Touchscreen does not work when it's cold out *fixed - bad radio sub-assembly*

[BobBelcher]

I have a 2021 Premium that has been experiencing intermittent touchscreen power issues upon startup for a couple months. After paying attention to random things when I start the car, I have it narrowed down to the temperature outside being a factor whether or not the touchscreen works when I hop in the car. Below 50 degrees, ain't gonna work. Between 70-50, about a 50/50 chance, above that (or if the car has been driven and warmed up significantly) the touchscreen usually works like normal.

I took it into the dealer end of November and they promised the software update would fix the issue. It did not. I left it with them for a few days and they say they never saw the problem. We did have nice weather at the time. Problem with swinging by the dealer to show them is that by the time I get to the dealer (15-20 minutes away) the car has warmed up enough for the touchscreen to have come on. In order for the dealer to see/replicate the issue, I would have to leave it with them for a few days so they could do a literal cold start to try and replicate the problem.

Can anyone offer up suggestions on what could be causing this issue? I have already checked the wiring attached to the back of the touchscreen and all seems solid there. I have ruled out the fuses since the problem is intermittent. My gut is telling me it's something within the touchscreen itself.

On a random occasion when it fails to come on, the screen will display 'no signal' for a second, then turn off again.

Thanks for any feedback. I have spent way to much time on google and found nada. If all else fails I will give it back to the dealer for a week and drive the base model Corolla they will no doubt offer me as a loaner.

Sponsored

 

[MyCorolla]

I have a 2021 Premium that has been experiencing intermittent touchscreen power issues upon startup for a couple months. After paying attention to random things when I start the car, I have it narrowed down to the temperature outside being a factor whether or not the touchscreen works when I hop in the car. Below 50 degrees, ain't gonna work. Between 70-50, about a 50/50 chance, above that (or if the car has been driven and warmed up significantly) the touchscreen usually works like normal.

I took it into the dealer end of November and they promised the software update would fix the issue. It did not. I left it with them for a few days and they say they never saw the problem. We did have nice weather at the time. Problem with swinging by the dealer to show them is that by the time I get to the dealer (15-20 minutes away) the car has warmed up enough for the touchscreen to have come on. In order for the dealer to see/replicate the issue, I would have to leave it with them for a few days so they could do a literal cold start to try and replicate the problem.

Can anyone offer up suggestions on what could be causing this issue? I have already checked the wiring attached to the back of the touchscreen and all seems solid there. I have ruled out the fuses since the problem is intermittent. My gut is telling me it's something within the touchscreen itself.

On a random occasion when it fails to come on, the screen will display 'no signal' for a second, then turn off again.

Thanks for any feedback. I have spent way to much time on google and found nada. If all else fails I will give it back to the dealer for a week and drive the base model Corolla they will no doubt offer me as a loaner.

Is your car parked in the cold? If so, for how long? If parked indoors, do you lock the car? Do you use a battery tender? How long do you drive before the screen starts working?

It could be the battery is discharging enough to affect the screen but not enough to keep the car from starting up.

 

[zrk]

How cold are we talking? Capacitive touch isn't exactly expected to work in frigid weather. While I haven't looked at the operating temperatures for Supra's screen, I wouldn't be surprised if it just isn't operating in sub-freezing temperatures.

If there is actually a problem that is out of spec, just leave it for a few days so they can repro.

 

[BobBelcher]

Is your car parked in the cold? If so, for how long? If parked indoors, do you lock the car? Do you use a battery tender? How long do you drive before the screen starts working?

It could be the battery is discharging enough to affect the screen but not enough to keep the car from starting up.

Car is daily driven, typically parked outside in central Texas. Not all that cold. Battery was checked almost 2 months ago after the problem had started and was fine.

The screen comes on after I start driving typically from 5 to ~10 minutes. Today was the coldest day I have driven the car and it took 13 minutes for the touch screen to turn on. I can't say for certain that the Supra logo animation plays every time it finally turns on, at least the majority of the time.

