A/C Not Blowing Cold Air...among other things

[yarisitis]

UPDATE ON LAST POST: HELP!


Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone else has this problem too. My car's A/C doesn't blow out cold air, the air it does blow out is neither warm nor too cold (but cooler than the air outside) and I know it should be blowing out air lot colder than it is because my brother's Scion XA's A/C blows freezing cold air and my girlfriend's 2000 Echo does too, but my 08 HB automatic doesn't. Do you guys have any idea why and what would need to be done to fix it? I've noticed too when I'm stepping on the brake with the A/C on and the fan is spinning but then stops, the brake pedal depresses more. Does that happen with anyone else?

ALSO, something that may be related to the A/C not blowing cold air, my engine overheating light turns on sometimes...so far twice, but only when I have the A/C on. The first time was on a fairly hot day, I had been driving for about 20 minutes with the A/C on and got stuck at a red light at the bottom of a steep hill so when I stepped hard on the gas to make it up the hill, the engine overheating light started flashing half way up the hill, but then stopped as soon as I turned the A/C off. I know cars overheat when you're climbing steep grades while you have the A/C on but I was only climbing that hill for no more than 3 minutes.

The second time it turned on happened yesterday. This time it was 100+ degrees outside and I was driving on the streets for 20-30 minutes in normal traffic with the A/C on. Again the engine overheating light started flashing, and again it stopped as soon as I turned the A/C off. This time I was concerned because I wasn't even going up hills or doing anything that would cause the engine to overheat. The only thing I could think of was the 100+ degree temperature outside, but is that enough to cause an engine to start to overheat?

FYI, my engine coolant level is fine, it's in the middle of the Full and Low mark.

What do you guys think?

[UTVitz]

sounds like either your cooling fan is not working or the thermostat is not opening properly

[staticorex]

Yeah. How many miles??

[yaris-me]

It could be many things. One thing is certain, you should get it checked at the dealer.:smile:

[supmet]

ALSO, something that may be related to the A/C not blowing cold air, my engine overheating light turns on sometimes...so far twice, but only when I have the A/C on. The first time was on a fairly hot day, I had been driving for about 20 minutes with the A/C on and got stuck at a red light at the bottom of a steep hill so when I stepped hard on the gas to make it up the hill, the engine overheating light started flashing half way up the hill, but then stopped as soon as I turned the A/C off. I know cars overheat when you're climbing steep grades while you have the A/C on but I was only climbing that hill for no more than 3 minutes.

The second time it turned on happened yesterday. This time it was 100+ degrees outside and I was driving on the streets for 20-30 minutes in normal traffic with the A/C on. Again the engine overheating light started flashing, and again it stopped as soon as I turned the A/C off. This time I was concerned because I wasn't even going up hills or doing anything that would cause the engine to overheat. The only thing I could think of was the 100+ degree temperature outside, but is that enough to cause an engine to start to overheat?

Neither of those should have overheated your engine, as someone else said, I'm guessing the thermostat is bad.

[toyo]

holly shit be careful you might blow up your engine if you keep overheating it

[nemelek]

Take it in for warrantee work. If you don't like the dealer try a shop that specializes in Toyotas.

[yarisitis]

I know the cooling fan is working because I can hear it turn on and off.

I'm not sure what the thermostat is, and what it does by opening and how it affects the A/C. Can you explain this to me?

Is there anything I should check for physically under the hood? I read somewhere that you can check a pipe coming from the A/C compressor while you have the car running with the A/C on and if you feel the pipe is cold then it should be working right, and if it's not cold then there might be a pressure or freon issue. Anyone know about this?

[PhilD424]

I know the cooling fan is working because I can hear it turn on and off.

I'm not sure what the thermostat is, and what it does by opening and how it affects the A/C. Can you explain this to me?

Is there anything I should check for physically under the hood? I read somewhere that you can check a pipe coming from the A/C compressor while you have the car running with the A/C on and if you feel the pipe is cold then it should be working right, and if it's not cold then there might be a pressure or freon issue. Anyone know about this?The thermostat is a circle that opens and closes in the upper radiator hose mount that goes into the block. When the engine is cold and the coolant is cold, it does not allow coolant to flow into the radiator. If your thermostat is mal-functioning then it won't open to allow the coolant to go through and be cooled and it overheats the engine. You could also have a bad water pump. Pull out the thermostat and re-connect the hose and see if it still overheats. If I were you'd I leave the thermostat out it provides better flow. Only downside is it will take longer to warm up in the winter but 4 bangers warm up quick anyway.

