I've got a strange issue with my ac blowing cool air from the two pass side dash vents and hot from the driver side vents. Does anyone have any ideas about why? It just happened and I didn't have time to check under the hood, the compressor seems to be engaging, the rpm increases and cool air from just the pass vents has me thinking it is. Are there two accuators under the dash one for each side ? I'm confused, help please. Thanks in advance, Mike
Another ac problem
- Thread starter geezerr54
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johnnygraphic
Member
The Car Care Nut (Toyota mechanic) diagnosed a similar problem.
His videos are lengthy, but very informative. He gets into the nitty gritty of the problem at 16:00 in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ajLjkBentsk1Zgp4&v=8pDfuIsPlrc&feature=youtu.be
Hope this helps you track down your issue.
His videos are lengthy, but very informative. He gets into the nitty gritty of the problem at 16:00 in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ajLjkBentsk1Zgp4&v=8pDfuIsPlrc&feature=youtu.be
Hope this helps you track down your issue.
Just got done watching the vid and oh my!. That is a seriously intense amount of work to get to the issue thats way above anything I've ever attempted to do before. I'm hoping the 4runner is less involved than the cruiser due to fact that mine is a basic sr5 without all the bells and whistles. Still though the box location is most likely the same and unfortunately almost as difficult to get to. I'm going to have to a figure out if I want to attack this or punt the repair to a
local shop that specializes in toyota's. Either way it looks expensive ouch! Thanks very much for the link Johnny, your responce is greatly apprieciated. Mike
local shop that specializes in toyota's. Either way it looks expensive ouch! Thanks very much for the link Johnny, your responce is greatly apprieciated. Mike
Not sure exactly where the part is but might be helpful, I've changed a MKS a few times and just dropped the glove box. Check both videos
4th gen passenger side
5th gen complete removal
Reddit forum on cost
https://www.reddit.com/r/4Runner/comments/1dne1o6/5th_gen_4runner_limited_passenger_side_ac_blend/
4th gen passenger side
5th gen complete removal
Reddit forum on cost
https://www.reddit.com/r/4Runner/comments/1dne1o6/5th_gen_4runner_limited_passenger_side_ac_blend/
Thanks gxsr, It looks like my drivers side accuator in the box itself has gone bad thus requiring dash removal. Unless after watching all vids I'm missing something on my 18 itself but I don'think so. It looks like no air conditioning for now. I also have a 99 5speed that does have very good ac that I rarely drive (my baby) and not at all during Pa winter salt season. Will have to save up some to cover the costs. I've owned 11 4runners and toy trucks since 84 and never had any ac issues on any with 285,000 on a 87 as the highest mileage. This just sucks. News to me but I guess toyotas are mortal. Again thanks all for the help. Mike ( yes I am old 71 hence my user name)
Humble Leader
Senior Member
before you jump into tearing apart the dash lets try some basic diags
get a meat thermometer or a pen thermometer. AC on max cold, fan speed low-medium. recirc mode. measure driver left centre vent after a few 5 mins. measure pass centre right. check to make sure the compressor kicks on and off when you activate it
a good AC would be about 40F, give or take depending on ambient
if driver is warm and passenger is very cold, well below 40 then you have low freon. thats not a blend door. when freon is low generally the pass remains very cold and drivers warm based on design
if you have low freon you need to determine where the leak is coming from. you can use the dye or other tools. it won't take dye long to show if its a decent leak. if the dye yields nothing, including at the drain tube then more advanced troubleshooting is needed
AC systems don't just lose charge over time, in any meaningful way. seals weaken after 10+ years but those mico leaks then take many more years to actually show up. after 15+ years its OK to give it a recharge and get another 10+ years if you have a mirco leak in the dash which will cost thousands to repair, assuming it doesnt grow in size
I had the same issue as yours and my AC condenser on the radiator was cracked at the desiccant tube. my pass vent was blowing 20F driver ambient
get a meat thermometer or a pen thermometer. AC on max cold, fan speed low-medium. recirc mode. measure driver left centre vent after a few 5 mins. measure pass centre right. check to make sure the compressor kicks on and off when you activate it
a good AC would be about 40F, give or take depending on ambient
if driver is warm and passenger is very cold, well below 40 then you have low freon. thats not a blend door. when freon is low generally the pass remains very cold and drivers warm based on design
if you have low freon you need to determine where the leak is coming from. you can use the dye or other tools. it won't take dye long to show if its a decent leak. if the dye yields nothing, including at the drain tube then more advanced troubleshooting is needed
AC systems don't just lose charge over time, in any meaningful way. seals weaken after 10+ years but those mico leaks then take many more years to actually show up. after 15+ years its OK to give it a recharge and get another 10+ years if you have a mirco leak in the dash which will cost thousands to repair, assuming it doesnt grow in size
I had the same issue as yours and my AC condenser on the radiator was cracked at the desiccant tube. my pass vent was blowing 20F driver ambient
To answer your question Foo no it's not duel temp control , mine is a basic sr5. Thanks Leader, I'll temp check to get an acurate reading but when it happened the other day it was 90 degrees outside and even on recirc the pass vent above the radio was cool not cold and the driver side was hot air. Life has got me pretty busy right now but I'll check all your suggestions soon.Thanks to you as well, Mike By the way sorry about Gracie, I feel your pain. Been there myself.
I don't know the 5th Gen as well as I know 4th Gens, but in 4th Gens only the Limited had Dual Air controls, all other models only had actuators on the right side, the Limited had the same with an additional temperature control actuator on the left side, I would think the 5th Gens are similar if not the same.
That all being said, many 4th Gens owners had the same symptoms as you and found the Freon to be low was the cause, they charged the system properly and the AC starting working normally again, BUT that also says you have a leak somewhere.
I suggest you get the system checked and charged properly first to see if that solves your issue before spending a lot of money guessing, if so then you need to try and find the leak, it may be a very slow leak and maybe hard to find, but at least you be going in the right direction.