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Since you helped me fix this problem, maybe you can this one also.
Couple of weeks ago somebody broke into my car. They broke the drivers window. I ordered a brand new window from the Toyota dealer and raplaced it myself. The window works fine up and down, closes, opens but the only problem is the "Auto up". When I pull the which all the way up for the window to automaticly close, it come all the way up, and then by itself opens (comes down) half way and stays like that. In order for me to close it without opening on its own, I have to close the window manualy, not pulling the swich all the way up for the "auto close". I was told that I need to reset the motor and for that the dealer wants 150 bucks. I just don't think that it is worth that much money and that there is a another way to solve this problem. Does anybody know how I can reset this window so my Auto works?
THank you in advance...
Good luck and let us know if this fixes it.
Just fixed my Highlander in two minutes by tighening the nut.
Car was blowing hot air even in the off position, and only hot with the AC on.
Now it works like new.
Thank You!!!!!
I didn't know that was possible. Thanks for the info.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I tried to solder the wires but in the end bought a replacement unit on ebay for $200. the dealer wanted $700 to do it and $565 just for the part. it is easy just pry out the facia and then undo 4 screws the whole thing pops out and then replace with new or used unit.
If you are good at soldering it could save you a lot of money. If it has only just happened you may be lucky and get away with tightening the nut behind the control knob
Good luck!
Could you tell me which part it was you bought on ebay? I would like to do the same thing- my Highlander has been doing this for about 2 years so I've been just half-turning the temp control knob to get cold (though it has still been very intermittent!). Its been a huge thorn and I've been quoted from two separate shops at over a grand to replace the "Blender Box."
THanks!
Sorry this is not more help.
Gary
Thanks Gary.
The dealership wants $800 to replace the panel:( I'm thinking it is a loose wire or something.
Anyone else seen this problem?
Rut
Most likely a loose/intermittent connection to the OAT, Outside Air Temperature, sensor mounted behind or on the back of the front bumper just forward of the AC condensor/radiator stack.
And open connection will indicate a sub-freezing OAT and the AC compressor will be disabled and the system will go into heating mode as long as the sensor is open.
Another "bump", connection closes, AC cooling returns.
What's wrong?
Solutions?
Thanks all for help.
You will find a small circuit board mounted where the temp control is. Go assuming you have taken the knobs off in front and removed the nuts on the controls, you can unclip the board and pull it out. There is a 3 wire cable connecting the circuit board to the temp switch. Mine had a broken wire at the small board. Be very careful trying to solder this back. It requires a small tip and not too much heat.
Hope this helps. Better than spending $800 for a new one or $300 for a used one.
Rut
Rob
I have the exact same problem on my 01' Highlander. The temperature range is approximately 12-18 degrees warmer on the drivers side as opposed to the passenger side. I will let you know if I come up with anything.
While those systems are prone to "automatically" putting the system into a mode wherein the danger is more likely to arise, having the manual system in recirculate mode during cooling use is one of the base criteria for "stumbling" across the same windshield fogging situation.
Even without the system being in defrost/defog/demist mode there is still a not insignificant possibility that the windshield interior surface will be cooled to the cabin dewpoint and gradually, or in some unique case, SUDDENLY fog over with a light coating of condensation.
What you may be experiencing is Toyota/Lexus latest FIX for the HAZARDS arising from a seriously flawed A/C design. Having the driver's side air outflow be somewhat higher in temperature would undoubtedly allviate some of the potential for windshield fogging on that side of the vehicle.
and it needs to be replaced for $1000.00. you can pull the knob off and adjust
the nut. however I have hit bumps in the road and it turns to cold air. I called
Toyota and they will not recall it due to it is not a "saftey problem" It is when I
am unable to defrost my windsheild. I am not paying that... more calls to Toyota
to help them recall this issue.
Air inlet with a damper door to select fresh intake airflow or recirculate. Fresh airflow is usually taken in at the foot of the windshield on the passenger side (US). Recirculate airflow is taken in from an opening behind the glove box' traditional position. ALL system airflow, regardless of fresh/recirc intake origin, then flows through the pollen filter, the blower ("sucker") and then to, through, the cooling evaporator core. The cooling evaporator core is typically operated at ~34F(***). So if the blower speed is fairly low the airflow temperature at this point might be very close to freezing.
