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Source for refurbished MFDs

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by galaxee, Nov 2, 2006.

  1. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    update 9/7/07: unfortunately we are no longer able to offer this service. apologies to all, you can thank the bunch of #$(&*^ that he used to work for. :angry:
    __________________________________________________________________

    There are still stories out there left and right about dealers wanting to charge $4000 or so for a new MFD if you experience the "dreaded MFD failure" out of warranty- when there is a known refurb program out there. :rolleyes:
    *mod edit: Link to Original TSB
    http://priuschat.com/index.php?act=Attach&...ost&id=7024

    DH was fed up with a couple of recent reports of this here, and talked to his parts manager today.

    If you're given the $4000 line and your local dealer refuses to acknowledge or have anything to do with the exchange program, we can get you a refurb for $520 plus shipping from the dealer where DH works. Here's what you need to do, after confirming you need a new mfd using the criteria below.
    [edited to update with new info]

    note: please try your local dealer first, as it is much more convenient for all parties to do it through them. we're here for anyone who cannot get a refurb through their dealer.
    1. PM me to request an order, and to arrange payment. Orders cannot be processed without payment.
    2. We will inform you when your MFD has arrived, and give you a shipping address to send your defective MFD to us. We can write up a photo guide for anyone who needs visual disassembly instructions.
    3. We will exchange the bad part for the refurb and ship back to you 1-2 business days after we receive the defective MFD.

    Yes, I know I did post recently that the price was about $400... turns out it's $473 plus 7% (Durham county/NC) tax, and we're asking for $13 and change for doing the exchange, paperwork, photo guide and arranging shipping back to you. We have yet to calculate shipping costs for sending the MFD back to you, but will update when we have a confirmed shipping weight.

    Confirming you need a new MFD
    There are a few conditions that you don't need to bring the car into the dealer for diagnosis first. This would be if you get the classic "check a/c connection" message, if one of the buttons stops working, if the touch field stops working, or the screen goes haywire (static, elements missing.) Anything else needs to be diagnosed by a dealer first, because we want to be 100% sure that you need a new mfd.

    Other conditions
    1. No returns- which is why we emphasize being sure you need a new MFD!!!
    2. No cancellations. If you send the money, the MFD is ordered and on its way... it cannot be un-ordered. By sending payment you are committing to a purchase.
    Any instances of conflict with these two conditions voids this offer. DH and the parts department have worked a small miracle to offer this service and can't afford to handle related complications at an already very busy parts department.

    Feel free to ask questions here or PM me for more info.
     
  2. ScottY

    ScottY New Member

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    wow... thx galaxee!

    I have an 05, and my MFD is still working (crossing fingers). There were some occasions when the reaction of the MFD is sloooow (at least one second delay after button pressed). I'm not sure if that's the MFD problem. If it is, I'll keep this thread in mind. Maybe this should be pinned to the top.
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    cool.

    I think I'll get the MFD checked in the next service. I'm worried if I take it in, they'll just charge me for "looking" at the MFD even if it's just warranty work.
     
  4. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ok, update for everyone. the parts mgr can't get them in stock so there's going to be a bit of a change as far as turnaround time. will also update 1st post.

    if you need a new mfd, please contact us and make arrangements to send payment first. shipping from refurb company to dealer takes 7-10 business days and they cannot be ordered without payment. once it comes in, we'll have you ship your old mfd to us for exchange.

    there are a few conditions that you don't need to bring the car into the dealer for diagnosis first. if you get the classic "check a/c connection" message, if one of the buttons stops working, if the touch field stops working, or the screen goes haywire (static, elements missing.) anything else needs to be diagnosed by a dealer first, because we want to be 100% sure that you need a new mfd.

    we say this because doing a return would be impossible if the refurb mfd didn't fix the issue you are having. also, please be sure before ordering. if anyone orders one and then changes their mind, the deal ends for everyone. the parts department here has gone way out of their way to accommodate doing this. so kudos to jeff the parts mgr!
     
  5. Jay105000

    Jay105000 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Nov 2 2006, 03:56 PM) [snapback]342719[/snapback]</div>
    How I can contact you to roder the Rebfurbish MDF??? mine is giving me those error messages and I think I will need a new one please reply me as soon as you can.

    Thanks

    Jay
     
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    jay, send me a private message- you can do so by clicking the "PM" button on the bottom left of my post.
     
  7. molain

    molain Junior Member

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    Crud. My '04 is just out of warranty a couple of weeks/a couple thousand miles ago, and I just discovered this problem tonight.

    Does anyone understand what exactly is happening in the unit (aside from the fact that it's dying)? My initial thought was that it was a communication issue due to a potential loose connection (I installed a DICE unit just after my warranty expired and thought maybe I loosened a cable), but it sounds like maybe there's more to it than that. I'm pretty handy with this stuff and would like to be fully aware of *why* it failed before I go spending $500 on a replacement...

