Topic: Toyota Camry: No Heat During Idle

[Brigitte]

My brother-in-law has a 1994 Toyota Camry DX wagon with 230,000 km on it.

The car no longer heats up when idling.  Once the car is in motion, no problem.  The Toyota dealership has already charged $800 to try and find/fix the problem, to no avail.  Unfortunately, I don't know what they've looked at, so I'm flying blind.  Let's just assume they've done nothing.

Since he's in Timmins, this issue is a crucial one.  Ed has jerry-rigged some sort of stick contraption that allows him to rev the engine lightly while he's out of the car, in order to warm it up.  When it's -38C on some mornings, you do what you gotta do, especially when you've got a family with three kids, all involved in various winter sports.

If anyone has an idea, or a possible list of things this could be, I will forward the information to him.  I just find it very odd and annoying that the dealership can't help.

Thanks,
Brigitte

[ericthejet]

The temp guage does not move at idle?  Where is the heat the the engine produces going?  Coolant level good, and the thermostat?  This is a good one?

[bob]

Maybe he needs a new heater core. I had this same problem in an old Mercury Zephyr, and then one day *POOF!* the inside of my windows completely fogged up in seconds because it burst...

I put in a new core and everything was perfect...

[Roadrunner]

Is the cooling fan(s) activating immediately and preventing the engine from warming up? Possible restrictive coolant circulation at idle. Plugged radiator?
Tell him to take it to a shop that will at LEAST make an attempt at a proper repair. Toy dealer ain't God. My guess is Toy doesn't get much business up there this time of year eh?

Brigitte, find out exactly what HAS been done to narrow the field for us.

[Roadrunner]

In the meantime, tell him to cover 2/3rds of the front of the radiator and see if it will warm up on idle.

[Brigitte]

Thanks for all the responses!  Wow.  I knew going in that my original post was a bit vague, so... I'll be talking to him in the morning to get proper details as to what's been done to the car (he's playing hockey with his kids tonight).  I will also relay everyone's valuable insight received so far.

You guys are the best.  

Brigitte

[barrie1]

For a Dealer to charge this man $800. and not be able to figure this out is assinine. What the Fack are they doing?  Nothing of course. I would throw a box of baking soda in the rad and drive it for a week with the heater turned on. Superflush the whole system and put in a new stat. Probably $50. tops for parts and a very warm car to boot. He's dealing in the wrong place for sure.  

[inco]

Good suggestion Barrie. Never realized that baking soda would work that well.

Tell him to try it Brig because there is a blockage in there somewhere and likely in the heater core but both will benefit and if it doens't work then it's likely that new cores will be needed.

Curious though what $800 did buy though?

[slybry]

Timely question as my mother's 1994 Nissan Sentra has similar problem. On very cold days very little heat at idle even after car is warmed up. If I touch the gas and increase revs even slightly I can feel the heat start coming through the vents immediately. As soon as I let the car go back to idle the heat drops off "immediately".

I do not know if the 1994 camry in this forum is doing the same.

[Brigitte]

Bry - Sounds exactly the way my brother-in-law describes it.

Barrie and Road:  I spoke with Ed today, and here's what he told me:

1.  Toyota had the car for 3 days, and took everything apart to find the problem.  Thermostat, water pump and timing belt were changed.  They looked at the heater core (it's copper) and there's nothing wrong with it.

2.  Ed says rad is likely not the problem, because the car doesn't overheat in the summer.  (He's had this heating problem since last year.)

3.  He knows that the issue is that the engine won't circulate water to the heater core.  He's thinking of putting in an in-line 12v pump to get circulation going.  He's also considering putting a check valve in on the return side to add a little back pressure.  

Does this shed any light on the possibilities?

Brigitte

[barrie1]

I'm hoping they will help Ed out but there may be a small blockage inside the Heating Core of the rad which they cannot see. The only way to gaurantee the Rad is to boil it out as a precaution or run the Baking Soda thru for a week or so. The Baking Soda does a wonderful job of Removing all of the scale and other deposits in the rad and is the safest chemical to use. A thorough Flushing is needed after useing the Baking soda and all new anti-freeze is required as well. I would also check his heater hoses to see if he is having any collapsed sections which will stop the flo as well.  

[duck]

Brigitte  


My 2cents.

Toyotas have one of the worst heating systems.  I have driven all makes and models of cars and I have found Hondas to have the best heating system for our cold winters.

Tell Ed next time to try buying a Honda.

[Roadrunner]

What Barrie suggested....I concur. I don't see much point in adding a pump to boost circulation or check valves(?). Boosting the coolant will increase the pressure already there and may well do damage to the heater core and that is what we are all trying to tell him to check and QUITE likely will have to replace.

[articsteve]

Check vacuum.  I betya there is a bad vacuum line that is not strong enough at idle to manipulate a vacuum operated solenoid.

I don't think it is a plumbing problem.

A 10 year old vehicle starts to get into the deteriorating vacuum line syndrome.  Or a past service in the engine bay knocked off a vacuum line.  Very thing nailed me this fall until I clued in and checked the vacuum system on my 95 Saab.

[barrie1]

You actually raise a good point as that problem can and does happen. A weak Vacumn tube will change where the heat goes and give the same effect. The Problem here also shows up on his dash so there is no proper flow going thru. Thats why I suspect the heater core or the Rad for being partly plugged.

[Brigitte]

I will pass along all suggestions as noted.  Ed's a technical guy by trade, so I'm sure he'll appreciate all the ideas.  He really didn't think the core was the problem, but I'll run it by him again.

Thanks,
Brigitte

[Roadrunner]

Brigitte, did your bro-in-law ever get the heat problem solved?
I can't seem to find any thread stating he did.

[Brigitte]

He hasn't called me back, and now I believe he's in Moosonee on a job for a month or so (he's a welder by trade, and specializes in plant shutdowns/closings).  I'll let you know what happens.

Brigitte

[Roadrunner]

Hokay.

[Brigitte]

Well.  Everyone, bow your heads down.  The Camry died yesterday.  It lived a good life, and was a dependable car for almost 10 years, hauling kids to hockey, and making trips from Timmins to our end of the world several times a year.

Ed's now car shopping, and has his eye on a used 2004 GMC Envoy - still under warranty, 26,000 kms.  Asking price is $28K from an independant used car dealer who's very popular in those parts due to great prices.

He says thanks for all your suggestions.

Brigitte