1st Rav

[misshelle]

Hi all.

I purchased my first RAV4 yesterday and love it - its a 1995 2.0 GX 3dr. I have had it out and about today to get a good feel for her and there are a couple of things I would appreciate your guidance on..

1 - The heating doesn't work, I have had a look at the fuses and there is no fuse in the slot labeled heater and I am not able to put one in there - it just falls straight out again !! I have checked all the other fuses just in case and they all seem fine - any thoughts?? Incidentally - the clock on that same middle panel doesn't work either!

2 - The only other thing, I keep getting a warning light flash on very briefly, literally not even a second. Its the red (!) light - there was no manual come with the car and wonder if you could please clarify what this light means. Having searched the net i think its warning that the brake fluid is low (which it is) but would like some reassurance please!

Thanks for reading and I look forward to your responses :D

Michelle

[anchorman]

Welcome to the club.

You mean the heater blower doesn't work?

What do you mean when you say the fuse falls back out? Do you mean it is the wrong fuse or the fuse box is damaged?

The clocks do pack in sometimes on those. You need to test the voltage at the back to start with.

The warning light is for brake fluid so just check if it needs a drop in then report back.

Cheers

[misshelle]

Hi anchorman, thanks for your reply.

Yes, I do mean the heater blower, it constantly blows out cold air - which is ok and eventually de-mists the windows at the moment but i can feel the weather getting colder as we speak. I have checked that they are the right size fuses that i've tried, which they are but when you slot them in there feels as though there is nothing for it to grip into and it just falls out again - does that mean a new fuse box??

I have checked the brake fluid and it is just about sitting on the minimum line at the moment so I will buy some tomorrow - am I right in thinking that it need dot 3??

Sorry for all the questions - girls and cars eh?? :!Removed!:

[bothwell_buyer]

Michelle

RESPECT!!

A person who knows a great car - well done!!

As a-m said top up the brake fluid. Its a fairly common thing but it might be telling you the front disc pads are worn down and maybe need replacement soon. Get them checked! The fluid drops when the pads wear to take up the slack in the system ....

Blower - never heard of this one. Sounds as if the fuse holder has broken....no need to buy a new one - you can identify the 2 wires between the fuse and buy a single fuse holder/get one from a scrappy and fit it instead of it going thru the broken fuse holder.

The heater itself works from the hot water circulating thru the heater matrix....so either the cooling system has run out of water or the heater valve has jammed - a mechanical valve device. The fan is of course on a fuse circuit.

I'm going to be in warrington during the afternoon of this Thursday and happily look at the RAV for you. I'm driving back up late afternoon tho...dunno if thats any use. If it is, let me know and I'll PM you my mobile number and where I'll be.

Don't tell Fuj but as he'll be looking for my RAV.....but I'll be disguised in a large van shifting some 'stuff' (furniture)

[anchorman]

Hi anchorman, thanks for your reply.

Yes, I do mean the heater blower, it constantly blows out cold air - which is ok and eventually de-mists the windows at the moment but i can feel the weather getting colder as we speak. I have checked that they are the right size fuses that i've tried, which they are but when you slot them in there feels as though there is nothing for it to grip into and it just falls out again - does that mean a new fuse box??

I have checked the brake fluid and it is just about sitting on the minimum line at the moment so I will buy some tomorrow - am I right in thinking that it need dot 3??

Sorry for all the questions - girls and cars eh?? :!Removed!:

Michelle

You are doind a sterling job even having a go yourself so I second bothy's "respect"!!!

However, you have thrown a spanner in the works here!!!

Let me understand this properly. If you sit in the car and switch the heater on the blower motor does actually work but it only blows cold air? If this is the case and your temperature gauge goes to normal then you have different problem. Please clarify and I will look in later.

cheers

PS it is DOT 3 but you will struggle to get it. Go to a spares shop and ask for fluid that is compatible like DOT 5.1.

[Hoovie]

This is just a thought based on having a similar problem many years ago. Is the tempertaure control worked by moving some kind of rod which moves a flap or baffle? I had a car with a control like that and somnething loosened and no mater what the control knob was set to, the position at the other end of the rod was for cold as something was disconnected.

If I am rambling about something totally irrelevent (as usual), just ignore me :(

Welcome to the TOC anyway (I can get that bit right )

[skye blue verso]

If you're after a owners manual, go to RAV4World (another excellent site), and see download details at http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7716

[misshelle]

Hi Everyone, thanks for the replies!!

Hi a-m, yes you are correct the actual blower works but will only blow out cold air (it was a very chilly drive home this evening )

I hadn't realised until tonight but there seems to be a loose connection on that side - its in complete darkness until you give it a swift whack on top and it will come on (obviously a womans way fixing things - just like turning the radio up if there is a funny noise )

In reply to your question hoovie, the temperature control does seem to be on a sliding rod, which incidentally when you move it all the way over to the left (cold) it is very hard to move it back to the right (hot (or also cold in my case)). It seems to get stuck on the cold side!!

I tried to get some brake fluid on my way home tonight but the garage only sell dot 4 so will have to wait until the spares shop is open tomorrow, will keep you updated if I have any more problems with this one.

Once again thanks for all your replies and help.

Michelle

[anchorman]

Michelle

Lift the bonnet and look down the back of the engine. You will see the pipes coming out from the panel on the other side of the heater. The pipes go to a valve that is really just like a valve on a radiator inside the house but it is worked by a cable from the lever on the dash. Look at this photo. It is from my old Corolla as i don't have one from a RAV. This picture is taken from the side of the engine and the heater would be on the right hand side.

It isn't brilliant because the heater valve is only just in the picture but I've circled the valve in red. There is a cable that works a lever on top. Just lean over and pull the lever over to the opposite side to where it is now (it will make more sense when you see it). This will open the valve and let hot water into the heater and you will be snug tomorrow. It really needs the cable re-attaching but just get it warm for now and we will discuss that later.

