Replace dash what about heater & evaporator coil

[Rayh78]

Any advice.

2003 4Runner 90K miles bought when new. Excellent shape besides the dash starting to crack. Just missed the deadline so will have to have replaced myself.

Have the dash I bought last year. Not sure yet if I want to attempt install.
And old one not real bad. Just starting to crack and knew I would get 4runner for at least another 10 years.

Already this will cost a fair amount. But thinking it could be a lot more if I dont do this. But am I over thinking this.

Is it worth it to replace the heater core and or evaporator coil at same time that the dash is already off. Is it common to have a problem with them?

Wife's car and only get used about 4K miles a year.

If recommended any idea how much more would cost to have replaced.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[AuSeeker]

Removing the dash cover and installing the new one is relatively a easy job compared to going deep enough to replace the evaporator/heater core, it only took the Toyota tech around 2 hours to replace mine under the enhanced warranty, to do the evaporator/heater core it would take at least 6 to 7 times that long, the reason being is that they are buried deeply up against the firewall and EVERYTHING has to be removed to access the housing they're in behind the glove box to replace them, not only do you have to remove the dash cover but the entire metal portions of the dash, all electronics, all reinforcement parts of the dash, by the time you get to the housing which also has to be removed to replace the evaporator/heater core there's nothing left but the firewall and all the wiring harnesses hanging from it, then you have to put it all back together correctly!

Check on youtube for any modern vehicle on replacing the evaporator and you will get some idea how much work is involved to get to them.

 

[Rayh78]

Removing the dash cover and installing the new one is relatively a easy job compared to going deep enough to replace the evaporator/heater core, it only took the Toyota tech around 2 hours to replace mine under the enhanced warranty, to do the evaporator/heater core it would take at least 6 to 7 times that long, the reason being is that they are buried deeply up against the firewall and EVERYTHING has to be removed to access the housing they're in behind the glove box to replace them, not only do you have to remove the dash cover but the entire metal portions of the dash, all electronics, all reinforcement parts of the dash, by the time you get to the housing which also has to be removed to replace the evaporator/heater core there's nothing left but the firewall and all the wiring harnesses hanging from it, then you have to put it all back together correctly!

Check on youtube for any modern vehicle on replacing the evaporator and you will get some idea how much work is involved to get to them.

Thanks did not think it would be a lot more. Not worth it if I dont have any problems.
My local toy dealer was quoting 8 to 900.00 just for labor on the cracked dash.

 

[AuSeeker]

Thanks did not think it would be a lot more. Not worth it if I dont have any problems.
My local toy dealer was quoting 8 to 900.00 just for labor on the cracked dash.

They are quoting you what their labor book tells them how long it will take for a Tech to read the instructions in their shop manual and do the work step by step, the Tech who did mine it was his only job for quite a while when they were replacing the dashes under the Enhanced Warranty and he had done a lot of them by the time they got around to mine which was around 3 months before the deadline to have your dash checked out then your vehicle place put in their the schedule for ordering the part and then replacement, so he I'm guessing from my own experience of over 45+ years doing mechanical work could replace a dash in 1/4 or less the time the book calls for because of all the dash replacements he had done he could probably do it blind folded and not need to read the procedure in the shop manual.

Just for your own curiosity get them to quote you the labor price for replacing the evaporator and heater core, and let us know the cost, I'm guessing at least $3500+.

 

[Rayh78]

They are quoting you what their labor book tells them how long it will take for a Tech to read the instructions in their shop manual and do the work step by step, the Tech who did mine it was his only job for quite a while when they were replacing the dashes under the Enhanced Warranty and he had done a lot of them by the time they got around to mine which was around 3 months before the deadline to have your dash checked out then your vehicle place put in their the schedule for ordering the part and then replacement, so he I'm guessing from my own experience of over 45+ years doing mechanical work could replace a dash in 1/4 or less the time the book calls for because of all the dash replacements he had done he could probably do it blind folded and not need to read the procedure in the shop manual.

Just for your own curiosity get them to quote you the labor price for replacing the evaporator and heater core, and let us know the cost, I'm guessing at least $3500+.

Thanks again