the vehicle. Left to right, the meter (vertical, tilted to the right) reflects off the mirror (relatively horizontal-ish), which then reflects off the black plastic (vertical, tilted to the left 20º). The latter is what you see. It all hangs off of the underside of the dash plastic.
     

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    #15 jk450, Oct 27, 2007
  16. blamy

    blamy Member

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    Read this thread and checked out my 07 and it does have a slight tilt to it? Had to look real close and if I hadn't read and seen your posting I doubt I would have noticed it.
     
    #16 blamy, Oct 27, 2007
  17. mjms2b

    mjms2b MJ Green

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BuddyL @ Oct 27 2007, 04:40 PM) [snapback]531346[/snapback]</div>

    :rolleyes: because I"m a little OCD, I will not be checking my 07, ignorance is bliss.
     
    #17 mjms2b, Oct 27, 2007
  18. drifty1955

    drifty1955 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(paprius4030 @ Oct 20 2007, 06:54 PM) [snapback]528279[/snapback]</div>


    Relax...my 07 looks exactly like that.
     
    #18 drifty1955, Oct 27, 2007
  19. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Your mirror is warped. Darell's was warped and he got a new one, now it's fine.

    Nate
     
    #19 naterprius, Oct 28, 2007
  20. msirach

    msirach Member

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    I checked our 08 yesterday and the dash has a slight arc to it that peaks at car center. I checked it with straight edge.
     
    #20 msirach, Oct 28, 2007
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