I know this is a stupid question, but what goes out when the heater is not real warm? Is it the heater or something else?? I'll have the temp on hot and it gets luke warm at best.

Stupid, I know but any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Check you engine temp gage. If it's low then your thermostat is staying open and your engine is not reaching it's normal operating temperature. It could also be that the thermostat that is in there, is one that is too low, like 160. It should be at least 180 degrees.

 

If its not the thermostat, It's the heater core. Kind of like a radiator for heat....usually under passenger dash on most cars.

 

Low coolant level will cause this to. With the engine cool, open the radiator cap and fill if you cant see the coolant.

With engine hot, feel the heater hoses for temp. Cool hoses = low fluid.

I read somewhere that the heater core will go into a bypass mode when its blocked. Coolant will flow through through the hoses and make them warm still but not through the main part of the core. IIRC.

 

I had the same problem you did when i bought my tacoma
the heater wasnt really warm, but the thermostat indicated correct temperature right!

well-- just go to the dealer and get a new "heater control valve" under the hood attached to the firewall, these go bad and dont let any coolant into the heater core. I changed mine and it fixed everything.

good luck

Tim

 

When a heater core goes bad (leaking) you will either have a wet spot on the pass. floor up high, near the kick panel.... or you get a greasy residue all over the inside of your windshield. (anti-freeze) I've had this happen. I also had the heater control valve go bad.... oddly enough, both of those probs happened on my Dodge Daytona. My 4Runner has an incredible heater. I can get it so warm inside, that my wife will turn the heat DOWN!

 

Wanted to bring this thread BTT for the current heating probs.