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Also, if the car is hot inside and you press "Auto" the A/C doesn't seam to come on by itself, you have to press the A/C button to get air conditioning. Is this correct? Reading the manual I'm not sure I understand what the car is supposed to be doing in Auto if the interior is hotter than the temperature setting.
My car a/c is not functioning, when i switch on a/c after some time the switch light blinks and i dont see a/c is not working. I checked the manual, it printed that if light blinks then there is a problem with a/c.
Can anyone please suggest me if i can check some thing before i take it to any dealer so that i dont need to shell my money out if i can fix it on my own.
Thank you very much for all your time.
I have the same problem with my 98 Avalon XLS.
I took some of the same steps you did with no luck.
What did you finally do to resolve the problem. I am still
Looking for a resolution.
Thanks,
Missile Dog<:)
Recharging the refrigerant is one of the easiest do it yourself tasks.. (IMO)... $20 and 15 minutes by yourself or $100+ to have it done at the dealer
I drove my car for 1700 miles on memorial weekend and it was without A/C and i felt like boiled. Otherwise, my lovely car runs great even though it has 150K miles on it.
i have a 96 XLS and couple of days back a/c doesnt blow cold any more. i used a fewweeks back and it was fine. i know the compressor works so it might need a recharge.
can the refrigerant be bought over the counter!!! the tap/opening to add the refrigerant is near the firewall on the passenger side. all i need is a CAN?
http://www.id-usa.com/how_to_recharging.asp
just make sure the coupling is securely attached... hsould be pretty easy.. certainly save $$$ and... it beats opening windows..
My Avalon had a minor accident in Jan. 2005, when it was 27 months old, and had 25 K miles. The grille and the front bumper were replaced. The car ran just like new. A week later, I pointed out to my wife a few crumbled dissipating fins on the condenser. She insisted that it be replaced. Our insurance company was very generous to have it replaced by the same body shop. The A/C was not fully used until June in Michigan weather. Then, I started to notice the unequal coolness from the center vents. I thought it was the cabin air filter being clogged. We'd parked our Avalon in the garage for over 8 months starting from Sept. 2005, because our son went to college and his car was driven by my wife to work. I started the Avalon's engine infrequently during this hibernation period.
OK, this was what I've found in the past week.
After talking to a friend and a guy, a stranger also checking out the A/C refrigerant at a nearby auto parts store, I bought two cans of 13-oz R134a ($30) and a gauge ($18). Yes, a lot of people in an auto parts store would love to share their experiences. The clerks at the counter are also very helpful, too.
Roll-up-the-sleeve-time: I started the engine, and put the auto climate control to COLD (below 65 degrees). Unscrew the gray dust cap on the feeder on the LOW pressure refrigerant tubing near the firewall, a little below the front edge of the windshield. They are two tubing running out of the firewall on the passenger side, one fat (5/8-inch dia), and one thin (1/4 inch dia). Only the fat one has a feeder. Shake the R134a can well, because it contains not only refrigerant, but also 2-oz of lubricant for the compressor. Use the valve, included in the gauge package, to puncture the R134a can and shut the refrigerant off by turning the valve all the way down. Connect the valve with the gauge, and then push the quick-release connector into the feeder.
(To be continued .)
the freon was not environmentally friendly so i guess they switched to R134.
does anyone know which refrigerant a 96 avalon might have.
Freon (made by DuPont chemicals) contained chlorine that was determined to be harmful. R-134 is more friendly to the air around us.
Now I turned on the valve. About thirty seconds after, the compressor kicked in and the green light on the button of the control panel inside the car went on, too. The R134a can was cold and formed a thin layer of frost. Moreover, the sight window showed boiling fluid inside. Everything made sense now. The compressor needed lubricant to run. Without lubricant, the compressor would burn in no time. So, engineers designed a pressure sensor on the thin refrigerant tube to stop the compressor if it detects low refrigerant pressure. Voila, mission accomplished. But, ....
