I've got an issues where every fall I have to take my runner in for it not blowing heat. It's usually a case where it blows almost but not quite luke warm heat. Barely enough to keep the ice off the windshield so long as you don't drive it...
Other times there is just flat out no heat.
Yet other times there will be rear heat but not front heat, or perhaps it'll just decide the defrosters aren't going to work today. Tomorrow it may work like it should, hot and all settings.

The dealership has replaced the thermostat, radiator, and heater core over the years. They have pulled the dash and examined the ducting and switches. Once they found a loose cable. It's now out of warranty as of about 4000 miles ago.

Anyone else have this problem? How did you fix it and what was it? I love my truck but this is an issue I'm getting tired of. I noticed that again, the thermostat doesn't rise but about 1/8th an inch above the top of the bottom line on the temp gauge. This is always the case it seems but isn't the thermostat since they ALWAYS replace that and it never solves it. I have sufficient coolant since it gets torn into, drained and replaced every winter by the dealer.

1999 Toyota 4Runner 4wd
3.4 V6
Automatic Trans
104,000 miles


Thanks,

Ub.

 

Few questions for you first.....

1) Do you have electronic climate control on your 4runner?

2) Has the temp guage always read that low?

I had something very similar, but it turned out to be a bad thermostat and thorough coolant flush that finally solved the issue (not just a drain and fill like you usually get when work is performed). My issue may have been different which is why I asked the questions.

 

1. No

2. No

3. Yea... I fixed it. Perhaps last time when the dealership messed with the cables in the dash they fixed it. Can't blame anyone but me this time, my coolant level was low, real low. I just assumed...

Thanks anyway, I've got hot heat now.

 

You're lucky it didn't overheat if the coolant was that low.
In any case it sounds like you got it solved.