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A\C Issue

Discussion in '3rd Gen 4Runners (1996-2002)' started by Jman49127, Jun 12, 2025 at 1:12 PM.

  1. Jun 12, 2025 at 1:12 PM
    #1
    Jman49127

    Jman49127 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Thursday
    Member:
    #47550
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jon
    Vehicle:
    2002 4runner SR5
    Hello all, I just purchased an 02 4runner and its my first time owning a yota! I'm coming from an 09 yukon denali, whom after replacing brakes, tires, water pump, fuel pump, battery, alternator, and a few wheel bearings, (all in 2 years time) decided it was time for the tranny to blow up.
    So, I got a car that has way less electronic BS in it (I also replaced like 85% of the sensors in that yukon) and should last forever.
    My 4runner has about 250k miles on it, tranny is ultra smooth shifting, idles silky smooth and doesnt leak or burn any oil. (dang yukon leaked oil like it was going out of style) I'm the 3rd owner and previous guy took pretty good care of her. Body is pretty dinged up but beyond that everything electrically works perfect. All windows work, even the rear window and most importantly, the frame is in immaculate shape, it was undercoated every year (and here in michigan its impossible to find nice 4runners with good frames)
    Anyways, the only issue I've run into so far, is my A/C. Now, I'm pretty mechanically inclined and do most all my own repairs (except fuel pump cuz my tank was full in the yukon) A\C was working yesterday, blowing nice cool air. Then I turned it off and it started blowing out really hot air from the engine compartment (I'm assuming).
    So, today I drove it to the gym and again the air was running fine, turned it off cuz my little girl likes the windows down and again it was blowing hot air even with the fan set to "off".
    I'm assuming its something with the Blend door actuator, thats my first instinct, but I figured I'd ask the yota experts incase there was some quirk or something I wasn't fully familiar with.
    So what say the experts? Need a new blend door? It looked like on rockauto there were a few options, I have manual evironmental control (I believe anyways lol) though there is an ECT button above the climate center.
    A/C button turns green when pressed, btw.
    Thank You!!
     
  2. Jun 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
    #2
    morfdq

    morfdq New Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2022
    Member:
    #27196
    Messages:
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    Gender:
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    First Name:
    Derek
    Vehicle:
    2022 SR5 Premium
    TRD Wheels, exhaust, Eibach, Cali Raised Skid Plate, Diode Dynamics fog, Sherpa Crestone rack.
    I have a 22 SR5 and can tell you mine does exactly what you're describing. Its so annoying
     
  3. Jun 12, 2025 at 4:15 PM
    #3
    SR5 Limited

    SR5 Limited New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2018
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    #7180
    Messages:
    14,631
    Vehicle:
    1996 SR5 Limited
    So your saying the AC works. Just when you turn it off? It blows hot air? Just adjust the temp and let it run. I actually think it runs cooler in the engine compartment when the AC is cycling.
     
  4. Jun 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM
    #4
    SR5 Limited

    SR5 Limited New Member

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    Vehicle:
    1996 SR5 Limited
    I had to replace one in the Ford. Its all vacuum actuated.
     
  5. Jun 12, 2025 at 5:42 PM
    #5
    Jman49127

    Jman49127 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
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    Member:
    #47550
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Jon
    Vehicle:
    2002 4runner SR5
    Oh no id definitely be frustrated if it was doing that on something new!

    Well, yesterday it worked fine, until I turned it off. Today it blew cold for a short time then switched to hot air. I guess as I type this the first thing I should check is the refrigerant levels before I go into blend doors.
    And i did try to adjust the temp control and turn it down but I did not try to change where it was blowing from (head and feet is where its set)
     
  6. Jun 12, 2025 at 5:50 PM
    #6
    SR5 Limited

    SR5 Limited New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2018
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    Messages:
    14,631
    Vehicle:
    1996 SR5 Limited
    My expansion valve failed, easy fix. Then got a reman compressor too. The tech can tell with the pressure machine.
     

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