Two minutes afterwards, the compressor went dead again. So with extreme care, I tried to inspect visually where the refrigerant had gone looking for wet spots. After seeing no sign of leaks in the poor lighting condition, I tried again. (Remember, I bought two cans of R134a. The clerk at the auto parts store said 2002 Avalon needed 28 oz of refrigerant.) Exactly the same thing had occurred. This time I did not use eyes to observe; I used ears, instead. I heard a low hissing sound. It actually was not low; it was just overcome by the engine sound. I turned off the engine and the hissing became so obvious, more so when I rocked the thin tubing slightly. Imagine one blows air over the edge of a piece of waving paper. I still saw no sign of leak; wet spots, that is.
(To be continued .)
The next evening, I loosened up the bolt and removed the O-ring (~6 mm dia) at the connector. The ring seemed perfect in shape; it just appeared a little too small to me. I ran back to the auto parts store to purchase two sizes of O-rings ($3 for 8 rings). I installed a new one and made certain the bolt was tightened up. And, without starting the engine and using the left-over R134a, I still could hear the hissing sound. Feeling so frustrated, I started to inspect the tubing more carefully to determine where the hissing sound was. I was totally shocked to find a cut on the side of the thin horizontal tubing a few inches after the sight window. It definitely was the culprit because it was oily there. To me it looked like a saw cut by a 1-mm blade going up and down. But, how did it get there? Was it from the original Denso part? Or, from the body shop used for the insurance work? It’d require a CSI Lab to determine where the cut came from. One thing for certain was that it was not caused by the accident. Because the condenser had barely any damage, let alone the tubing behind it. The body shop did not think the condenser required replacement the first time. Further, the tubing was straight and free of any deformation at all.
Now I’m in deep trouble. I could not find the replacement at the auto parts store. I thought I could cut the tubing through, but they did not have any parts that I could use to re-connect them – just like the way a plumber would use to solder two copper pipes or clamp two PVC pipes together. I seemed to see a few $100 notes flying out of my pocket.
(To be continued .)
I cut a one-inch section from an old (actually new, it’s never been used) rubber hose that came with our new washer. Cut it open so that it can wrap around the aluminum tubing. Further cut to adjust the fit. I found a product in the auto parts store called Cold Weld consisting of two tubes: one steel paste, and the other hardener. I first cleaned the aluminum tubing to make sure that the oil and dust were removed. I then applied a thin layer of CW on the cut of the aluminum tubing and carefully wrapped the cut-open rubber hose around the tubing at the cut. I used two small (for 1/4” ~ 5/8” dia) clamps so that the rubber hose would hug tightly to the tubing.
Six hours later, I repeated the R134a feeding process again. After finishing one can of R134a, the pressure on the gauge reached 25 psi, the hissing sound disappeared, and the A/C system seemed to be running normally. I decided to fill it with only one can of R134a; I was afraid the clamps may not hold for higher pressure.
Three days passed, the A/C had runn as normal for 30-minute drives under 80-plus weather. I’d brought the pressure up to 35 psi after it has been tested for over a week.
My rear speaker has begun to have thumping noise when certain songs are played on the radio. Is there any way to reair the speaker? Would you suggest toyota dealer or a radio shop for repair or replace.
Steve
Ofcourse it's December, so whatam I suppose to do?
Any help as to how to do this or what shop manual is best to detail this?
I usually work on BMWs and Bentley is the best BMW manual but have no clue about this Toyota...
Thanks
I have never understood this recirculate "feature". Adverse, WRONG, thinking insofar as I'm concerned.
As far as I am concerned, this is nothing but a headache and much prefer the manual system for reasons of simplicity.
The problem is in the HEATING aspect. When you require heat, only the driver side vents throw out heat and very faint heat on the floor level.
The passenger side simply freezes..just cold air both on the feet and vents. The problem is, you cannot shut off the vents on the passenger side either and so the car is heating on the driver side and cooling on the passenger side. We have to carry blankets to cover up and stay thawed for the passenger.
