NHTSA Complaint #10316825 — 2004 TOYOTA PRIUS

MULTIFUNCTION TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY (MFD) MALFUNCTION DISABLES THE WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER. ONE MUST WIPE THE WINDSHIELD BY HAND. IF THE WINDSHIELD FOGS WHILE DRIVING ON A NARROW AND WINDING ROAD OR BUSY HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS ARE AT HIGH RISK. THERE IS A WEBSITE THAT SHOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO FIX IT (HTTP://TECHNO-FANDOM.ORG/~HOBBIT/CARS/MFD/). A MULTI-PIN CONNECTOR HAS A FAULTY PIN. THE SOLDERING CRACKS OVER TIME RESULTING IN A LOOSE CONNECTION. TOYOTA DOES NOT PROVIDE AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION. THEY OFFER TO REMOVE THE TWO COMPUTER UNITS FROM BEHIND THE MFD AND REPLACE THEM FOR APPROXIMATELY $3,000, RATHER THAN SIMPLY RE-SOLDERING THE CONNECTOR PIN. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THIS, AND TOYOTA HAS NOT OFFERED ANY VIABLE SOLUTIONS. THIS AFFECTS ALL EARLY TYPE 2 PRIUSES. *TR