My car doesn't get warm fast enough - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

***Silver Streak*** · 01-23-2003, 10:01 PM

It takes a long time for my heater to actually blow out some hot air...usually it's just lukewarm after 20 minutes of driving or so. Since it's been so cold, I figure I might as well fix this problem.

I'm thinking the thermostat needs to be replaced as it could be stuck open/closed (not sure which way)...anyone know anything about this stuff?

rayray · 01-23-2003, 11:11 PM

my old car never ever got warm until i got to my destination.

when i gave my car to my brother-in-law... he replaced the thermostat... and now it's unbearably warm in the car.

-rayray

***Tony the Tiger*** · 01-24-2003, 02:16 AM

The thermostat is probably getting old and it's constantly "hunting" while your car is cold. The thermostats are supposed to be replaced every 24000 miles or something like that, so it should be a good thing to replace it anyway.

In a way, it's lucky to have it stuck open. Hope it doesn't get stucked closed or you will have having fun at the side of the road waiting for a tow truck during -20 deg of weather

In my Camry, it's good to have a water cooled turbo.. I get heat like a minute after I start the car...haha I had the coolant for the turbo "T" off at the heater core hose

***Ratko*** · 01-24-2003, 08:50 AM

mine typically takes about 5mins to begin blowing "warm" air, and about 10-15 to start getting hot. i think that is normal, but i wish it were more like my moms old VW Golf that blew super-HOT air after about 60 secs !!

i wish i had a water-cooled turbo to warm my car up :cry:

***Eye8Pussies*** · 01-24-2003, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ratko

i wish i had a water-cooled turbo to warm my car up :cry:

I do too....

soundlzrd · 01-24-2003, 12:09 PM

I had the same problem, turns out the water pump was bad. I think thats also what caused the burning smell that they said was the clutch.

***Silver Streak*** · 01-24-2003, 12:55 PM

Thanks guys...it's never been changed and I have about 140K on my car right now...guess it's time to visit Basil!

Nick · 01-24-2003, 01:29 PM

have the antifreeze tested, thermostat checked, heck maybe the pump dosen't work either... tons of stuff could be wrong..

to get the car to warm up a bit faster you could get a block heater, at least your engine won't be a block of ice when you start it

wontonjohnny · 01-26-2003, 08:14 PM

could it be that you have a CAI???
ive noticed that it takes alot longer for my car to warm up this winter then last winter when i didnt have my CAI yet.

last winter my temp gauge would sit level (at 9 o'clock) now it sits at about 8 o'clock even in the summer time.

wontonjohnny · 01-26-2003, 08:15 PM

how much is a themostat for toyotas???
i think i might change mine too

***Silver Streak*** · 01-26-2003, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wontonjohnny

last winter my temp gauge would sit level (at 9 o'clock) now it sits at about 8 o'clock even in the summer time.

When did you install your indiglos? Most likely you moved the needle and it's not reading right. Happened to me, my needle doesn't go past 7 o'clock. CAI? Like it's sucking in so much more air that it's cooling the engine? I'm pretty sure that's not what's going on.

Thermostat should be pretty cheap I would think, at most $40 Cdn or so from Toyota.

***Phi*** · 01-26-2003, 09:59 PM

Same prob with my Gen3 too. In addition to the thermostat, it could be the cable behind the panel getting stretched over time and not fully opening/closing.

Cor_LOW_la · 01-27-2003, 12:16 AM

... me too... for my grandpa's 94LE

i felt like i turned the AC on these days (average -15 degree C)...

i felt no hot aircoming out.... :cry: cold as hell while i drive his car

wontonjohnny · 01-28-2003, 07:07 PM

hey guys i got a quote from toyota... 40 for the thermostat and 6 for new gasket thats CAD.

to get it installed would be appox 160

a good way to tell if your thermostats working or not is after your car warms up to optimal level check your bottom rad hose. If its cold then its stuck closed youll need to change it. If your antifreeze reserve level doent change then its stuck close too.

wontonjohnny · 01-29-2003, 09:11 PM

hey guys i changed my thermostat today..... draining and flushing the radiator was a bitch, nice warm day turned cold fast .....
well i wanna tell you that changing the thermo fixed the problem but that was only half the problem. My car does warm up a hole lot faster now and did feel a little warmer, but not warm enough.

i read this post and thought id take alook.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phi

Same prob with my Gen3 too. In addition to the thermostat, it could be the cable behind the panel getting stretched over time and not fully opening/closing.

Phi was right .... had to reclamp the cable so that it would pull open fully. now its super hot ...

this is why i love toyota nation
thanks again Phi