The next step is the reheat/remix vane/door. The control system will "set" the position of the vane door such that a selected portion of that just previously cooled airflow will be diverted from the "main" flow path and through the ~180F heater core. Downstream of the heater core the two airflow portions will remix/merge and the end result will be system outlet airflow that is cool enough, sometimes just BARELY cool enough, to maintain the passenger cabin, OVERALL, at your selected temperature setpoint.
If you turn the manual control to maximum cooling or the automatic one to the lowest temperature setting then NO airflow will be reheated and the outflow might be discomfortingly COLD.
*** Currently no method is used to moderate the operating temperature of the evaporator, mostly in order to take full (but RANDOM) advantage of the evaporator's dehumidification aspects.
1) It doesn't seem to be efficient to heat up part of the cold air (+34F) with the +180F heater core and then re-mix it with the original cold air to regulate the temperature. It's like running your house aircond at full speed and then open the windows slightly to maintain the set temperture.
p.s. BTW, I thought the car air cond regulates the temperature via the Expansion Valve, where it opens to allow liquid freon from the Condenser to flow to the Evaporator if it wants to cool down the air. When the cabin's air is cool enough this Expansion Valve will be closed; thus no more cooling. Am I wrong?
2) Is there a vane door separately for passenger side and driver side so that on the driver side, the vane door was stuck and won't allow the cold air to go through and mix in with the warm air? If there isn't a separate vane door for the driver side, then why the passenger side's temp is much lower (20F) than that of driver side if both sides share the same vane door?
The kicker is that the system had been working no problem until recently !!! So it can't be the problem with the Toyota aircond design.
All I know, or think I know, is that the temperature of the evaporator vane surface area is not easily moderated. So we get downstream "moderation" via the remix/reheat vane/door setting.
2. These days, even if you did not purchase a climate control with the L/R different temperature settings the "core" system may still have that capability for purposes of parts commonalty. Then the question becomes is the function being used..? It would make sense to if the radiation sensor indicates the solar radiation heating effects are primarily on the passenger's side then more cooling would/might be routed to that side. A L/R system malfunction is also a possibility.
To extend FE I often run my climate control systems on MAX COOLING and recirculate. Then I use the blower speed to regulate the overall cabin temperature. If that still results in too much cooling to my face and upper body I set the outlet airflow to dash/footwell combined or footwell only.
That being said....
Climate control systems designed by Denso US, NipponDenso, have shown an unusual propensity for sudden spontaneous fogging of the interior surface of the windshield. So running the driver's side outlet airflow a bit higher than the passenger side might well be something of a corrective measure to help alleviate these instances.
During the winter months the incoming fresh airflow will typically have a lower Rh than the cabin atmosphere. Have you tried routing the incoming airflow to the footwell. Also, during automatic operation the footwell airflow is often as much as 20F warmer than the airflow you get from the dash outlets.
Oh, and you can, and should, manually close the leftmost and rightmost dash airflow outlets.
Aren't those the ones that are intended to remove moisture from the side windows?
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Besides which, I have NEVER expereinced the front side windows being a problem. IMMHO it is ALWAYS the windshield that initially fogs over, begin sto fog over.
The airflow from any dash outlets can be discomforting during cool or cold weatehr operation so I always try to remember to close these during the wintertime.
My side windows invariably become a problem when fogging occurs. Fortunately, I live in a dry climate so it doesn't happen very often.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
If not then the airflow from the side vents themselves may be the problem, carrying moist airflow due to the A/C being cycled off as a result of declining OAT or even "exiting" the defrost/defog/demist mode with the A/C otherwise disabled.
Any time the A/C cycles off there will always be a substantial level of condensate remaining on the ~10,000 square inches of evaporator vane surface area. The only place for that to "go" is to (slowly..?) evaporate into the passenger cabin. Might even be, often is, the next morning before you see the results of yesterday's A/C operation.
Yes. It was a major problem when we lived back east in a much wetter climate.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper