“Pop” then permanent white screen

Greetings! New member here with a 2014 Tacoma. A few days ago, I was driving and heard a “pop” sound coming from the dashboard area (kinda sounded like it came from behind steering wheel area). The infotainment screen (no nav) suddenly went white blank. I have checked the fuses (just a visible check so far) both in engine and cab areas. I have disconnected the battery overnight. I did a suggested hard reset by holding the app button while turning the lights on and off three times. Nothing has worked. A blank white screen remains on even with truck not on, unless I disconnect the battery. Also, the USB port does not work (I assume the 2 12v outlets won’t work either, though I’ve not tested). I have read other posts similar to this problem, but no one else seems to have commented about the “pop” sound when the screen went blank. Wondering if this is an indication of some specific problem? Any suggestions or insights before I take it to a dealership? Not sure if I’m comfortable with removing the head unit and checking cables and connections, but might give it a go if the “pop” sound doesn’t indicate a non repairable issue. Thanks in advance!

 

Check the fuses with a meter, although if it's the factory head unit I wouldn't be surprised to find that it is smoked somewhere internally.

The factory head units are $$$ even used, if it is smoked now is the time to get a decent aftermarket unit and call it a day. I highly recommend the Joying head units, they fit really nicely and have some nice features.

 

Thanks! Will definitely check the fuses with a meter and thanks for the Joying recommendation!

 

+1, the factory head units, at least in 2nd gens, are shit. I replaced with a JOYING and it is a good upgrade.

(To be fair, back in the 2010s it cost a lot more to make a fancy Carplay-enabled unit than it does in the 2020's.)

 

Be careful as whatever smoked your head unit might do the same thing to a new one. I installed an aftermarket and have my original 2014 head unit (non nav) in the garage. I woul definitly want to know what caused it before I threw someting else in.

 

pop ...then.... white screen, sounds like maybe your airbag deployed in your face


this title caught my attention and i had to see what that topic that title was trying to draw people to view.


so i repeat, pop and nothing but white could be your airbag too.... in your face

ok serious now... please excuse the humor during your trying time...its all meant in good fun

ok information screen... dash area... are you referring to the little white field of information that most people call your odometer and trip meter,?

or are you talking about your radio head touch screen display unit and saying you have the entune one with nav option and that display of that radio head is solid white.

not off,

not a greyish dark typically looking powered off touchscreen ?

but its ...white?

like are you suggesting the touchscreen itself is now a different color than when it normally looked when it was powered off but now it wont power on either and it took on a white appearance? regardless if trying to power it up or not?

or are you suggesting that when it was working that you would call it a white screen when its just turned off.

mine isnt white when its turned off

please clarify that part first ... then we can move onto what the pop was and why isnt it powering up im trying to understand i t this screen somehow shattered completely and fully and cause it to like take on a different shade when not on, I am the chief engineering and certification test pilot and electrical engineer for a major business jet aircraft company and in 42 years of flying (im lmos 60) ive used all kind of displays and certified and tested them at various atmospheres and cabin pressures and ive never seen that happen or heard a screen look white after failing or being off. except plasma displays do get interesting when powered and raised to an altitude of about 6 to 7 thousand feet (~ 3/4 to 1/2 of sea level atmospheric pressure which sea level is 14.7 absolute psi) but you definitely dont have a plasma display in a toyota factory radio headunit

the "white" display description is intriguing to me... i want to see a picture of the display you are describing turned white when you say,... heard a pop ? ...and has stayed that way even when you positively assured it is unpowered

however, im likely expecting this descriptor to change to "Blank" display but in case this is a true "changed to white" and different in color than you ever before witnesses it anytime it was off .... im interested otherwise you probably had a capacitor that let go that as part of the video circuit board section and likely unless you know how to open it and isolate circuitry faults down to component level and change the identify faulty component, and have a O'scope and can use it and can reverse engineer any circuit without having access to the internal diagrams.....then its not cost effective to send for repair itll cost you more to repair than to buy new or even some upgrade aftermarket unit.

 

10 yrs is pretty good use from one, many I know with the stock HU don't get that long before something breaks either rendering it a pain in the ass to use or just non functioning at all. My wife's 2014 Rav4 touchscreen went after 6 yrs and I'm not feeling $1600 for a new OEM.

 

Also should have mentioned that taking out the old one and replacing it is not that hard. Dealerships are getting like restaurants, more expensive every day. If interested in the head unit I have pm me. I'm planning a big ebay sale soon.

 

Sounds like a cap decided to suddenly expand it's horizons.

 

haha…pretty sure I would have noticed if it was the airbag that popped, so probably gonna rule that out!

Perhaps my description of “white blank” for the infotainment screen (radio,etc, not dash) was not accurate. It was a solid lit screen, could be called a light grayish I guess, as opposed to just a dark blank screen as when unit is off. Yes, it stays lit (as if a backlight is on) even with engine off…will not power on or off. Only goes dark when battery is disconnected. Will take a picture when I can jump the battery (yep, forgot to disconnect!) after snow and ice melt!

If it is the capacitor issue you reference, would that also affect the USB port? Would it have made the “pop” sound when it blew?

 

The USB port likely is wired into the sound system/info screen so it's all connected.

 

Thanks…will keep that in mind!

 

That’s what I suspected, but thanks for confirming!

 

Draden, here’s a pic of the screen.

 

Its dead Jim! Sucks but looks like white screen of death. You really need to figure out what caused before installing a new unit. I'm a terrible electrician but figure you need to remove it and start with a multimeter on the harness.

 

Forget the POS factory stereo.

Go here: https://www.crutchfield.com/car/outfitmycar/mycar.aspx

Excellent retailer and service before during and after purchase.

 

Crutchfield will hook you up.

Just replace it with a new one. Super easy.

 

Heres my input. Do you want/need an enhanced head unit? They are great from the perspective that you can download a lot of good apps and if you want to upgrade your sound system on the truck you almost have to have it. Other bottom line is it would cost about the same as a used head unit and the ones Crutchfield can sell you can be plug and play using the existing Tacoma harness. Regardless of which route you go you need to make sure your not going to fry the next one you put in and check the harness behind the existing one. Maybe a local car stereo shop could do that for you. Taking the existing one out is not that hard (do a search for removing 2015 headset on TW or Youtube). Just be careful when prying up not to break the bezel.

 

Thanks to everyone for the comments and advice! I’m really not that concerned about upgrading the audio system as I use the Tacoma just as a work/short trip second vehicle…just playing Pandora via Carplay does the trick for me…and I’m really missing the backup camera! So, sounds like my best bet would be Crutchfield. Will try to find somewhere to check the harness and maybe remove the old unit. You had me feeling confident, Arrowshot, until your last sentence.

 

There's enough Youtube vids that show you how, my advice is get a set of the plastic/nylon prybars at Harbor Freight and you'll be fine.

I'll second Crutchfield. I surmise if you found a used OEM you'll be back where you started before too long, they just ain't made to last unfortunately. If not this exact issue, it'll be something else.