Oh No! Damaged The Sat Nav Screen On My Prius 2

May 24, 2013

Hi Folks,

We have been househunting lately and using the sat nav to get from one place to another. We have had particular difficulties in rural areas where house numbers etc are not so obvious and postcodes provide an easier solution. So I got out my trusty garmin to help us out, and also to show my wife how to use it for when she is looking around on her own. I attached the rubber sucker to the centre of the sat nav screen in the Prius and was able to quickly and easily navigate using postcodes. When I get the sat nav working in the Prius it is reasonably accurate and easy to follow, but in using the Garmin it just demonstrated to me how clunky it is compared to the simple piece of kit I was using. Anyway, when we had finished dodging from one location to another I removed it to revert back to the Prius screen. Then - shock! horror! - I notice that there was a ring of small stress cracks on the screen which obviously related to the rubber sucker. Presumably there had been slight flexing in use perhaps due to the wight or possibly a pretty large distorting "suck" when I clipped on the Garmin mount, but the end result is that it is b***ered!

when the screen is switched off the circular stress damage is very evident, although with the screen on it is nowhere near as bad. However, when trying to enter an address there are certain letters that won't operate or operate incorrectly. For example, if I try and put in a T it actually enters a Y. eBay tells me that a replacement head unit is around £300! I'm wondering if it is possible to remove the head unit and simply replace the screen? However as it is touch sensitive I think there is every possibility of damaging it even further.

If anybody has any bright ideas I would be really delighted to hear them. I am so upset about this, I never dreamt that it would cause such damage and of course it is just as easy to sucker it onto the windscreen with absolutely no ill effects.I thought that by attaching it to the sat nav screen it would at least get it out of my line of sight. How wrong can you be. I would be pathetically grateful for any solutions! or maybe, after 70,000 miles in my ownership and with nearly 100 K on the clock, as mentioned in a previous post, it might just be time to move it on so at least I don't have to look at my stupid error every time I get in the car.

Thanks, Velocette.

May 24, 2013

Have a word with the AUTOSOUND chaps in Bradford, they repair all sorts of Toyota radio and Sat Nav equipment, worth a call at least

Kingo :thumbsup:

May 24, 2013

As far as I can tell its all in one and I doubt anybody would strip one to sell the screen. To replace the headunit, its not difficult, several pieces of the dash need to come out, but they easily prise out I didnt even have to use tools just fingers and gentle pressure to remove panels and then basically two bolts and connectors hold it in. I only took around 15 mins to get to mine but it was actually the clock I was after but to get to that I had to remove the facia for the headunit.

I would go for the 2nd hand unit, is it worth getting rid of for £300, I would imagine it would hurt the value even more trading or selling the car with a broken MFD.

Guess where I sometimes put my sat nav. I certainly won't be risking that again.

An excellent download document is by Chris Dragon, type chris dragon prius into search engine, he has great photos which show panels and clips which make it easy to understand how the panels are attached and therefore where to put the pressure.

Ive also included a couple of links of others getting to the MFD and actually stripping. It will give you a fair idea of how they are put together.

http://www.artsautomotive.com/publications/7-hybrid/117-prius-2nd-gen-repairing-the-multi-function-display

http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/mfd/

Heres how i got to the MFD but read Chris Dragons instructions first, the photos give a great understanding of the process.

I found there was basically seven parts of dash to remove in a specific order to get at the clock (and MFD) namely lower dash (centre on top of carpet),drivers side vent at window, dashboard panels behind steering wheel, vents either side of MFD and the MFD. Basically was not looking forward
to this and any breakages were not going to be cheap.

20/25 mins job done and clock and dash back in place, found by being very carefull I managed to get by without completely removing the dash panels behind the steering wheel and I only needed to loosen them to allow sufficient movement to let me remove the vent next to the MFD. All the other panels did have to come off but weren't to difficult. Must admit I was relieved particlarly as usually I find plastic clips and panels break too easily, but on this occasion nothing broke and all clipped back.

I got by with a cross headed screwdriver and a 10mm socket for the MFD. The rest was all about getting the right order and pulling, pushing etc with fingers to free parts. Chris's instructions were great for the order and where the clips on the panels were when pushing and pulling (had to remember re mine being a RHD as instructions for LHD).

May 25, 2013

Thanks to you both for your very helpful suggestions, I will certainly try the Bradford firm Kingo. And the instructions for painless removal are really helpful. I do hope my example at least helps others to avoid my error. Out again house hunting today and reminded of my error every time I look at the screen. Plan A is to call Autosound, plan B to buy a replacement from eBay and then put my own damaged kit on eBay to offset the cost. There is also a crimp in the rear bumper thanks to a low post that I failed to spot when reversing in torrential rain so I am tempted to get that done too. Then a new set of mats and an MOT and it will as good as new for its 100k anniversary and maybe sale.

Philosophical now, "it could be worse", "nobody was hurt", "it's only a car" etc etc. :-(. V