MFD issues (1 Viewer)

[TheHomeBuilder]

I've done a little research and cant come up with a solution to my issue.

My radio/audio does not work. The Climate controls don't either.
I thought this was related to when I installed Bluetooth, but today I removed everything and disconnected the battery. No dice.

The strange part is the rear seat audio screen control stays on with gibberish even when the car is turned off. Removing the radio fuse prevents a drain on battery.

I started thinking this was an amp issue, but why would it affect the Climate controls etc?

Sorry for the incoherent text, but was in a rush to write this.

Edit- 2003 LX 470 230k miles

 

[TheHomeBuilder]

Attached is a photo of the rear audio controls. Would the 60 pin issue cause this gibberish?
I'm just surprised it stays on when the car is off. I checked the fuses on the passenger side. Are there any other fuses to check? (Doesn't seem fuse related but who knows)

 

[abuck99]

This may sound like a snipe hunt but try unplugging the BT hardware, eject the Nav Cd under the passenger seat. See if that prompts the Nav screen. If so, reinstall Nav Cd and see if that reboots your MFD.

 

[TheHomeBuilder]

So I have all the Bluetooth stuff disconnected. Tried ejecting the nav Cd, still doesn't work. I also disconnected the battery again for an hour.
Im just not sure what to try next. With winter coming up I want to get my Climate controls working for defog etc. I might try and solder the 60 pin connector, but really would like to know for sure that's what my issue is before I tackle it and potentially break something that isn't broke haha.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jerryb]

no I don't think the 60p would do that.

I would unplug the rear seat audio behind there. I think you can get to it without taking the console out, but by removing the rear cup holder tray you might be able to reach it. It only gets power from the 10a radio fuse. IT's sort of mingled with the front stereo, unplugging it just eliminates it. MAybe that points to a 10a radio fuse thing or it points to a front stereo thing. But for testing I would unplug it.

I would then unplug the three radio plugs. I would plug in a resistor on the R36c for lexus 9 &10, pink and blue car side. There are also pink and blue in the r38b to Rear Seat Audio don't use those.
This would/ should rule out a radio problem and also will tell you if the screen has a problem. If your climate control works after that then I'd plug the radio back in all three plugs and see if the problem still exists. If it re occurs then I'd assume the front stereo is messed up. Rear seat audio will not work without the front stereo working correctly.
I don't have a paper 2003-4 fsm. I assume 1/2 watt 68 ohm from radio shack or wherever will work.
There could be LX differences that I'm ignorant of.
further testing could include unplugging the amp and nav under the seat.
2004lx radio with nav attached.

 

[TheHomeBuilder]

So while waiting for the 68 ohm resistor to show up I tried taking it all apart again to look for bad wires. After looking the whole thing over, I saw nothing, wiggled every wire etc, looked under every piece of tape etc. But I saw something behind the MFD labeled Gateway, could be coincidence but after wiggling the connector for that, the rear seat audio control screen started functioning correctly. And after 2 short drives the controls for everything started functioning correctly, even with the Bluetooth unit reconnected.

I hope the fix stays although I'm still not sure what I did.

BTW I could not access the rear audio controls from the rear cupholder. I tried but gave up after 15 minutes, so not to say it's not possible, I just couldn't reach it.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll update in a week if it still works.

 

[Spike555]

I did not see this before, but just so everyone knows, your HAVC still works with the NAV screen blank/non responsive.
Just press the "AUTO" button, everyting works. Need to defrost the windscreen? Hit the defrost button. Done.
Want the system off, press the "OFF" button.

You do NOT need the screen to use the climate control. You do not need it to use the stereo either. All the screen does is show you the buttons and what's going on, it is a display only.
When my screen was broken I drove for two months, stereo, presets are all there, steering wheel controls...tune...volume...

 

[jerryb]

Your screen must be communicating to the network for the system to work. What you wrote is partially true but very misleading. rtm

 

[Spike555]

Your screen must be communicating to the network for the system to work. What you wrote is partially true but very misleading. rtm

No. The screen is only a display. All of the info is whats connected to the screen. Now if the screen was unplugged I could see that being a problem. But screen plugged in...everything work's.

 

[jerryb]

there's no need to split hairs, you need the circuit boards connected to the car from the MFD in order to things to function. It's been that way for almost 20 years. Screen inside or not.

 

[Spike555]

there's no need to split hairs, you need the circuit boards connected to the car from the MFD in order to things to function. It's been that way for almost 20 years. Screen inside or not.

We are in 100% agreement, the circuit boards/computer's behind her the screen are what makes it work, all I was saying was, that IF the screen is inop you can use the manual controls on the front of the display, the ones next to the clock and outside temp to turn the heater/defroster/aircon on or off.
You can also tune the stereo using the manual knobs, you just cannot see what station you are on, I had to go one click at a time to find the station that I use for my Bluetooth adaptor, then I never changed the station, just always bluetoothed.
I drove this way for two months until I was able to repair my MFD that I broke.