Are hundy heaters weak sauce?! (1 Viewer)

[TheRealPoser]

I got my first 100 series this summer. I tested out the climate control before I bought it, but I'll admit I probably didn't test how WELL it worked given it was summer. Fast forward to now, when the temperatures have been hovering around the lower 40s to upper 30s. I've found that to stay comfortable I have to have to have the temperature set above 80 and the fan speed on medium or medium high continuously. I've also found my feet are like icicles every time I drive it. I get surprisingly little air out of the foot vents even if I select feet only and turn the fan on high.

Is this typical? I'm wondering there is an issue preventing the air from getting to the lower vents. The heater in my 4th gen 4Runner which is only a few years newer is far more effective. If I leave the heat set on 80 at medium high at the same outside temps I'd be in a sauna in no time. I also get a lot of air from the lower vents. If I where to be in sub-freezing temperatures I wonder if I would need to blast high heat continuously to stay comfortable in the LC.

I know some of you folks are in colder locations, so I'm curious what your experiences are.

Oh, and I get no warm air out of the upper vents in the 2nd row...

 

[Kabanstva]

Must be a Toyota thing. My Sienna heaters suck big time. I’ll warm up the car for 5-10 minutes in the morning and maybe 15minutes into my morning drive I can actually feel good heat coming out of it into the cabin. This is when it’s 20-35 degrees outside.

 

[hoser]

There's a 'test/diagnostic mode' for the HVAC by pushing a series of buttons. You'll have to search for it. It's different for LX than LC.

 

[clx16]

@TheRealPoser not typical experience. can you hear the baffles move when you set it to your feet? Couple things to check when heating isn't great on any vehicle, 1. has plenty of coolant, 2. no stuck airpockets in the cooling system, clogged between the fan and the vents (often this is cabin air filter on may vehicles). 3. are the baffles working properly (this includes the ones for mixing warm/fresh air.. 4 do you still have a t-stat and is it opening at the right time, if it opens too early the engine can't warmup to warm you up.

 

[saucebox]

That's definitely not my experience. This LX can sweat you out of the car even when it's 10º outside. I usually set it at 70 or so and let auto do its thing.

Second row heat comes from the floor, not the ceiling.

 

[js47]

I’ll echo what others have said above, the heat from my 100 was extremely strong. Would heat the car from cold in about 5 minutes flat, even during Wisconsin winters.

I believe the rear upper vents are for cooling only. Rear heat comes from the footwells.

 

[3_puppies]

what is the engine temp? if the engine isn't hot the heater won't work.

 

[TheRealPoser]

Thanks for all the quick feedback. Unfortunately this is confirming my suspicion that my experience is not normal. I'll respond to some of the questions above when I have a few more minutes, but short story I don't think the problem is the cooling system. I don't get any air under the seats in the back. I strongly suspect the baffles aren't working right. Any way to test them (aside from listening) shy of tearing the dash apart? I'm away from the LC at the moment but will check later on whether I can hear the foot baffle. I don't recall hearing it.

 

[clx16]

You should check them all as you might find the problem to be electrical more than mechanical, but i believe on the 98 that I work on, i can hear the baffles move without the fan running, key on engine off, seatbelt plugged in and door closed... radio off....

 

[TheRealPoser]

what is the engine temp? if the engine isn't hot the heater won't work.

The dash gauge is right where I'd expect, about 1/3rd the way up. Is there a good way to get an actual reading? Cooling system has generally been well maintained and I would not expect the tstat to be wildly off given where the guage reads. I've had cars run cool and hot and it was immediately obvious on the dash guage...

 

[clx16]

search bluetooth obd2 scanner on your favorite online retailer and you can get actual temperature numbers to watch. in winter my vehicles all end up being 179F or there about.

 

[Cannon88]

My 99 LC will freeze or burn you out - its the best AC/heater I have ever had in any vehicle.

 

[TheRealPoser]

search bluetooth obd2 scanner on your favorite online retailer and you can get actual temperature numbers to watch. in winter my vehicles all end up being 179F or there about.

Just got myself a last minute stocking stuffer

 

[TrillyPop]

I believe the rear upper vents are for cooling only. Rear heat comes from the footwells.

This was a bummer when I found this out - as we like to tailgate and eat froyo with the kiddo sometimes and the rear hatch area doesn't heat.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Check that the carpet in the footwells hasn't been put over the vents, very common thing here.

 

[Couvi]

Exactly what happed to me. Check the carpet in footwells.

 

[aging fleet]

Check that the carpet in the footwells hasn't been put over the vents, very common thing here.

Was going to say the same, my floor vent had tucked under the carpet on the driver's side, all the heat was going under the carpet.

 

[clrussell]

Check that the carpet in the footwells hasn't been put over the vents, very common thing here.

Same happened here, but it was my weathertechs. I trimmed them to let the air flow better.


Also my 100 will run you out of the cab in about 5 minutes if you put it higher than the second setting. Heat is great, ac is great.

 

[stonepa]

Driving my 100 in Alaska a -45F, my 100 has no issues keeping me warm. Does take a bit to warm up and produce heat, even with a block heater and the grill blocked off.

 

[TheRealPoser]

Same happened here, but it was my weathertechs. I trimmed them to let the air flow better.


Also my 100 will run you out of the cab in about 5 minutes if you put it higher than the second setting. Heat is great, ac is great.

Driving my 100 in Alaska a -45F, my 100 has no issues keeping me warm. Does take a bit to warm up and produce heat, even with a block heater and the grill blocked off.

I'm wondering if I need to flush my heater core. I'm not getting anything close to this performance. I am getting heat though, so I'm getting something through the core it seems, and fan is fine. I also need to check the blend door.

Do you guys get a lot of airflow out of the foot vents? I'm assuming there is a door actuator for directing the air to the selected vents, correct? I also wonder if that actuator is jammed. I don't get much out those vents even on high and only the floor vents selected. I'm talking about front seats now.