Multi-function Display Screen failure

The multi-function display screen failed on my sisters 2004 Prius and I don't seem to be able to get much help from Toyota, USA.

Here's the rub -- it could have begun with some really small things that she noticed but they were infrequent like the radio turning itself off and this before she had her 36,000 miles logged.

Well at 86,000 miles the display screen was acting perverse with the navigation screen, audio screen, climate screen starting to function haphazardly.

If you search the internet you can find some other chat room (edmunds, cartalk come to mind) so I know this is not an isolated problem.

I'd like to hear from others who have experienced this same problem as it would seem that the cost of resolving it (from the chat rooms) is anywhere from zip to $6,000.

Thanks for any replies. I do think it HIGHLY DANGEROUS to be driving down the highway and then the audio comes BLARING on when the system seems to want to work again!

Steve