[yarisitis]

The thermostat is a circle that opens and closes in the upper radiator hose mount that goes into the block. When the engine is cold and the coolant is cold, it does not allow coolant to flow into the radiator. If your thermostat is mal-functioning then it won't open to allow the coolant to go through and be cooled and it overheats the engine. You could also have a bad water pump. Pull out the thermostat and re-connect the hose and see if it still overheats. If I were you'd I leave the thermostat out it provides better flow. Only downside is it will take longer to warm up in the winter but 4 bangers warm up quick anyway.
So this has nothing to do with the A/C not blowing cold air? Only the engine overheating?

Take this into consideration. I've driven from Los Angeles to northern California (300+ miles) non stop a couple of times already without the A/C on and had no problems with the engine overheating. The overheating light only comes on when I'm using the A/C.

I'm a little hesitant about disconnecting hoses and taking parts out but I'll have a look and try and see what you're talking about.

[PhilD424]

So this has nothing to do with the A/C not blowing cold air? Only the engine overheating?

Take this into consideration. I've driven from Los Angeles to northern California (300+ miles) non stop a couple of times already without the A/C on and had no problems with the engine overheating. The overheating light only comes on when I'm using the A/C.

I'm a little hesitant about disconnecting hoses and taking parts out but I'll have a look and try and see what you're talking about.Well with that small engine the A/C Compressor puts alot of stress on the motor, but that should not cause it to overheat. You could have a faulty water pump. If this only happens when you put the A/C thats extremely weird and is not the thermostat. Best way to see if your overheating is to get a water temperature guage and install it yourself its very easy. Then you can see the difference between A/C and no A/C. Now for the A/C blowing out hot, are you driving while having it on or at a stand still?

[PhilD424]

holly shit be careful you might blow up your engine if you keep overheating itYou can't blow it but if it happens enough times the engine could sieze.

[yarisitis]

Well with that small engine the A/C Compressor puts alot of stress on the motor, but that should not cause it to overheat. You could have a faulty water pump. If this only happens when you put the A/C thats extremely weird and is not the thermostat. Best way to see if your overheating is to get a water temperature guage and install it yourself its very easy. Then you can see the difference between A/C and no A/C. Now for the A/C blowing out hot, are you driving while having it on or at a stand still?
Well the A/C doesn't blow out hot air, it blows out cool air but it's not really cold. The day before yesterday when the overheating light came on, I was driving on the street (100+ degrees) with the A/C on and it just happen to come on when I was at a red light.

I've driven on the freeway before with the A/C on in hot weather for 30+ minutes and the overheating light has never come on. It's only come on while driving on the streets.

So what does the water temperature gauge look like and where can I get one? Where exactly do I install it? Is there a way to tell myself if the water pump is faulty or will a mechanic have to diagnose it for me?

[IllusionX]

Well the A/C doesn't blow out hot air, it blows out cool air but it's not really cold. The day before yesterday when the overheating light came on, I was driving on the street (100+ degrees) with the A/C on and it just happen to come on when I was at a red light.

I've driven on the freeway before with the A/C on in hot weather for 30+ minutes and the overheating light has never come on. It's only come on while driving on the streets.

So what does the water temperature gauge look like and where can I get one? Where exactly do I install it? Is there a way to tell myself if the water pump is faulty or will a mechanic have to diagnose it for me?

just so you know, the 2 radiators share the same Dc fan that cool off your engine and the AC. AC would not be cold cold if it wasn't properly cooled.

Your car does not overheat when it's in motion, because there is enough air that goes through the radiator to keep the engine cooled to safe temperature.

As many stated, it might be the fan,the thermostat or the waterpump. Thought, if it was the waterpump, you'd overheat even in motion (ie, highway). So it could really only be the fan or the thermostat.


I suggest you taking your car to the dealer instead of trying to fix it youself.

[sbrooce]

is it okay to top up the toyota/odenso pink coolant with prestone or whatnot? i mean, will there be smoke and fireworks, not, 'is it as good'.. and, is there a guide to adding and or draining the coolant? i'm new to this forum by the way..

[Yaris Hilton]

It'll be OK to use normal coolants recommended for aluminum engines. Info's in your owner's manual.

[IllusionX]

a jug of toyota pink coolant is not much more expensive than prestone. I wouldn't mix them.

[yarisitis]

Okay, I had my brother look at my car and try to find out why it was overheating. First, we turned the car on AND the A/C to check if the fan would start spinning and it didn't. According to my brother the fan should start spinning when the A/C is turned on regardless if the engine is hot or cold.

