Heat in rear of vehicle

I'm in Alaska. There are no heat controls or vents in rear vehicle. With passengers back there the windows are fogging. Any helpful ideas?

 

Crack the rear windows down enough to provide circulation.

 

Well yea I get that. It's below zero, lots noise with window cracked. I'm expecting this is just a problem unsolvable. My highlander had roof vents, rear controls, so I didn't even check for this when I got my 4runner.

 

About all you can do is keep the fan on high, non-recirc setting and make sure there’s nothing blocking under the front seats. The rear quarter panels have flap vents that will allow some airflow when you are pulling in fresh air through the HVAC system.

 

Unless Toyota changed things from 2011-2024, there are vents between the front seats directed into the back seat. Are they open?

 

Limited so possibly turd row.

 

I will look to be sure. Thank you.

 

Y2K Limiteds had a fan unit under the front passenger seat with rear climate controls…I guess they don’t do that anymore?

 

Here's the thing. At least in my 2011 Limited, the heat automatically defaults to the floor heater. Unless you manually override the system and put it in defrost mode, all you're going to get is hot air blowing into the (usually) moist floor mats and carpet that come with winter. To keep air flow throughout the cabin, and keep the windshield and windows clear the air needs to be directed up and into the cabin via defrost. You can even split the heat to come out of the dash vents and the defroster. It's not a great automatic system, but you need to become adept at using it to your best advantage.

 

They do not
The 2003+ 4R only have two vents on the back of the front center console
The 4th gen and 5th gen do not have rear HVAC
The Highlander and Sequoia have rear HVAC
We had a 2012 4R limited and loved almost everything about it, the lack of overhead lighting in the rear, and lack of HVAC with a young girl in tournament soccer pushed us to get a Limited Highlander in 2017. The rear HVAC, rear vents, multiple sets of rear lighting like rear seat map lights, and rear seat overhead lights, made the Highlander catered more towards a person in the back seat. The 2017 Highlander also had more rear seat leg room for the rear seat passengers. Unfortunately the wife didnt enjoy the amenities of the Highlander as much as she enjoyed the look and feel of the 4R so in 2021 she made me start looking for another 4R and we are back in a new 4R now. No rear seat HVAC and no rear lighting though again.

 

OP, I've had some success with applying Fog-X to the inside windows of my Jeep TJ.
But if your passengers are heavy breathers, not much is going to reduce the condensation build up with out some sort of air flow, ie: slightly lower a passenger window.

 

I've got a 2023 Limited. It has driver side and passenger side HVAC vents on the back of the center console that can be adjusted for airflow and direction - it also has vents under the front seats (don't think they can be adjusted) that vent air toward the back of the vehicle. Based on my owners manual it looks like this is for all 4Runners of that model year - not just the Limited. There are no fan/temp controls in the back - but there are two HVAC vents that can be adjusted from full open to full closed and the airflow can be adjusted right/left and up/down. Rear seat passengers can adjust the airflow direction - or shut it off on the vents on the back of the center console - but they can't independently adjust fan speed or temperature settings.

Also, if windows are fogging up - need to make sure that recirculating air mode is turned off. With the light out on the recirculation button it will be in outside air mode and air from outside of the vehicle will be brought in - instead of recirculating the air already in the vehicle.

 

What year and trim level? You have no vents on the floor under front seats or in back of center console?

 

Pretty sure she meant the REAR REAR like the back window behind the C pillar and back glass.
There are no vents in the back of any of the 4Runners to amount to anything, the foot vent and center console vent only put out about 10-20% of what the front vents put out, there is not a lot of air flow back there. What comes from the front vents blowing past the seats back surpasses what the center console vents will produce.

 

There are small12v fans you could mount out of your lines of vision?

 

You could plug in a small desk fan into the rear outlet. Just leave it in the on position, and power it up from the dash switch when needed.
Fog x or car wax will help a bit on the windows as well.

 

You can also try lowering the rear window by an inch. At least that will be quiet and it won't make you cold.

4Runners don't have much in common with Highlanders.

 

One thing that I miss from my 2000 SR5 4 Runner. That rear heater would pump out some heat.

Steve

 

The should be happy enough they arent walking outside in Alaskan cold and getting a ride. Now they want heat back there?! Talk About ungrateful. Lol