 

[hotsaucewizard]

Take it to your dealer. I live in Austin as well and daily my Supra in the same temps you've been experiencing with zero issue. Sounds like warranty work to me.

 

[hotsaucewizard]

Sorry, just saw you've already been to the dealer... which one? I'm biased but they are not all on the same level...

 

[zrk]

outside in central Texas

Oh, yeah. That's not cold.

 

[BobBelcher]

Sorry, just saw you've already been to the dealer... which one? I'm biased but they are not all on the same level...

Cedar park. I wouldn’t have left service with the car but I picked it up from the front desk after the service dept had closed on a Saturday. Soon as I started it in the lot the screen flashed a no signal then went black for 10 minutes.
I’m not blaming them tho, they updated the software apparently so it definitely worked for them in the shop.
Life has been crazy and I haven’t had the time to drop it off for a loaner. I plan on it soon. Figured I’d see if anyone else here had ever seen this issue.

 

[MYA90SUPRA]

I have a 2021 Premium that has been experiencing intermittent touchscreen power issues upon startup for a couple months. After paying attention to random things when I start the car, I have it narrowed down to the temperature outside being a factor whether or not the touchscreen works when I hop in the car. Below 50 degrees, ain't gonna work. Between 70-50, about a 50/50 chance, above that (or if the car has been driven and warmed up significantly) the touchscreen usually works like normal.

I took it into the dealer end of November and they promised the software update would fix the issue. It did not. I left it with them for a few days and they say they never saw the problem. We did have nice weather at the time. Problem with swinging by the dealer to show them is that by the time I get to the dealer (15-20 minutes away) the car has warmed up enough for the touchscreen to have come on. In order for the dealer to see/replicate the issue, I would have to leave it with them for a few days so they could do a literal cold start to try and replicate the problem.

Can anyone offer up suggestions on what could be causing this issue? I have already checked the wiring attached to the back of the touchscreen and all seems solid there. I have ruled out the fuses since the problem is intermittent. My gut is telling me it's something within the touchscreen itself.

On a random occasion when it fails to come on, the screen will display 'no signal' for a second, then turn off again.

Thanks for any feedback. I have spent way to much time on google and found nada. If all else fails I will give it back to the dealer for a week and drive the base model Corolla they will no doubt offer me as a loaner.

As you described in here I would guess hardware issue. My car is parked for the winter and it gets to mid 30's in my garage and never had an issue with touchscreen not working at that temp.

I would assume also that if it was a design issue people that daily them in colder climates would have started threads on this already.

 

[lmore377]

To me this kinda sounds like a bad solder joint somewhere either in the radio or in the screen. What's probably happening is when it's cold out the solder is shrinking and not completing the connection and when it warms up it expands and things start working again. Something like this:

 

[Kiske]

Take a few videos with your phone when the issues happen to show the service writers before dropping it off next time.

 

[BobBelcher]

Dropped the car off a couple weeks ago at the dealer. They determined that the radio was bad and needed to be replaced. Parts were ordered and arrived 2 in weeks. Dropped the car off this week to have the parts replaced. Dealership just called letting me know the wrong parts were ordered, no fault of their own, as apparently the parts manual listed the wrong part numbers. More parts are now on order.

Surprise twist... The parts they need to order now are backordered with absolute zero idea of when the parts might be available. Everything that is run through the touchscreen is not functional at this time. Cannot access the menus, safety features, have no backup camera or sensors, no camera functionality for speed signs, etc.

I am not sure what my options are here. I have only driven the car a handful of times the past 3 months due to these issues. Hopefully the dealer can find a solution.


update: Picked up the car tonight. Should hear back from the dealership next week to see what their escalations dept can do.

 

[BobBelcher]

Fixed!!

The 'radio sub-assembly' was the culprit and needed replacing. New ones were on back order for an unknown amount of time. Dealership was trying to source a used radio to get me back up and running, but they ended up finding a new one somehow. Car was picked up, repaired, and returned all within 24 hours.

Gotta go code some QoL changes with the bimmercode, but all seems to be working good as new.

Sponsored