Then we left the car on (parked in the driveway) turning the A/C on and off for a good while and waited to see if the fan would turn on after the engine got to operational temperature, it didn't. My brother determined that the thermostat and the water pump ARE working.

We then drove the car around for awhile with the A/C on full blast and then came back home and checked to see if the fan was on, it wasn't. We kept the car running and this time stepped on the accelerator some to make the engine work a little harder, assuming that this would definitely make the fan turn on. Well it didn't and it got to the point where the engine overheating light started flashing and still, the fan did not come on. I of course turned the car off as soon as the over heating light came on and we saw that the fan wasn't spinning.

So it actually is the fan that is not working. We checked the FAN No. 2 fuse in the engine bay and it's fine. So my brother thinks that it is most likely the sensor for the fan that is not working, hence the fan not working. What do you guys make of this?

Assuming that this is it, if I take it into the dealer how much do you guys think the total cost would be to fix something like this? FYI, my car is not under warranty....it's salvaged, so yeah I have to pay for this myself. My brother says that fixing the sensor shouldn't cost much but it's the labor that is going to be expensive. He said around $200-$250 (~$80 an hour for labor), what do you guys think?

[yaris-me]

If you have a multimeter, check to see if you have current going to the fan with the AC on. If you get current then it is the fan motor. If no current then it could be the sensor or a relay.

You can check the fan motor another way. Connect the fan motor directly to the battery. It should work. If not then replace the motor.

[yarisitis]

If you have a multimeter, check to see if you have current going to the fan with the AC on. If you get current then it is the fan motor. If no current then it could be the sensor or a relay.

You can check the fan motor another way. Connect the fan motor directly to the battery. It should work. If not then replace the motor.

Yeah, my brother told me that I could do these things to find out but we don't have a multimeter and I'm hesitant about doing something like connecting the fan motor to the battery myself...

Any idea on how much it would cost to fix any three of these things (motor, sensor, relay) at a dealership?


Also, is the check engine light supposed to turn on if any of those three things (fan motor, sensor, relay) wasn't working because my check engine light has never turned on?

[R2D2]

Yeah, my brother told me that I could do these things to find out but we don't have a multimeter and I'm hesitant about doing something like connecting the fan motor to the battery myself...


If your not comfortable testing these things yourself take the car to the dealer or a trusted shop-it'll probably be cheaper than trying to guess.

Otherwise go buy a decent multimeter and test! The multimeter will pay for itself pretty quickly-consider it an investment, and you'll have it for any future electrical issues that may arise. The folks on the forum here are very helpful and will be a great resource-you've already been given some good advise with diagnosing and how to proceed.

Whatever you choose, good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

R2

[R2D2]

If you don't want to run jumpers to the fan from the battery to test it I'd get a multimeter and unplug the fan. Then check for current at the connector with the ac on as suggested above by yaris-me. With current there you've narrowed it down to the fan.

[ztlonewolf]

if all your going to do is replace the sensor,you can go to any auto parts store ad pick one up yourself and your brother or you can replace it,it's not hard and doesn't take long at all

[yaris-me]

On eBay you can buy a multimeter for $6.90. I've cheap ones on sale for $4. I think you can buy a very simple one from Sears for $7. It is a very small investment for something you can use for anything electrical.:smile:

[yarisitis]

Well I can tell you guys for sure that I'm going to take it in to get diagnosed/fixed, so it would really help if you guys would give me some idea of how much I'll get raped for to get any of the 3 problems (fan motor, sensor, relay) fixed at a dealership? Also so I know if they're trying to blow air up my ass by charging me a ridiculous amount.

So what do you guys say? Throw some estimates my way.

[silver_echo]

how many miles are on the car? for age, it would still be under warranty... if it is still under warranty, i would think that it would be covered...

[yarisitis]

how many miles are on the car? for age, it would still be under warranty... if it is still under warranty, i would think that it would be covered...
It's a 2008 3-door with 8k miles. I bought this car salvaged so it is not under warranty...

[yarisitis]

Hey guys, I gotta question for you.

Will the fan motor for a 2007 Yaris Sedan fit and work in a 2008 Yaris HB?


The part number for the fan motor for the sedan is the same for the HB, so I'm assuming it will work?

[AlexNet0]

Hey guys, I gotta question for you.

Will the fan motor for a 2007 Yaris Sedan fit and work in a 2008 Yaris HB?


The part number for the fan motor for the sedan is the same for the HB, so I'm assuming it will work?

if the part number is the same, its the same part.

its really not difficult to jump the fan to the battery, all these pre-shop diagnostics will save you money, if you go in there and say, "my fan is not working" and get it replaced, then it will save you a bit more then just going in and saying "my car is overheating" "find out what it is".

