HVAC issues LC200

[magnusoskarsson]

Dear all,

I have a 2016, Land Cruiser 200. It is pretty much stock. The HVAC system has some issues that I have not been able to figure out or find any solutions online.

• The HVAC system does not start until about a minute after starting the car. And when it does turn on, it starts in some factory default mode, 22°C with a little airflow, i.e. not set the way it was beforer. However, the car must have been turned off for a long time, maybe an hour. If you turn it off and then come back very soon after, the HVAC system often starts up right away as if nothing had happened. So the car needs to sit for a while for this issue to appear. This makes me suspect there is some battery or capacitor in the HVAC system that maintains its memory, and that it needs about a minute of charging before the system can switch back on.
• The HVAC does not cool, or cools poorly. It is erratic. Sometimes it cools, sometimes it doesn’t. It was refilled not so long ago, so maybe there is a leak.
• The air vents on the passenger side at the front of the car blow very weakly, while on the driver’s side the airflow is at full strength.

Does anyone have any tips on how to fix this or at least figure out what is wrong?

Thank you very much in advance.

Best,
Magnus.

 

[ultane]

Dear all,

I have a 2016, Land Cruiser 200. It is pretty much stock. The HVAC system has some issues that I have not been able to figure out or find any solutions online.

• The HVAC system does not start until about a minute after starting the car. And when it does turn on, it starts in some factory default mode, 22°C with a little airflow, i.e. not set the way it was beforer. However, the car must have been turned off for a long time, maybe an hour. If you turn it off and then come back very soon after, the HVAC system often starts up right away as if nothing had happened. So the car needs to sit for a while for this issue to appear. This makes me suspect there is some battery or capacitor in the HVAC system that maintains its memory, and that it needs about a minute of charging before the system can switch back on.
• The HVAC does not cool, or cools poorly. It is erratic. Sometimes it cools, sometimes it doesn’t. It was refilled not so long ago, so maybe there is a leak.
• The air vents on the passenger side at the front of the car blow very weakly, while on the driver’s side the airflow is at full strength.

Does anyone have any tips on how to fix this or at least figure out what is wrong?

Thank you very much in advance.

Best,
Magnus.

Welcome to the asylum.

I haven’t seen or experienced what you are describing occurring in Miss Daisy. I hope you get it figured out.

 

[BTHawk]

If you haven't done so already, you might want to head over to Mud and browse their LC200 forum: 200-Series Cruisers

Not saying you won't get an answer here, but there is a ton of info on that site. Welcome and good luck!

 

[alohabs]

Its your blend door actuators. They have either failed or failing. Mine did the same thing. Replacing the actuators fixed it all. Air flow was going to the wrong place. Heat out some vents cold out others. Sporadic behavior. Best I could figure out was after some time being shut down those doors go back to a default position. I am guessing they would jam and not go to the position demanded and the system would shut off completely. When I would come back to the car after an extended period of time it was off and set to 75 degrees every time. It took multiple trips to Toyota to get them to believe me. Again, actuators fixed it. I think there are 5 total. Its been 3 years and no issues since.

 

[Bad1975]

^This.

Also if you have done any aftermarket wiring and if that gets even slightly snagged by the gears it will throw the hole thing out of alignment.

If you sit in the vehicle for a few minutes after turning it off you’ll here the system moving the blend door and the recirc accordion back to their default startup positions if any wiring interrupts this process the gears will typical jump teeth and throw it out of alignment until taken apart and corrected.

Its a very difficult DIY fix to correct the alignment, took me 5-6 attempts at around 3-4 hours each on my Tundra to fix.

Have Toyota check the blend door, I think there is a A/C ECU function test for that? Hopefully it just out of alignment but be prepared it will likely cost 1k or more in labor as the Toyota procedure is to disassemble allot of the dash to correct.