Interior Heater Not Working - 1998 2.0L Rav4

[Torpina]

Hi,

I've owned my 1998 RAV since last Sept and am loving it! However, the interior heater has recently stopped working - fuses are fine and the fans still blow cold air. The temp control is a slider - this now jams before reaching the minimum temp (cold zone). Is this a problem any other members have encountered/resolved?

I'm no mechanic but happy to give repairs a go, esp given the age of this vehicle. A friend had a similar problem with a Saab and reckons I need to access the "wire that controls the heater" from behind the dashboard, and re-attach it..?

I'm close to purchasing a Haynes Manual and rolling my sleeves up :bookworm:, but thought I'd check for any wisdom on this from other owners in the first instance B) .

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Torpina

[crofter]

Hi,Torpina and firstly a very warm welcome to this club.

Your friend has given you excellent advice as this sounds like the answer to your problem as outlined by you.

Go for it and keep us informed as to how you go on as it is always nice to have feedback to members who try to help.

Again welcome

Del

[Torpina]

Hi Del

Many thanks for your welcome and encouragement!

Experience says I am great at taking things apart but less good at putting them back together, so I think investment in a Haynes is still in order before I tackle this one!

I'll update in due course (hopefully before the winter!!)

Best regards

Torpina

[gjnorthall]

Sometimes. the outer of the cable which is attached to the temperature slide slips through the clip that secures it. Moving the lever then does nothing since you're moving the whole cable and not just the inner cable - this might restrict the movement of the lever as you describe. You can usually re-tension the clip and refit it - however it may have been caused by a jammed / stiff / seized linkage downstream - this will need freeing.

[The Mortgage Man]

This sounds exactly like the problem we had when we bought our Rav a month ago. I was freezing all the way back from Hull: 260 miles.

I too noticed that the slider would not go all the way over to the left. I don't like taking out dashboards because something usually breaks, so I thought "sod it, I'll try brute strength first. If it works fine, if it breaks something I will have to take out the dash anyway".

I gave the slider a good shove over to the left. It made a click as it suddenly gave way and then.....hey presto, the heater worked.

It worked for me but you try this at your own risk of course.

Good luck.

[Torpina]

Hi All

Thank you for your replies to this!

So, my Haynes Manual arrived and I genned up on how to remove the dash - not the clearest guidance for '98 model that apparently pre-dates The Camera! Also, the requirement to disable airbags in the first instance (no tips on re-enabling!) had me rather nervous. I thus decided "in for a penny" and cautiously gave Jonathan's "good shove" fix a try...

...A small click (slightly concerning?!) and the slider returned to full range and "Hey presto! My heater worked too!"

I am hugely grateful to you for pointing me towards this splendidly effortless fix! My RAV is mainly for winter use, so without a functional heater it was rendered a metaphorical chocolate teapot!

Thank you Jonathan!

Torpina

[The Mortgage Man]

Wahay!

Another simple fix. (throw the Haymes manual in the bin).

Seriously though, I am glad it worked for you Torpina. Good to know that I am useful for something practical for a change.

I wish you much joy in your newly warm Rav.

Regards

Jonathan

[Torpina]

Hi Jonathan

I'm just wondering if your "fix" here has endured?

Unfortunately it has been short-term for me - I can get no heat at all now the colder days are creeping in!

On the plus side, the Haynes Manual didn't go in the bin.... !!

Torpina

[The Mortgage Man]

Hi there,

Yes , the heater is still working. Dont know why yours has reverted to "cold only". Maybe try the fix again????

Regards

jonathan

[Torpina]

Hi,

Thanks for your response Jonathan. I'm glad to hear yours is still behaving!

My slider moves fine along its full range since "the fix", so unfortunately I can't repeat that strategy!!

I think maybe the problem is now with the blower itself, as I get a continuous cold draft now, which I can't vary in terms of either power or temperature.

Having now read up about dis-assembling the dashboard to poke around, it looks a bit high-risk for me... I think a trip to see the experts might at this juncture be in order!! :help2:

Torpina

[crofter]

Hello again Torpina

In simple terms the heater is a small radiator inside the car that should have water heated by the engine passing through it. If this becomes blocked then it will not warm up and heat the cabin.

There are two smallish rubber hoses that run through the bulkhead, usually one above the other and close together to feed this small rad.

With the engine warmed by running and the heater control on hot,, switch off the engine and carefully feel these to see if they are heated. if one is hotter than the other, this will show that water cannot pass freely through it.

Try that first as this may be the cause of no heat. The lack of "blowing" will not be affected by this as that is something else but first things first, eh!!

Del

[The Mortgage Man]

Sorry to hear your'e still having a problem.

When you move the temperature slider back and forth does it feel or sound like it is moving anything else? If not, I'd guess that the cable connected to the other end of the slider has become detached. This is the cable between the slider and the flaps that allow air from outside to pass through the internal heater matrix (a bit like blowing air over a radiator in your house). When the flaps are open the air is warmed up by passing through the hot matrix; when they are closed, the air is bypassed straight into the cabin at the temperature outside without passing through the heater matrix.

Unfortunately for you it would seem it has become detached with the air flow flaps through the heater in the closed position. It does sound like a "dash off" job to me. There wont be anything technical about it; just a matter of methodically removing lots of screws and bolts and desembling things.

Good luck with it.

jonathan

PS. Maybe time to buy some Long Johns.

[Torpina]

Hi Del and Jonathan,

Thank you both - your possible explanations for this are very much appreciated.

Jonathan - in answer to your question, the answer is "no" - the slider doesn't feel to be engaging with anything else.

Re: the blower, it seems I told a lie there - that part is in fact still functioning (just chilly!)

I will follow Del's guidance over the weekend, and take it from there. ...If needs be, I could always go live somewhere warmer...!!!

Thanks again,

Torpina

[Torpina]

So.... I checked the pipes from the bulkhead and they were equally hot.

The next thing was to remove the radio to get a peek behind the heater mechanism - nothing obviously amiss there.

I removed the glove box to see if I could get a better view (basically doing all I could to avoid complete dashboard facia removal!). This lead to removing the panels either side of the central console, farthermost into both the driver's-side and passenger footwells, which gave a better view of the heater's "lever" system. And lo-and-behold, there was a detached and slightly worn tension spring. I managed to re-tension the levers with it and <drum roll> heat output returned!

Now enjoying a sizeable sense of satisfaction and the knowledge I've saved a few valuable pounds! ....Hopefully this fix will get me through a winter or two!!

Torpina

[crofter]

Thats great news, glad you sorted it and its always nice to know what the fix was.

If it happened on yours it could happen to others.

Del

[The Mortgage Man]

All you need now is 2 things:

1; the determination and mental discipline that stops you moving the heater controls (just in case they fail in the "cold" position again)

and

2; a roll of Gaffa tape (to tape around the wrists of all front seat passengers to stop them doing the same).

Job done.

Good to hear you fixed it.

[Dubsrav]

hey guys even after so long ive still found this really helpful.

thank you 

here what i found on mine.