TL/DR do I have to pull out dash to get to the HVAC actuators/doors? Not sure I am using the right works but the various flaps that control fresh/vs recycled and hear vs AC. Also any NC recs for someone who can do these repairs? The buttons on the HVAC panel are also due to a refresh and I looked at an amazing explanation of how to do it but I don’t have the right space or tools to fo the work.
I searched around and see lots of HVAC troubleshooting threads but...none that seem to match my issue. The heat went out on my 2000 LC last fall and my mechanic (former maybe) said the heater core needed to be replaced as it was leaking coolant. They were grumpy about taking out the dashboard and trying to get me to detach a hose or something and drive without heat. It's my daily driver and I don't like to be cold so, nope. They replaced the heater core and heat was working great. Then we got a weird hot spell in the south in October and I discovered that now my A/C didn't work which was working fine before the heater core was replaced. So I popped by and the guy who worked on the truck said oh it's the actuator and he did *something* to switch it so it worked. When I asked him about it he said the door/flap that switches it from heat to A/C was sticky when he inspected it during the heater core replacement. SIDEBAR: why the F@^! didn't he tell me that then so perhaps we could replace the actuators (is that what they're called?) Currently brewing on what to do about that whole customer service issue but in the meantime I am wondering if there is anything I can do to manually make the system switch back and forth as once it stopped being stupid hot in Octber I had the same issue switching back to heat. I was sort of mad by this point and fiddled around under the dash on the passenger side and no idea what I did or why but the heat started working again. Anyway, now when we had some typical NC "false spring" weather I wasn't thinking but turned the A/C on and - shocker - it doesn't work. I then realized I should just roll windows down because I'll need heat again.
Any suggestions? I do not want to pay to have the dash taken out again, and don't really trust my mechanic any more, which is a bummer as I've used them forever but the quality has gone downhill. I am inclined to try to get this situation properly fixed and I am not a DIY-er with any skill even though I'm trying to learn. I can't seem to find any information about whether the actuators are reachable without taking the full dash out like the heater core is. I also have a friend who is a Toyota mechanic so might be able to get her to assist me once I figure out where they are.
Thanks for ideas/advice/diagrams and sympathy!
I searched around and see lots of HVAC troubleshooting threads but...none that seem to match my issue. The heat went out on my 2000 LC last fall and my mechanic (former maybe) said the heater core needed to be replaced as it was leaking coolant. They were grumpy about taking out the dashboard and trying to get me to detach a hose or something and drive without heat. It's my daily driver and I don't like to be cold so, nope. They replaced the heater core and heat was working great. Then we got a weird hot spell in the south in October and I discovered that now my A/C didn't work which was working fine before the heater core was replaced. So I popped by and the guy who worked on the truck said oh it's the actuator and he did *something* to switch it so it worked. When I asked him about it he said the door/flap that switches it from heat to A/C was sticky when he inspected it during the heater core replacement. SIDEBAR: why the F@^! didn't he tell me that then so perhaps we could replace the actuators (is that what they're called?) Currently brewing on what to do about that whole customer service issue but in the meantime I am wondering if there is anything I can do to manually make the system switch back and forth as once it stopped being stupid hot in Octber I had the same issue switching back to heat. I was sort of mad by this point and fiddled around under the dash on the passenger side and no idea what I did or why but the heat started working again. Anyway, now when we had some typical NC "false spring" weather I wasn't thinking but turned the A/C on and - shocker - it doesn't work. I then realized I should just roll windows down because I'll need heat again.
Any suggestions? I do not want to pay to have the dash taken out again, and don't really trust my mechanic any more, which is a bummer as I've used them forever but the quality has gone downhill. I am inclined to try to get this situation properly fixed and I am not a DIY-er with any skill even though I'm trying to learn. I can't seem to find any information about whether the actuators are reachable without taking the full dash out like the heater core is. I also have a friend who is a Toyota mechanic so might be able to get her to assist me once I figure out where they are.
Thanks for ideas/advice/diagrams and sympathy!
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