Went to Toyota dealership and they say that some vent is just dangling in the heatt/cool unit under the dash and the whole unit(RADIATOR part no 87050-07111) will have to be changed. The unit costs $2381.90 cdn. and labour added, will cost $3214.35 cdn.
For a 6 year old car, this kind of thing should never happen. Never a problem in my Audi or my Saab.
Anyone out there with a similar problem and any diagnosis, please share your genius.!!!????
Yoyota should be ashamed...
The air conditioning works fine on both sides...plenty of cooling and acceptable temperature control on both sides.
The problem is just with no heat on the passenger side.
I have a 1998 Toyota Avalon XLS in mint condition with 240km on it. We are the second owners and everyting works great except when you start the car the climate system automatically switches to recycled air and will not shut off until you manually switch it to fresh air. We had the problem addressed which worked for about two days and then returned. I am told that it needs a $500.00 part under the dash that tells the damper motor what to do. Does this sound correct to anyone? Also, living in Canada and heating in the winter is very necessary. The car heats up fine it just won't defog the interior windows. I have seen this before on some GM products but never to this extent. I drove it last night and with the exception of the front windshield I could barely see out of the car any where else. Should the defog and defrost function not take care of this? What might be the problem. I am new to this site and may experience difficulties navigating around but I will respond to a read all responses as soon as I find them. Any help would be appreciated.
Regards
http://www.carspace.com/guides/SAFEand-Comfortable-Winter-Driving
Google for:
wwest denso demist
Regards
I too am having problems changing out a air filter on my 2000 Avalon
Bought one from auto parts store & the directions that came w/ it
are diffrent than my year.Instead of a phillips screw for the glove box stop,it
is some type screw you have to line up w/ a slot to remove.Any help
would be great.
Thanks MIke
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
Long-term solution: right after using the AC on hot & humid days you should run the blower (AC off) at high speed and in heat mode for about 2 minutes. Use “outside air” mode; not the “recirculated” mode. This will dry the ducts and evaporator fins and coils leaving no room for mold and mildew to grow.
Amaury
'08 Limited
Absent modifications to the system your best bet is to leave the windows down slight each and EVERY night provided the car is under shelter.
For a really viable modification go to:
airsept.com
And read up on their EED, Electronic Evaporator Dryer.
And this "condition" is not restricted to HOT and Humid days, most modern day climate control system run the A/C all year around (primarily for dehumidification during the heating seasons) and so the evaporator vanes can be literally "choked" with moisture at any point the A/C is switched off.
The growth of the microbes leading to the "dirty gym socks odor" is primarily between 60-70F in a dark, moist, "dank" environment. Say in your heated garage at night in the dead of winter.
As for the "fungal' problem and the stench, it is more likely that the interior cabin filter is plugged tight with pollen and debris and the stench starts there.
I would change the filter which is located just under the glove box.
You would find it black with moss and slime from the moisture.
As are LS400's, RX3X0's...
In point of fact almost all passenger cars of asian origin since they primarily use HVAC designs, horribly FLAWED HVAC designs, by NipponDenso.
I think I have read that the newer LS430's have a UV light inside the A/C plenum to belay/retard the growth of these microbes.
Even worse, many US marque are now also suffering, due to this design flaw, as a result of the presence of NipponDenso in our shores as Denso US.
But.
Pollen filters undoubtedly help to prevent the formation of mold and mildew spores/microbes through denying them the "food" they need for growth. That isn't to say that an overage pollen filter wouldn't be a heavy contributor to bad odors.
This also means that you have to do some "digging" in order to have access to the evaporator.
Amaury
'08 Limited
I do not doubt what you’re saying about the arrangement of the heater and evaporator in a car’s HVAC, but I haven’t seen it yet. If you could prove that your arrangement is the rule-of-thumb for car’s HVAC (schematics for example), then I will learn something new and shut up.
I have never, ever have a problem with foul smell in any of the car I’ve owned because I practice what I’ve explained earlier.
Amaury
’08 Limited