If you are very lucky you might get bothy to take a photo of the valve in the hot and cold position so you can see what you need to do but he may be drinking meths or stealing Land rover spares.

The light on the dash is the bulb broke. If you hit the dash the broken bits just fuse together and the light comes on. The old joke is - when a driver hit his headlight in front of a copper and the light came on he laughed. The copper said "very funny, now hit the windscreen and se if the tax disc comes into date!".

The bulb is another little job for the future.

Give it a go Batgirl and see if you can fix it.

[misshelle]

Fantastic, i've got a late start in the morning so i'll give it a go then.

Watch this space......................

[misshelle]

Well, all I can say so far is - I tried :(

Below is a piccie and I cant see the lever that I am supposed to be moving!!

Any further advice???

Michelle

[anchorman]

Niether can I!

See those pipes circled? They are the pipes to the heater. Follow them down to the engine and see if the valve is down there, if not the valve is under the dash.

So to start with, when the engine is at normal working temperature feel those two pipes and tell me if they are hot or if one is much hotter than the other (be careful to test them carefully to avoid burning yourself). I just want to know if hot water is circulating around the heater. If it isn't we are on the right track and I will advise you further.

[chatman]

Nice to see you straightened the photo Anchorman...getting crooked neck looking at it :unsure:

[bothwell_buyer]

aw bad news the heater valve is behind the dash.....

here's a shot of my hoses leaving bulkhead..

taking the dash out is pretty easy by the way.

[misshelle]

...........sigh..........

so - is the dash removal something i could attempt or would it be safer to get someone who knows about these things to do it??

Sorry about the wonky picture earlier - quickly threw it on before i went to work

[anchorman]

Michelle

After doing the above check on the pipes I think you need to boldly go............

under the dash.

The attached picture is from a 4.2 because I have very little on a 4.1 and although this one has 2 cables, yours has 3. 1 for the screen/footwell direction, 1 for the fresh air or recirculate and the 1 you are after - the temperature. From your description of the control sticking it sounds dodgy anyway. Just try to get yourself in a position where you can see behind the dash. You will probably end up on your knees by the car on the passenger side and head under the glove box. Then either reach up and work the hot/cold control to see if you can see the cable moving a bit. If not work the others to see if you can see them and by process of eleimination work out which is the heater valve. Then move it by hand to the other direction to allow hot water into the heater.

I can't help much more without looking myself and the absense of my own 4.1 often frustrates me as a lot of what I explain on these things has to be generic .

If you take it to a garage they will only have a poke around so it is worth a try.

[misshelle]

Anchorman, i could kiss you - I now have a roasty toasty warm car!!

You're a star, thanks everyone for all you help :D

Maybe I should have been a mechanic instead of a nurse ;)

[bothwell_buyer]

Anchorman, i could kiss you - I now have a roasty toasty warm car!!

You're a star, thanks everyone for all you help :D

Maybe I should have been a mechanic instead of a nurse ;)

mmmmmmmmm

now you have anchormans hopes up..... a nurse in uniform wanting to give a kiss!! Anchorwoman won't be too chuffed - having met her, she's a stunner, but I reckon she packs a hefty punch!!!

Having taken a photo of my RAV, I've realised that I really must take that daft siren out! Its extra weight! The rain up here yesterday was immense - and the first time the RAV has stuttered - damp on HT leads. Never happened since the turbo engine went in but thankfully the engine heats up so quickly that the leads were dry within a minute!

[misshelle]

hmm, don't think my hubby would be too impressed if I was randomly kissing strangers either!!

[bothwell_buyer]

hmm, don't think my hubby would be too impressed if I was randomly kissing strangers either!!

What! So you kiss strangers on a planned basis? Please! Don't get the old mans hopes up!!!!!

[anchorman]

Don't worry Michelle I know a metaphor when I see one!

Was it easy to get at the lever or a swine! Can you see the problem with the cable? The outer cable should be clamped to the body of the heater. Can you get your digital camera up there and let me see???

And by the way congratulations on successfully administering first aid to your RAV!

Bothy

Calm down you've been watching the wrong channels again. Thanks for the photo by the way. Leave the siren on and just sound it when you are attempting the land speed record.

[chatman]

Anchorman, i could kiss you - I now have a roasty toasty warm car!!

You're a star, thanks everyone for all you help :D

Maybe I should have been a mechanic instead of a nurse ;)

Anchorman time to get that Brad Pitt Photo out again.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[anchorman]

Anchorman, i could kiss you - I now have a roasty toasty warm car!!

You're a star, thanks everyone for all you help :D

Maybe I should have been a mechanic instead of a nurse ;)

Anchorman time to get that Brad Pitt Photo out again.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

What Brad Pitt photo? B)

[misshelle]

OK, below are some pictures of all I can see. The lever that I moved which made the heater work is very low down and with a passenger onboard could be easily kicked into the wrong position again.

Please excuse me if the photos are upside down or back to front, I lost my bearings when I was down there!!!

Michelle

[local hero]

Anchorman, i could kiss you - I now have a roasty toasty warm car!!

You're a star, thanks everyone for all you help :D

Maybe I should have been a mechanic instead of a nurse ;)

Anchorman time to get that Brad Pitt Photo out again.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

What Brad Pitt photo? B)

Michelle did you mention you might be going around giving out kisses in your nurses uniform, well heres a picture of ME ,ANCHS + CHATMAN

waiting for the others to arrive at our recent motorshow visit,

Anchs on the right between me and the Oriental chap, Me in the middle, Ive been likened to George Clooney, but can't see it myself And Chatman, who slightly resembles Matt Damon..