How long does it take for your heater to start working.

[sevenstorydrop]

We've had a cold spell here in Dallas, and I have 2 kiddos. Generally I keep the truck in the garadge, but we are currently in an apt. while we wait on the construction of a new house. I start the truck and wait 15 minutes, then took the kids to get in. It's still blowing luke warm air, and the cabin is still cold. After about 15 additional minutes, it reaches it's hotest, and is still not as hot as any other car I have owned. I have the heat dial all the way to the right, and I have tried different vent options to no avail. And the rear vents hardly ever have any air coming through. Anyone else experiencing this, or should I take it in?

 

[Snooperstyle]

We've had a cold spell here in Dallas, and I have 2 kiddos. Generally I keep the truck in the garadge, but we are currently in an apt. while we wait on the construction of a new house. I start the truck and wait 15 minutes, then took the kids to get in. It's still blowing luke warm air, and the cabin is still cold. After about 15 additional minutes, it reaches it's hotest, and is still not as hot as any other car I have owned. I have the heat dial all the way to the right, and I have tried different vent options to no avail. And the rear vents hardly ever have any air coming through. Anyone else experiencing this, or should I take it in?

Put a brick on your accelerator pedal while it is sitting in the driveway...that outta do it. Sort of kidding there, but you might want to try pushing the recirculation button...seems like mine defaults to the OFF position.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Not at all like that with my '08 4runner. Heat right away. I would double check the anti-freeze level. I doubt its low but you never know. If there is really never any air coming through the rear vents at any setting I would probably take it in to the dealer. There is either something blocking the duct work to the rear or it came apart.

The heat output on my 04 silverado is ever worse than your 4runner however. Its been like that since day one.

 

[kmiller8821]

I"m also in Dallas, near the H-E-B area. Mine is usually getting warm in about 10 minutes, but i'm actually moving. I haven't idled my truck (because its actually illegal in euless to leave a running vehicle unattended). I do know that the leather is ice, and it takes the seat a few mins to warm up but really not that bad. I haven't checked my rear vents, but I will to see how strong it blows. Since heat usually just comes from the floor vents, I'm not sure I expect the regular rear vents to blow that strong.

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

Whats happening is the A/C-heater Blower is blowing cold interior air across the heater core inside the cabin. This makes the engine warm up time take longer.

I think 4Runners with the Auto A/C unit have an electric heater coil or something, cause my friends 07 4Runner blows warm air right away.

In mine here in So-Cal, I don't get any warm air till my coolant temp is at least 140 degrees. With our cold mornings recently I can typically drive 5-15 minutes before I get "hot" air blowing.

Your probably better off just letting it idle a couple minutes and then leaving. It should get warmer quicker while moving as Kmiller stated above. Higher rpms will make the engine get to operating temp sooner than just an idle which in turn will get your interior warmer quicker as well.

 

[453030]

Mine does not take nearly as long to heat up as what others are posting. We have had bitter cold here lately, dropping below 0 at night. My truck is in an uninsulated garage. I start it, pull a doubleshot Americano from my Gaggia, and go. So it idles for a few minutes. I never run the fan until I am going. I usually pull out of the side streets (less than .5 miles total) and then turn the fan on. By this time the engine temp guage has already started to climb, and the 4Runner delivers heat quickly.

I find the delivered heat so hot when turned all the way up that I need to back it down when I am driving, even when the fan is off. Unless the recirc button is activated you always get some airflow through the vents, and if I have the temp all the way up that trickling air is too hot.

 

[scanny]

I noticed too that it warms up not as fast but I contributed it to low idle RPMs.

 

[swalker]

I let mine warm up for just a few minutes. It has been below 0, parked in my garage, but it gets almost too hot on my 10 minute drive to work if I have it cranked up.

One thing I don't like is trying to keep the back end warm without burning up in the front. The best option I have found is to set the vents for top only..close the front ones...and it forces a good stream of heat out of the back vents.

