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Prius Speedo Glare on dark country drives! Is it just me?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PaulD76, Feb 4, 2011.

  1. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's about where i'm at as well, i just try to ignore it. all the best!
     
  2. pEEf

    pEEf Engineer - EV nut

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    I finally figured out what's causing this after being unable to reproduce in my 2008. I saw it on a friend's 2004. It's the clear plastic lens that faces up and toward the windshield. If it's dirty or fogged by age/humidity you will get this unintentional reflection. "Green Glow"

    What happens is the light heading towards the second reflector passes through this clear piece of plastic. If the plastic is clean and clear, as mine is, you will not see any green glow.

    You can't easily see this from inside the car, but if you go outside and look down through the windshield on a sunny day you can. Get a *clean* towel and squirt some windex on the towel, then (from inside the car) you can clean this lens. If it has been sun damaged and cleaning doesn't fix the foggy appearance, it must be replaced. Be very careful as it's simply polycarbonate plastic and it will scratch easily!

    It's easy to fashion a new lens after a trip to the plastic store. It takes about an hour for removal and re-installation of the dash. Here are my instructions for removal of the Combination Meter circuit board, just follow instructions 1-16. You don't need to do past 16, unless you want to remove the actual board.

    Another option besides replacing the plastic is to remove it. It's purpose is to keep dust off the first mirror, which is hard to get at in order to clean, so I'd recommend just replacing it if you can't clean it.

    Once this lens is clean and clear you will not see the green glow!