Uk Yaris T2 2009 - Heater Question

[lemsipmax]

Hi,

I'm based in the UK. I have a 2009 T2 Yaris. The car does not have aircon or climate control... just the basic heater blower. From a cold start, with the car sat on the driveway idling the heater takes approximately 5 minutes before hot air starts to come through the vents... is this normal? If I drive the car then hot air comes through the vents quicker... I suspect due to the engine being used. Typically, I have the fan speed set to 1 and the vents directed at my feet.

Am I right in thinking the heat for the heater blower comes from the engine heat... hence the engine needs to warm up prior to hot air being delivered? Does 5 minutes sound about right for hot air to come through? I can feel warmish, but not hot, air after about 2-3 minutes.

Thanks, Andy

[stantheman1]

Yes (it's normal) Yes (the heat is generated by the engine) and Yes ( 5 minutes sounds about right!)

[Cyker]

Yup, Yaris doesn't have any electric heaters so it needs the engine to warm up.

Just be glad it isn't a D4D; That engine will *never* warm up if you just leave it idling!

Idling is just wasting fuel anyway; Just take that sucker and driiiive! :D

[Mick G]

Yes, that sounds about right. My 2009 TR is about the same. I guess it's time to get you down to Poundland for some cosy booties ;-)

Take it easy, wrap up, and stay toastie,

Mick

[Madasafish]

As a d4d owner in the same cold Staffs as Andy, I switch off all fans for the first 4 miles and put the heater to recirculate cabin air.. unless it's raining - as it will mist up then.

I've thought of blanking off the lower radiator in winter...May experiment on that.

[alfiejts]

We bought one of those 12v ceramic fan heaters and cable-tied it under the drivers seat pointing forwards into the drivers footwell. The cable's hidden under the centre console and the power plug just sits in the centre tray for my wife to plug in to the cigarette lighter socket on cold mornings to give her a little bit of heat for her short commute with a cold engine...

[Geoff Peace]

We bought one of those 12v ceramic fan heaters and cable-tied it under the drivers seat pointing forwards into the drivers footwell. The cable's hidden under the centre console and the power plug just sits in the centre tray for my wife to plug in to the cigarette lighter socket on cold mornings to give her a little bit of heat for her short commute with a cold engine...

Reading this brought back a few memories, being long retired I remember in the early fifties when heaters were beginning to be installed in cars Herbert Austin, later Lord Nuffield was interviewed by the press and asked why Austin cars did not have heaters fitted, his reply,'Totally unecessary, people can put their overcoat on like I do' How times change!

Regards Geoff Peace.

[Adam C]

Perfectly normal. From my experience of the Yaris 1 litres & the D-4D engines, those two take a while to warm up compared to my 1.3 VVT-i (unsure of the 1.33, supposedly that's the same.

As Cyker says, better off driving than idling, though don't give it the beans on a cold engine.

Madasafish I probably wouldn't recommend blanking off the lower radiator grille. The engine itself takes a while to warm up before the warmed coolant is allowed to circulate through to the radiator. All engines in cars are fitted with thermostats which stay closed, blocking off the top radiator hose until the coolant in the engine block has reached sufficient temperature. Partially blocking the radiator would affect the engine's ability to cool down when it needs to.

Although the 'eco-weenie' VWs and Seats have very small radiator grilles in comparison to their standard models, these have been developed to work with smaller grilles. Suprised Toyota don't modify the radiator grilles. They may do before long . .

[Madasafish]

Well I have partially blocked off the lower grille and been running like that since I posted above...3 weeks.

It seems to warm up earlier.. about 3 miles instead of 4. No overheating issues...

[Adam C]

Oh right, I didn't think it would work. I guess the thermostat must open before the 'cool' light goes out? Glad the car doesn't overheat but suprised that if the cars can run like that, why Toyota give all the cars big grilles. May have to put that to them