One thing I really liked about the pathfinder vs the 4runner when I was shopping was that the pathfinder had vents in the headliner over the 3rd row seats. Cant have everything I guess, and I am very happy with my choice. I have 8000 miles on it since Oct 28th

 

[captainnemojr]

Every car I have had with automatic air will not turn the heater on until the engine temperature needle hits right at or just above the C (as it starts below it). I guess it gives the engine time to warm up so it won't blow cold air. Thank goodness the seat heaters work faster than that, but normally it turns on after about 3-5 min of driving.

On another note, when your heaters come on, is there a squeaking noise like a belt or something coming from under the glove box? I am getting that noise and I may have the dealer look at it when I take it in.

 

[gwcpa]

I think my heater core warms up pretty fast, but as noted before, the fan is lethargic. Has to be the lowest cfm fan of an vehicle I've ever had with the fan on high.

But with the butt warmers on high and the heat up, it does not take long to get me warm with the temperatures in the 20s.

 

[FlyNavy]

Yep, seems to take a minute to warm up, but no longer than other vehicles I have owned.
I'm more concerned about how loud the fan is. Sounds like there is a centrifuge behind my glovebox........ wait, there is one!!

 

[TOYSTRY]

I start the 4R, take the dog to pee/poo and within 5 mins, it's blowing warm air. It's been 32 degrees or colder here daily so that's not too bad.

 

[Glenn_Law]

several of my former vehicles developed the same slow-to-warm-up problem that you described. Every time, it was the thermostat being stuck open.

I'm not sure about the 4Runner (because I've only had mine for a week) but most cars have the thermostat where the lower radiator hose connects to the engine block.

 

[Mason]

I'm more concerned about how loud the fan is.

Same here. The only way I can describe mine is like some kind of electronic sounding whirl. It's not too loud or annoying, but it is there.

As for the vehicle heating up.. I don't think it takes a while, but I got the seat warmers like others said and the climate control on Auto so it doesn't blow cold air.

 

[adoihcj]

Mine seems to take a little while longer than other vehicles I've owned. Once it's hot though, it gets very hot. I did notice something however. Even though I have manual controls for heat/temp (SR5), it seems that the fan speed changes on it's own. For example, if I place the fan on the highest setting before it's completely warmed up, the fan sounds quieter than it does once it's fully warmed up.

 

[j22pa]

i agree with original poster...tho..my previous vehicle was a car...so i figured the cabin size was much smaller to heat up...ive never had an suv to compare with...

i have a remote starter...after usually 10-15 minutes warm up...i get in to drive..and still need full heat and full blower/fan...for about 4 miles or so....

i usually use "defrost" or "defrost and floor" settings...which is no air coming out of the "vents" directly on the passengers...that's how im used to doing it in my old car...im in Pennsylvania...temps are low teens recently..and always a dusting of snow/frost on the windshield too in the morning.

i guess most people are using the regular "vents" (and not leaving it on "defrost" setting) ?

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

^^As far as I know the Defrost setting actually runs the A/C so that is one reason why its probably taking longer to heat up inside.

 

[Elk Hunter 2]

I put mine on floor and close off outside air and it still takes a long time to heat up.

 

[4Robber]

My truck sits outside (too big for garage).

If I have to take my (6 mo. old) kids for a ride, I let it warm up for 5-10 minutes on "Auto" @ 72º....never turn the fan on if it's not warm.

Then I floor the truck as soon as I get out to the 45MPH street a few blocks away. The revving really helps warm it up quickly.

But yeah, I freeze my sac off for a few minutes if I just get in and go...especially at night.

 

[DaveS]

I don't understand why Toyota decided to move back to manual heat controls in the 5th Gen SR5 - my 2004 SR5 has automatic even though it is just a single zone and like others mentioned it delays bringing the fan on until the engine starts to produce enough heat to spare in heating the interior of the vehicle. That said I don't have heated mirrors (came in 2005) or a windshield wiper deicer which would be a big help in the winter.