MFD fixed - maybe - its the ground

Edit
The following helped for several weeks, then intermittent problem returned, would prefer this thread not be bumped up. 4/17/10
check out this thread
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...shooting/33923-mfd-issues-04-05-prius-28.html

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I took off the back of my MFD and with access to the 8 copper tabs on the back of the unit, bent them outward another 1/4 inch, applied no-ox electrical paste, placed back together and it is running flawlessly.


Pictures of the back of the unit.
http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/mfd/34back.jpg
http://classic.artsautomotive.com/PriusMFD-045.jpg

I have once previously cleaned connections inside the MFD with some success, but the problems returned over several months.
My MFD has been slowing down intermittently with an increase in these several last weeks. While it does not turn off (unless I choose to do that), it occasionally will go into slow mode and cuts off the radio.
I purchased a used MFD on ebay, very cheap, and discovered it did not work at all. Opening it up, I found electrical corrosion between the copper tabs on the back of the unit (directly underneath the plugs) , and on the back of the case itself. They appeared to me to be grounding points. I decided this area could be the problem , cleaned with sandpaper, and rechecked, the unit still did not work, nada. I wondered if this cleaning could help my original unit. I took the back off the original (5 screws securing this) and saw no corrosion. Looking at the unit sideways, I could tell these copper tabs did not stand out far, so I bent them outward another 1/4 inch (they are springy, raise them higher to get the additional net height ) so they would have better contact with the back of the case. I applied no-ox electrical paste to the back of the case in the area of these tabs to help prevent corrosion, placed back together and for the last 5 days , around 30 hours of car time, the MFD has been running without interruption --it has been running flawlessly. I've decided to post this, my problems may come back, they have before, but this may have done the trick.


Any one care to try this? Also feel free to point out any misconceptions written here, my MFD is running without a break, that's what I really care about.

3/30/10 MFD 'cut out' for several minutes, then back to running. Up to no good again, so I didn't 'solve' this yet. Definite improvement though, it did run well for several weeks. If this repeats some more I will take it out again, which I'm getting good at.