2012 sr5 ac switch light flashing

J

jamesq

New member
Hey guys,
My runner's ac switch light is flashing and no cool air coming out.. It start doing this after my dash cam freeze.. Very weired. Before I go to stealer I want to seek the advice from you guys first. I did some search, all leads to fuse/relay. Is it a good idea to replace the ac relay/switch directly?
Appreciate any feedback!
 
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jamesq said:
Hey guys,
My runner's ac switch light is flashing and no cool air coming out.. It start doing this after my dash cam freeze.. Very weired. Before I go to stealer I want to seek the advice from you guys first. I did some search, all leads to fuse/relay. Is it a good idea to replace the ac relay/switch directly?
Appreciate any feedback!
Click to expand...

Does the blower/fan come on? If so then it's likely not the fuse, switch or rly. The HVAC system is firmware driven and managed by the temp control ECU; probably needs to be RESET! All that is, is allowing the ecu's temporary files (as found in windows cache/registry) to be deleted; the compu network will then restore the system(s) to it's default factory settings.

To RESET, remove the battery (NEG) terminal and leave it disconnected for a minimum of four hours, if you don't wait long enough it won't reset and then you'll need to do it again... another 4 hrs! If that's not the trouble then let us know so that we can look into this further... no shortage of resources on these forums!

Cheers
 
Thanks rigtec! The fan is still blowing, just no cold air at all. I will leave the battery unplugged overnight. I will update tomorrow.
Thank you for your advice!
 
rigtec said:
Does the blower/fan come on? If so then it's likely not the fuse, switch or rly. The HVAC system is firmware driven and managed by the temp control ECU; probably needs to be RESET! All that is, is allowing the ecu's temporary files (as found in windows cache/registry) to be deleted; the compu network will then restore the system(s) to it's default factory settings.

To RESET, remove the battery (NEG) terminal and leave it disconnected for a minimum of four hours, if you don't wait long enough it won't reset and then you'll need to do it again... another 4 hrs! If that's not the trouble then let us know so that we can look into this further... no shortage of resources on these forums!

Cheers
Click to expand...

After resetting, no more ac light blinking! Thank you rigtec!
 
jamesq said:
After resetting, no more ac light blinking! Thank you rigtec!
Click to expand...

That's great! Thanks James for replying back; there will certainly be others here with similar issues but may be able to avoid an 'expensive' visit to the dealership because of your diligence! Rgds
 
rigtec said:
That's great! Thanks James for replying back; there will certainly be others here with similar issues but may be able to avoid an 'expensive' visit to the dealership because of your diligence! Rgds
Click to expand...

After two weeks, the blinking come back today.. It happened after AC running for about 25 minutes. Before the blinking showed up, the vent was still blowing cool air. But not as cold as before though, even at coolest temperature setting.
Any comment is appreciated!
 
Check for leaks. If the system is low on freon (from a leak)the compressor will shut off automatically. Compressor oil is very messy and easy to detect. Many stores sell r134a freon which include the hose/pressure gauge. Check the pressure. -use eye protection
 
I'd agree that there's probably a leak or low refrigerant, as the system has detected something's wrong, but because its monitored by the ecu, I don't know if I would start pumping dye and refrigerant into the 4 runner's system. I'd have the dealer, or a reputable a/c shop, run diagnostics on the system and have them check for leaks if nothing's found.

Unfortunately, vehicles are becoming more technical with all the computer stuff, and dumping a bunch of R134a into the system without knowing what its issue is can be a dangerous thing to do nowadays.

Jus' sayin' though, you might get lucky and just need a quick recharge!
 
Hi James,

I don't know how I missed this post 'til tonight! Now come the questions: How many miles on the truck, what year/trim model. If it's just a relay they can be replaced for cents on the dollar; I buy single pole-double throw on ebay for about $8 bucks for a pk of five w/ the socket/harness and pigtails. If you think that it's a relay then pull it out and pick one up at autozone. If you can't find the right one, send me a PM with a picture of it with an address and I'll send you one of mine N/C! The flashing lamp came back to let you know that there was still a problem, but it seems like a very simple one so don't worry about; this team will getcha back up and running in no ^X!

rig!
 
Last edited:
Not the place of time... but I support rigtec for president. He's one of the nicest most helpful members on this board.
 
AC light flashing

This was talked about years ago in the 4th gen 4Runners. If I remember correctly it is a problem with the AC relay contacts sparking and creating a situation where they don't make contact so the compressor can work. The test is take the fog relay, same as the AC relay in the 4th gen, and put it in the AC position. Supposedly the OEM replacements now have a capacitor to prevent the sparking. If this corrects the problem, replace the AC relay with the new part number.

Good luck
 
rigtec said:
Hi James,

I don't know how I missed this post 'til tonight! Now come the questions: How many miles on the truck, what year/trim model. If it's just a relay they can be replaced for cents on the dollar; I by single pole-double throw on ebay for about $8 bucks for a pk of five w/ the socket/harness and pigtails. If you think that it's a relay then pull it out and pick one up at autozone. If you can't find the right one, send me a PM with a picture of it with an address and I'll send you one of mine N/C! The flashing lamp came back to let you know that there was still a problem, but it seems like a very simple one so don't worry about; this team will getcha back up and running in no ^X!

rig!
Click to expand...

You are so nice rig! I already replaced the relay with a new OEM one. My 4runner is a 2012 SR5 with 32000mi on odo. I can't believe the relay will be out in such a short time...
 
moneypit said:
This was talked about years ago in the 4th gen 4Runners. If I remember correctly it is a problem with the AC relay contacts sparking and creating a situation where they don't make contact so the compressor can work. The test is take the fog relay, same as the AC relay in the 4th gen, and put it in the AC position. Supposedly the OEM replacements now have a capacitor to prevent the sparking. If this corrects the problem, replace the AC relay with the new part number.

Good luck
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a TSB for that defective relay. That defective relay on 4th gen is not the same model shipped with 5th gen. I specifically checked.
 
jamesq said:
You are so nice rig! I already replaced the relay with a new OEM one. My 4runner is a 2012 SR5 with 32000mi on odo. I can't believe the relay will be out in such a short time...
Click to expand...

Me neither! Run the a/c on a hot day. Leave the windows opened and measure the supply (discharge) temperature coming from the registers; blower on full speed and the temp control set for LOW! This will prove the 134-A charge level. You should see anywhere from 40-45 degF depending on the humidity %. And if need be replace the relay; a few folks have acknowledged that at some point, there was a problem with an a/c relay dropping out the compressor. That would cause the hvac system to flash a fault code!

We'll get it figured out (this I'm sure of), but isolating the problem comes as a result of running different types of tests so you do what you can do and keep reporting back; it'll help the team zero in on the real problem!

rig
 
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