warm ac

simple

simple

Senior Member
Argh. This has been bothering me for weeks. My AC tends to put out warm air. I'll have it at 68-72 and I'll be sweating(LO is freakin cold!, and 65 66 seem to be giving mildy cool air). Or more often if just feels like the fan is on, no AC. I don't have the "auto" function enabled, and I took off the underside dash, and the temp sensor is still connected and when I took it to the dealer, they said they cleaned it as it was dirty. Once in a while the AC works as it should, and no problems, but the majority of the time, I'm either getting slightly warm air, or just a fan like circulation feeling. Any ideas? I want to take it back to the dealer...but I don't want to pay another 100 bucks just for them to say we can't replicate it.
 
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Your best bet might be to turn on the Auto mode. The Temp setting doesn't directly control the temperature coming out of the ducts, and the temp sensor also isn't doing anything with Auto turned off. The system is meant to be used as a thermostat for Auto mode. If you want the air inside to be 68 degrees for example, set the Temp to 68 and turn on Auto. It will blow hot air or cold air, as needed, to make the temperature 68.

Since you get very cold air by setting the system to "Lo" (which means max A/C, whether or not Auto is on), it sounds like your A/C system (compressor, refrigerant, etc.) is working fine.
 
there are also 2 other sensors. on the dash one compensates for the amount of sunlight entering the cabin. I believe it is called a sun-load sensor. the other is the ambient air sensor.

you really need some data. get an instant read thermometer and leave it in the vehicle. set your temp and see how far off it is on different days.
 
Good stuff. Thanks gents. I'll try putting it on auto for a week or so and see if it acts better. I also like the idea of a instant thermometer. I'll check out radio shack.

That makes sense that the temp isn't the temp when its not on auto. But, when I first got the truck I got a nice cool breeze out of 70. Now its very warm. Do you guys think that the air might be warm because its colder outside(low 40s which isn't that cold.) I agree my AC is working fine because at LO it works like a charm, but the middle temps are pissing me off.
 
Lee614 said:
Did you locate your AC glass window and look for bubbles running through the 134a or freon?
Click to expand...

Well I checked the transcababulator, it was leaking a little formula 7. However, the quizcalotor was operating normally. Haha, just wanted you to see what I felt like. I do appreciate the info, and it sounds like a good lead, but where would one find the AC glass? Under the hood? In the center console?

THANKS!
 
toto said:
The system is very sensitive to the amount of refrigerant that's in it, and even a very small leak can make it quit working completely.
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I had this summer; the AC 'cutting in and out' I would get cold air and then it was warm for a little bit then back to cold.... all during full fan and still trying to cool down the cabin.
I was getting bubbles in the glass so I assume it needs a little bit of 134a. So mine didn't quit working. maybe the 2003 is different than your 2006. Maybe you have a better explanation why it isn't low but going warm and cold?
 
Ok, so the problem on the thread posted by toto seemed a lot like mine. I found my sight glass after some serious detective work. I turned on the car set the ac at full blast and cold and began watching the ac. I didn't really see anything change from when it was off, like no colors or anything...BUT I did see bubbles form! There were a few bubbles, went away. Then a hole bunch of bubbles, then they were gone. And then single bubbles formed every few seconds.

The pdf posted said bubbles may be normal though if ambient temperatures are high, but my 4runner thermometer says 52 outside. Also when I turned it off, it didn't foam. Sounds like according to that pdf. I'm deficient in refrigerant. But, my AC on low is constant and cooling! Thats what I don't get...also when I took my runner in last week, I'm almost positive the guy said they checked my refrigerant and said it was good.
 
No...but I take off the little valve cover on the silver pipe, and use a pressure reader on the thing that looks like the tire pressure nozzle? What is the psi that I should be looking for?
 
I've got an 05 V8 4x4 SR5, and my heat setting appears to be way off too. It's 20 degrees here in the morning. I'm not running the a/c compressor. Yet if I set the temp to "lo", I get outside air "warmed up a bit, but still cool". Then, if I bump up the temp to 65, it's WARM...bump it to 67-69, and it's HOT! Way too hot! It's like my heater is set to "all or nothing". It's not in auto, and no a/c running. I don't understand how setting it to auto would fix this though? I'm in manual mode, and just want a little warmer air coming in from the outside, through the dash vents. Auto wants it coming through the floor boards. The temp sensor grill is clean, engine isn't running hotter or cooler, everything seems normal, except for the sensitivity of the temp setting in relation to what I get. Anything above 69 degrees, and I'm down to my shorts, and that ain't good for anybody!
 
