I have a 2001 runner with 187k. The other day when i got home I noticed a gurgling sound coming from around the passenger dashboard area. I know the blower motor is there and I believe the ac evap is there too. The sound subsided the longer I sat and it stopped immediately when I shut the key off. I went back later and turned the car back on, but I didn't engage the ac, and there was no noise. It's done this a couple of times, but never before. The ac is ice cold and original. I'm thinking I might have a partially clogged drain line as some water comes out upon inspection, but it doesn't seem like much. The radiator was just flushed and everything is at the proper levels. Thanks for any ideas!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but PLENTY of cars do this. Or are you talking about something brand new? What were your fan settings at?
You can always check the sight glass to see how much freon you got!

I've had the car for 19 years and it's never made this noise. The AC is ice frigging cold. I'm in Fl so the temp setting is max cold on the dial.

perhaps the evap drain is clogged. try inserting a piece of wire into the drain.

That's my next step. Would the floor board be wet if the evap drain line is partially clogged? Thanks!

To me it sounds like you have air trapped in your cooling system.

Or a blend door is bad and flapping around......


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

if the evap has overflowed, then yes, the floorboard/carpet in the RH side will be wet

I agree it sounds like the cooling system more than the A/C.
Your heater core is under the dash as well.
My 2cnd gens used to make that gurgling noise often.
Don't recall if my 3rd gen does. I've probably tuned that noise out.

It’s the sign of a bad rad cap that isn’t venting properly when cold or the rubber hose between the neck of the Rad and the expansion tank is not sealed properly and it’s sucking air instead of coolant when it cools off.

If the coolant is fillet to the top of the Rad and the expansion tank it topped off, a properly vented cooling system should have all the air purged out by the end of three drive cycles.

Some spirited driving with the heat on max temp to fully open the heat control valve on the firewall should push all that air (trapped in the heater core from his Rad flush) into the Rad where it can be pushed into the expansion tank on the next warm up cycle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk