NHTSA Complaint #10905730 — 2009 TOYOTA PRIUS

MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. ORIGINALLY, PROBLEM ONLY APPEARED IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMBINATION METER FAILURE DURING COLD WEATHER STARTS. COMBINATION METER HAS BEEN REPLACED BY TOYOTA PER THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY PROBLEM PERSISTS. ON COLD STARTS IN THE MORNING THE UNIT DOES NOT FUNCTION. LATER IN THE DAY, AFTER SITTING IN THE SUN FOR A WHILE, THE UNIT WILL OCCASIONALLY START TO WORK BUT MIGHT GO ON/OFF AND RESET ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. ALL NAVIGATION MEMORY IS STILL THERE, INCLUDING AC SETTINGS BUT PHONE SETTINGS ARE WIPED OUT. THIS MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY IS THE PRIMARY CONTROL FOR AC AND HEATER, NAVIGATION SYSTEM, TELEPHONE/BLUETOOTH, AUDIO, DIAGNOSTICS/MAINTENANCE, ETC. TOYOTA HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE UNIT IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER (FUJITSU) FOR REPAIR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH THIS UNIT ON GEN 2 PRIUSES 2004-2009. THERE SHOULD BE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT JUST LIKE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE COMBINATION METER.