[yarisitis]

Hey guys, I gotta question for you.

Will the fan motor for a 2007 Yaris Sedan fit and work in a 2008 Yaris HB?


The part number for the fan motor for the sedan is the same for the HB, so I'm assuming it will work?
Hey guys, I don't mean to ask the same question twice but can more people confirm that it will fit and work in my 2008 HB because I don't want to waste my money if the dude above is wrong (no offense).

Another question, if the sensor didn't work, wouldn't the Check Engine Light turn on?


This is the fan motor I'm thinking about buying, does it look to be in good condition?

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm295/elscorcho2686/Misc/Random/280996071_o.jpg

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm295/elscorcho2686/Misc/Random/280996107_o.jpg

[CTScott]

That fan motor will work on a Yaris LB or Sedan from 06 through 09. You really can't tell if a motor is good by looking at it. Applying power to it and watching it spin / listening for bushing/bearing noises is the easiest way to tell if its OK.

By the way, the fuse for the cooling fan is not Fan No. 2, it is RDI. Fan No. 2 is one of the two relays in the fan control circuit.

Check RDI, which is a 30A fuse in the under hood fuse panel on the driver's side (it is one of the big guys in the strip between the connectors and the small blade fuses.

[CTScott]

I can't agree more with the people who keep mentioning picking up a multimeter. You can get one at radioshack, Home Depot, etc. A couple of quick checks with that could save you a lot of money at the dealership. Considering that you are not in warranty, you will probably not walk out of there for less than a couple of hundred.

With the meter, the first thing to check is if current is being supplied to the fan. Pull the connector that goes to the fan motor and measure the voltage between the two pins on the wire side (when the fan should be running). You should measure about 12 Volts. If you do, your fan motor is bad. If you see 0 Volts, then the fan is probably still OK, and we point you to where to look next.

[yarisitis]

That fan motor will work on a Yaris LB or Sedan from 06 through 09. You really can't tell if a motor is good by looking at it. Applying power to it and watching it spin / listening for bushing/bearing noises is the easiest way to tell if its OK.

By the way, the fuse for the cooling fan is not Fan No. 2, it is RDI. Fan No. 2 is one of the two relays in the fan control circuit.

Check RDI, which is a 30A fuse in the under hood fuse panel on the driver's side (it is one of the big guys in the strip between the connectors and the small blade fuses.
I was finally able to check that 30A RDI fuse today since I've been out of town for awhile.

And you were right, the fuse was burned!

So where can I get a replacement fuse? Can I get one of these at an auto parts store like Auto Zone or will I have to get one at the dealer?

[Marthos]

An auto parts store will almost always be cheaper if they have the part, call one up and ask!

You mentioned salvaged, was it hit?
That fuse blew for a reason, you maynot be done after replacing it.

[CTScott]

I am not sure about places other than dealerships having them. They are called Fusible Links and the part number for the 30A one is 90982-08295. They are about $10.

If you want to test the motor before replacing the fuse, use a multimeter and measure the resistance between the 2 terminals of the fan motor. Mine measures 1.0 Ohms. If it measures 0 Ohms, then the motor windings are shorted. You can also put the meter in voltage mode and spin the fan blade. A little zing and you will be reading 0.5 Volts DC or more (depending on how fast you spin it).

[yarisitis]

Thanks for all your help guys.

I bought the fuse from Auto Zone and put it in and the fan works now. I turned on the A/C and the fan automatically turned on like it should.

About how long do you guys think it takes the fan to turn on leaving the car idling long enough so that the fan turns on on it's own without the A/C being on?

Thanks again CT for your help man.

[evawebb]

I know this thread is old, and I haven't read all of the comments, so I don't know if my experience has already been covered by another person. I had a similar problem with the AC not blowing very cold in my 07 Yaris. The first thing I did was go to check the filter behind the glovebox. When I removed the glovebox, I found that there was no cabin filter there. I guess they do not come standard. Because there was no cabin filter, a couple of napkins had gotten sucked into the round plastic thingy (don't know what that is, sorry), and it was impeding the air flow. So I cleaned out the napkins, installed a cabin filter, and the problem was fixed. It sounds like the issue with the op was not so simple, but figured I'd mention it for others who may be experiencing the same problem.

[rningonfumes]

Actually, I had this problem. I thought something was wrong with my fan. When I actually looked into the weird noise, I found a napkin had been sucked into the fan compartment.

I was very thankful for the "cheap(er)" fix.