Cleaning AC Evaporators

[hkeller]

I purchased the 2 can each aerosol kits to clean the front and rear AC evaporators. This is a two part kit where you spray a cleaning foam up the drain line and then you spray a second solution in the air intake for the HVAC system. Couple of questions. 1: Should I remove the cabin air filter when I clean the front evaporator, or can I leave it in there? It is almost new and I don't want to remove it if I don't have to. 2: Where are the air intakes for the front and rear HVAC systems? I assume the front is under the wipers, but have no idea where the rear is on the 200. Thanks for any help!

 

[Pelirrojo]

I went through this issue last fall when we bought our used 2013 LC. The kit I bought said to remove the cabin filter so did it per instructions. It was impossible to access the AC drain hose so I ran the hose from the can into the front vents after watching a couple YouTube videos. It didn’t last long. I didn’t try doing the rear so don’t know where the intake is on those. After using the kits 2 or 3 times, I ended up paying the dealer $70 to do the Toyota AC refresh which kept the stale smell away until just recently. For us, the problem is the AC always starts in recirculate so my wife forgets to turn that off before coming home to dry the condenser before the truck sits. If anyone knows how to program the AC to use air from the outside on startup, please feel free to post instructions. I didn’t see it in my manual and I’ve never owned a vehicle that does this.

 

[Banshee365]

If anyone knows how to program the AC to use air from the outside on startup, please feel free to post instructions. I didn’t see it in my manual and I’ve never owned a vehicle that does this.

It's a customizable parameter within AC Amplifier module accessed through TechStream. Air Inlet Mode: Function to automatically change to recirculation mode when the AUTO switch is on.