    Thanks!
    -Ben
     
  8. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    sorry for the long reply time :blink: this one must have slipped under my radar.

    no idea what they're replacing in there, to be honest. the dealer sends defective ones back to the manufacturer (not toyota) and the manufacturer refurbishes/rebuilds them and sends them out as needed.

    that's all we know. i think the beep in response to button presses is different (if not someone please correct me) which to me suggests more than soldering a couple connections somewhere and repackaging it.
     
  9. gordon169

    gordon169 New Member

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    Wow. Like molain, my 2004 MFD just went south today. After reading all the great posts about this, I went and checked my mileage. 37,600. Nooooooooo!!!! :angry:

    In addition to the common behavior I've read about ("connect A/C", "Audio Off", slow to come on, no numbers in the consumption screen...) mine has the additional behavior of randomly turning the radio off. It turns back on for me when I press the radio button. It's also inconsistent. After failing, turning the car on/off a couple of times, it worked again. After a stop at a store, then it failed again, and remains so now. I'm driving normally, no DICE, nice 45 degree day in Colorado.

    I've got an appointment with the dealer next Tuesday. Hope they are nice to me. It's great to have this as a backup plan if not. :blink:

    Gordon
     
  10. kbrameld

    kbrameld New Member

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    I too just had my MFD start failing. It works about half the time and shows the classic "AC not connected" message, along with radio cutting out etc. My 2004 Prius has 38,128 miles on it. Just past the warranty expiration. Has anyone had much luck with the dealership picking up the cost for this fix? It seems like it is clearly a manufacturing problem either with Toyota or the touchscreen maker.

    Has anyone found that this is just a problem with a bad/dirty connection? The intermittent nature of the problem gives me hope! In the meantime, I'll probably be contacting my dealership, then galaxee after the dealer tries to charge me $3500 ;).
     
  11. Eug

    Eug Swollen Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KBr @ Jan 27 2007, 04:57 PM) [snapback]381752[/snapback]</div>
    Does anyone have pictures of the entire unit (front and back)? I too would also like to see what's there for it to cost $3000-4000. The touchscreen itself doesn't sound like the main problem, and even if it were, it would only be a few hundred bux at the most. However, all the electronics connecting to that touchscreen would prove pricey, esp. if it's exclusive to the Prius.

    In the meantime, I have purchased the extended warranty. No problems yet for my multi-function display at 42000 km (26k miles) and 3 years, but it seems many of you are having problems closer to the 60000 km mark. I won't hit that until sometime in 2008.
     
  12. tvgaffer

    tvgaffer Junior Member

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    Well I must be lucky, my MFD went bad today @ 93.4k mi. Like all you other chatters I really love this car and was just bragging about how nothing ever goes wrong with it. I have an appointment for Monday and allready asked the parts dept. what it will cost for parts $1100 + $300 install +$100 diagno. Thats not counting taxes etc... $1700+ I figure... Guess that makes up for not having to buy that much gas :( :angry: OH Well
     
  13. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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  14. adam1991

    adam1991 New Member

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    I just acquired a Prius, and have extensive experience in the Honda world.

    I see these stories of people being a couple thousand miles out of warranty and worrying. Have you gone to a dealer to ask?

    The reason I ask is this: Honda has a very nice program in place with its dealers to help take care of dealership customers who fall into a gray area like this. Honda allots money every month to its dealerships, to be used by the service manager if needed to cover some repairs on a goodwill basis.

    A good zone rep and a good dealership service manager work together on this and use the money to further Honda's ultimate goals, which is happy customers who use the dealer service department.

    I have benefitted from this many times. Most recently a couple of years ago, my Honda van was 6 months out of warranty but still in the mileage range when it needed a new idle air control valve--a $300 repair. A quick call to the service manager at home (this was 7pm) had him telling the service staff to take care of it, and I drove away without paying a cent.

    I know of people who have gotten entire transmissions replaced under this program.

    Does Toyota have any similar program available to its dealers?

    Me, I wouldn't worry the first bit about a car that was only a couple thousand miles over the warranty period with respect to a major piece of the car like the MFD failing. I would expect that the dealership would replace it without question.
     
  15. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    in many cases toyota will "goodwill" something that's just past warranty expiration, just requires a bit of pushing. particularly for the known MFD failure. someone who's at 90k+ isn't as likely to see this happen though, given that the factory cuts out at 3/36.
     
  16. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    unfortunately, we just found out today that the refurbished MFD exchange program has been discontinued, so this is no longer something we are able to do. :(
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    oh noo :(

    <sigh> My MFD is still acting up. It changes so slowly even though it's above 0°C outside (hell, it's nearly 10°C right now)
     
  18. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    ahh, false alarm. parts guy made a mistake, the refurb program for the classic prius has ended. the above offer is still on, but the price has gone up a bit. will get more details on the new price soon.
     
  19. priusFTW

    priusFTW Gen III JBL non Nav

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Apr 4 2007, 10:51 PM) [snapback]417964[/snapback]</div>
    I am assuming that the MFD is covered under the bumper to bumper warranty, right?
     
  20. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    yep. the 3/36 warranty. this really is only an issue in the 04s, so in your 07 you probably won't have to worry about it.