Toyota Avalon Climate Control Questions

fsimcic

I have an 06 Avalon XLS with 138,000 miles. I have started having this a/c problem where the compressor just seems to stop working. I can tell by the smell! Toyota told me it needs a new compressor at the cost of $1800.
The issue though I can press the AC button on and off within a second and the AC starts working again instantly! I do not think it is a compressor, but I can not find a blog that discusses this particular problem.
I am hoping that I will get a good answer here to tell me what to look for or what to mention when I take it to an AC mechanic. I want to kinda know what I am talking about.
Thanks to all that comment.

Mr_Shiftright

You may wish to consult your owner's manual for testing purposes. The system in your car is quite complex and uses various computers and sensors to control the compressor. :

SELF-DIAGNOSIS: Air Conditioning ECU has a self-diagnosis function. It stores any operation failures in the air conditioning system memory in the form of DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code).

There are two methods for reading DTCs. One is to use a hand-held tester, and the other is to read the DTC on the heater control panel switch.
DTCs are shown on the center display or multi display of the multi-information display, and on the hand-held tester.

matherjcan

Could you please tell me how one gets the DTC on the heater control panel switch?

aavalone

I just bought a beautiful '99 XLS Platinum Edition today. Then on the way home the climate control quit working. (Now) I know that much has been posted here on this topic. I'm hoping that I don't have to replace all those expensive parts. The only thing that might save me is the one 10 amp A/C fuse inside the passenger side kick plate noted in the owners manual. But, I can't find it. I stood on my head inside the car trying to. Is it really there? If so, can you help me locate it?
Many thanks

mickyj

On my car, I lost the climate control, but also, the outside temperature display also went out at the same time. Mine turned out to a be a part they called an amplifier. Why it's called that,I have no idea,but it cost $800.00 from Toyota to replace it. I thought it should have been a recall because of losing the defrosters ( safety issue). But Toyota thought differently!
Good luck.

Mr_Shiftright

So you don't have an owner's manual?

hogrider47

Air conditioning seems to work okay in weather up to about 85-90 degrees F but quits when it gets around 95+ especially if I park the car and start it back up. It seldom works until the air temp gets back below 90F If it does work (cycles on and off just long enough for you to begin feeling cool air come out and then goes off) it is never cycling long enough to cool the inside of the car. It is usually so hot inside we have to roll the windows down. I've taken to A/C mechanic and he couldn't find anything wrong. Compressor okay, charge okay. Works and cools great in shop. Same with dealer although they just checked the charge and said compressor is okay. On the drive home it quit working again (102 outside temp). Anybody got any ideas?

greesee

I have an 1998 Avalon XLS which is parked outside under a hot summer sun. When I would enter the hot car and turn on the A/C, it would either run for 30 seconds or not run at all. All buttons and indicators would not work nor light up. After a considerable cool-down, everything worked fine. After some experimentation based on what I have read here and elsewhere, I decided that before I turned off engine, I would leave the "AUTO" button on, and the temperature selector at lowest temp setting. Thereafter, upon starting the hot car, the A/C worked fine for several years. About a month ago, my system failed once. I then decided to go "manual and avoid "AUTO." The following buttons are depressed: "Air Intake Selector" on recirculate, "A/C," "Air Flow Selector" is on to the face, "Fan Speed Selector" is on Hi, "Temperature Selector" is at lowest setting, and "AUTO" is not depressed. This works great, even on temps over 100. It would seem that Toyota's faulty amplifier cannot take the heat and shuts everything down and it will not reset until it is cool. I hope this info saves somebody lots of money.

silver_beast

I own a 2007 Avalon XL, which I have maintained with care. It has generally been a smooth-running car. The XL has a blue screen, known as a multifunction display (MFD) in the center console/dashboard, above the radio, that shows climate control settings, audio information, outside temperature and mpg. The other trim levels have a navigation system in the same location. About a month ago, the MFD began to flash on and off. Occasionally, the screen went blank and climate controls did not work, although heat or A/C continued to run. Steering wheel controls did not work either. The problem was intermittent. The radio, a Fujitsu Ten (non-JBL) began to lose its presets and turn off by itself after about 10 minutes. The radio could be turned on again after an interval, but wouldn't stay on. Whenever the radio was turned on, the MFD problem started. The display turned off and on, and sometimes went blank. The radio now works only for a few minutes, and the station or band can't be changed. The dealer couldn't find the problem on the first visit; they spent 3 hours trying to diagnose the problem. On my 2nd visit, the radio issue was apparent and now they want to replace it with a rebuilt radio head unit - cost is about $600. I am wondering whether the radio alone is the problem, or whether it is something else - the MFD itself or a harness. The car battery is fairly new and there are no apparent electrical problems beyond this area. Anyone have any thoughts, or a similar experience?

silver_beast

I will answer my own post. The Toyota OEM radio is designed to serve as an electronic "pass-through" for the climate control system. The climate control wiring runs through the radio. The objective is probably to make it difficult to use aftermarket radios. This is also discussed in the audio section of this forum. My radio began to fail, and as it did so, the climate controls and displays were affected. After a rebuilt radio was installed, the problems with the climate control appear to be gone. Thus, if something happens to your climate control system controls, the radio can be the culprit.

lescouf

I have a 2006 Toyota Avalon . The heat and defrost work great on the drivers side but not on the passengers side.I have fan but no heat on the pass. side but on drivers side. Where do I look to see why theres no heat to the pass. side. I checked anti freeze level and changed the in cab filter behind glove box. Under the drivers side console I see a elec. unit with a plastic gear that goes in to the air control box the gear doesn't move when I change the unit from one setting to the other