ToyoDriver
New member
Never used the heat so idk, but the AC works amazingly well. Enough so to bring it up in a thread about heat.
Does your 5th gen. take 20 minutes to warm up?
- Thread starter buchaja
- Start date
Fan High doesn't blow very hard
I have had passengers comment that my "new" 2015 4Runner Limited heating isn't very good.
My cabin air filter is less than a week old. The following experiments are all with fan on max, air only blowing at face (top vents all open), temp set on 24 C (75 F). Using a temperature probe about 2 inches into vent I found it is 50 C (122 F). I don't think heat is the issue.
The biggest problem is it does not blow very hard. Compared it to a 2015 F150, which seems to move twice the air on max blower as the 4Runner.
Using an anemometer (wind speed detector), the air is moving at 3 m/s just outside the vent. With a door open, the speed is 3.7 m/s. Went to toyota and compared this to a demo vehicle in the lot (also limited edition), it had the same output.
Does anyone else feel the blower is undersized?
Any modifications to increase air flow?
I have had passengers comment that my "new" 2015 4Runner Limited heating isn't very good.
My cabin air filter is less than a week old. The following experiments are all with fan on max, air only blowing at face (top vents all open), temp set on 24 C (75 F). Using a temperature probe about 2 inches into vent I found it is 50 C (122 F). I don't think heat is the issue.
The biggest problem is it does not blow very hard. Compared it to a 2015 F150, which seems to move twice the air on max blower as the 4Runner.
Using an anemometer (wind speed detector), the air is moving at 3 m/s just outside the vent. With a door open, the speed is 3.7 m/s. Went to toyota and compared this to a demo vehicle in the lot (also limited edition), it had the same output.
Does anyone else feel the blower is undersized?
Any modifications to increase air flow?
1engineer
Moderator
It's not a Ford. There is no cheap way to increase air flow.
It takes five minutes to heat up. How much faster do you want? Instant? The cheapest way to do that is get a remote start with the phone app so you can start it from anywhere. Start it, let it run for five minutes and you are golden.
Thanks for the info.
Been driving the 4Runner for two months and never noticed until my passengers pointed it out. Was just wondering if anyone else had upgraded their's and how. I'm not afraid to modify it if it's not expensive. End of the day, the heating time doesn't bother me.
I also wanted to share what I had discovered, maybe help the next guy out.
bloodninja
New member
Thanks for the info.
Been driving the 4Runner for two months and never noticed until my passengers pointed it out. Was just wondering if anyone else had upgraded their's and how. I'm not afraid to modify it if it's not expensive. End of the day, the heating time doesn't bother me.
I also wanted to share what I had discovered, maybe help the next guy out.
Sounds like you need to find new passengers
jspagna1
New member
Yes living in CT I think the heater in the 5th Gen sucks. This is how I deal with it. I have a remote start on my truck so I adjust the center control knob to defrost in the morning just in case my windshield has frost. Once I get in the truck, I switch the knob to the top & lower vent setting and it definitely warms the truck up faster.
I make sure I start my truck 15 minutes before I leave as well. I leave it in the top & lower vent mode the rest of the day.
I make sure I start my truck 15 minutes before I leave as well. I leave it in the top & lower vent mode the rest of the day.
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WindyCity4Runner
New member
Just curious - what is the airspeed with the door closed and the recirc button on?
Ron4RNevada
New member
Remote start = a waste.
Idling in driveway = a waste
Idling your 4Runner just doesn't gain you anything. Get in it and go - even at freezing temperatures it will warm up in about three miles of driving. Gotta' have a load on it.
Idling in driveway = a waste
Idling your 4Runner just doesn't gain you anything. Get in it and go - even at freezing temperatures it will warm up in about three miles of driving. Gotta' have a load on it.
bloodninja
New member
Gotta agree here. I'll usually sit in it idling for about 30 seconds before putting it in gear, or if it's brutally cold out (below freezing) I'll idle it for about 2 minutes. Other than that, just get in and go. In the Limited (auto climate control), the heat will not turn on until you break "C" on the temp gauge anyway.
Never leave my truck idling unattended, don't have remote start, etc
Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
My thoughts exactly.
What year? My JKs did as well, but they also have electric fans and run wayyy hotter than the 4Rs. A 3.6L JK's fan doesn't come on until 230F, mine would hit 235F no problem. Even the 3.8s run 220F+. I've never seen over 190F in the 4R. The mechanical fan sucks power, sucks fuel economy, causes slower warm up times, but it does help keep the motor temps stable.
e60ral
Banned
no cheap way? 12v auto fan + small piece of duct + duct tape
1engineer
Moderator
Cheaper: Roll down window...
2015 I think I read somewhere it has something to do with the design of the heads and not having true exhaust manifolds.
My wife actually drives the Jeep and loves to tease me in the winter about how much nicer her remote start is. I have to find the sweet spots in the house and hope it starts.
The airspeed is 2.5 m/s with fan on full, top vents only on, doors/windows closed and recirc on. (With recirc off, it was still 3 m/s)
I can also hear the blower slowing down when I turn recirc on.
Also note that these values are only relative to each other, changing the vent louvers changes the airspeed quite significantly (ie: aiming the right center vent all the way down will give 4.5 m/s on the left middle vent).
Cobalt Anubis
New member
Within two months of buying my 4runner I returned it to the dealer because I was not accustomed to the 20 min. wait for heat in the winter coming from two NISMO Maxima SE's. The dealer informed me that it was working as designed. I know its a bigger vehicle but I was accustomed to a warm interior in just 5 minutes. My solution was to install Compustar's Remoter Starter. It absolutely makes a difference. 5 STARS!!!!! Otherwise the cabin would not be warm until I reached the office in the morning. The remote start security features are also a nice perk.
jspagna1
New member
A remote start is a must if you live in the Northeast. If I lived in Nevada I would bother either.
I installed an Avital remote start in my 97 4Runner when I bought it new and loved it and then I go and buy a new 2011 4Runner and I say to myself: "I don't need no stinkin starter" I can deal with it.
Ya I was stupid enough to deal with it for 4 years and I was wrong so I got a Compustar remote start. As a matter of fact I got one for my wife 2012 Maxima & my daughters 2014 Maxima. They made great Christmas presents.
I installed an Avital remote start in my 97 4Runner when I bought it new and loved it and then I go and buy a new 2011 4Runner and I say to myself: "I don't need no stinkin starter" I can deal with it.
Ya I was stupid enough to deal with it for 4 years and I was wrong so I got a Compustar remote start. As a matter of fact I got one for my wife 2012 Maxima & my daughters 2014 Maxima. They made great Christmas presents.
