So i've brought this issue up once before with no real solid answers. I finally took my display apart in order to try and find a loose connection or some other easy solution. (Didn't find any).

95% of the time the display is messed up. Occasionally (ie. once in a blue moon) it'll go back to normal until I turn the car off. It's been like this for a lonnnggggg time. (probably a year or more).

The one thing I did notice is that while it appears to be completely fubard in regular use, I had it apart and tilted it... which on the lower angle it looked normal.

So I can only assume that the software (or voltage) that would control the contrast (if there is any), is messed up or reset somehow.

Does anyone know of any secret menus that might be able to control that stuff? I'm thinking it's more the radio then the display itself, but I could be wrong..

 

I think it might be a broken cable or something

 

Have you checked the faceplate of the radio? Mine would do a "matrix" style display until you pushed the faceplate in. Eventually that stopped working and I had to remove the radio and tighten the faceplate to the headunit. Been problem free since.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnLwf5oz1ro

Hope this helps.

 

Yup, had the same issue two months ago. It was a cross between your issue and 1.3's matrix's issue. I was told to initially check the wires in the back to see if anything was loose, but couldn't find anything. Pushed the faceplate, removed the radio, checked the wires, pressed on it, you name it, I tried it. The car was still under an extended warranty I had purchased and had the dealership replace the display.

 

I have the same problem, but not with my rx8, its with my Mazda 6i. The LCD display is showing broken letterings and numbers. It was caused by excessive heat here in Vegas. We always park the car outside in the driveway because our 1st house has a converted garage, so we have no choice and had to park it outside all the time. This time, we bought a brand new house with a garage to park our cars, yes to that. Anyway, my warranty on the Mazda 6i already expired when the LCD display is showing the symptoms of the broken letterings and numbers. I think, i need a new display to have it back to normal. I haven't have time to look or ask on how much it will cost to fix or replace it. The radio and cd still works anyway, why bother.