Wait, wait, wait.... you mean the fix of this problem is to turn off the fan before adjusting the temps? I never had to do that before!

Also, I still haven't been able to check my cars refrigerant pressure because I don't have that tool. I tried the pressure reader at the gas station..but its too big. I'm hoping it just needs a little recharge. My system has been on auto the past couple weeks though, and it seems better, but the temps do fluctuate, which I assume is normal under the auto feature.
 
simple said:
Wait, wait, wait.... you mean the fix of this problem is to turn off the fan before adjusting the temps? I never had to do that before!

Also, I still haven't been able to check my cars refrigerant pressure because I don't have that tool. I tried the pressure reader at the gas station..but its too big. I'm hoping it just needs a little recharge. My system has been on auto the past couple weeks though, and it seems better, but the temps do fluctuate, which I assume is normal under the auto feature.
Click to expand...
No, you have to adjust the temp before turning off the fan or you wont be able to adjust it. I guess in hindsight it's always been that way. The vent temps have always been reliant on the temp setting regardless.
 
Well I just tried my fog light relay. That didn't work. I looked at my sight glass today...no bubbles. I'm beginning to think my AC is just jacked. I think I'm just going to have to buy those refrigerant gauges. Will the one that comes on top off of the h-134a cans be enough? Or do I need to buy both HI and Lo gauges? WHats the difference?

Thanks!
 
Update! I know many of you haven't been sleeping good since I've left you with a cliffhanger on my AC situation... so I'd figure I'd put your minds at ease...with some bad news.


I bought instant-temp thermometer, and a pencil-gauge for my ac LOW side AC. The refrigerent level looks to be right in the middle of where it should be...so that is good. WIth my AC at full blast after a few minuted my air coming out of the right driver vent is at 30degress F. WHen I put it on auto lets say at '67', my thermometer is almost exactly at that point. Auto regulates the temp very well...however when I switch to manual, the air quickly turns to about 100 degrees still at '67'. That is Effin ridiculous. WHen I set it at HI, my air was blowing 120 degrees F. It was getting a bit too warm so I put auto back on.

So...my question is what now? Toyota didn't want to help me out.

I spent WAY TOO much of my hard earned money to be forced to leave my car on auto for life.

When its on Auto, the air sometimes blows at my feet, but I want it at my face. ANd more often than not my winshield will fog on Auto.

Leaving it on auto to stay cool is fine for now, but when the summer comes...its not going to cut it. I want my AC to work on manual!

Any ideas...cause I'm freakin stumped? I almost feel like shelling out the 50 bucks for the new relay even though I tried my fog relay and nothing changed.
 
Mine did the same thing. I got my replacement m/t clutch relay from Advanced Auto for $13 bucks, factory air I believe. Replaced it and works great! PM me if you want the part number.
 
nc211 said:
I've got an 05 V8 4x4 SR5, and my heat setting appears to be way off too. It's 20 degrees here in the morning. I'm not running the a/c compressor. Yet if I set the temp to "lo", I get outside air "warmed up a bit, but still cool". Then, if I bump up the temp to 65, it's WARM...bump it to 67-69, and it's HOT! Way too hot! It's like my heater is set to "all or nothing". It's not in auto, and no a/c running. I don't understand how setting it to auto would fix this though? I'm in manual mode, and just want a little warmer air coming in from the outside, through the dash vents. Auto wants it coming through the floor boards. The temp sensor grill is clean, engine isn't running hotter or cooler, everything seems normal, except for the sensitivity of the temp setting in relation to what I get. Anything above 69 degrees, and I'm down to my shorts, and that ain't good for anybody!
Click to expand...

I hear you on that.., the heater is way too warm/hot, like you said it is all or nothing.... does running on auto help this rather than just trying to set the temp and the fan speed? Seems like the heater is too hot, and the AC is not cold enough, again, does auto help this?

I have an 03 V-8 with 77K miles. The AC light does not flash yet, but thinking of replacing that relay to see if that will help with the AC.
 
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