Heat?

Ive just noticed that when I put the heater on and turn it strait up on the floor symbol very little air comes out the bottom. It is coming more out the vents on the dash by the windsheild. What is going on? Those feet are getting cold!

 

Have you tried putting those feet on the dash?

 

Sounds like the vent directors need adjusting, or there is something blocking them on the bottom. Do the dash vents and the windshield defroster operate correctly ?

 

yes the defrost works just fine and the dash vents as well.

 

I don't know how you would be able to look at them without tearing open the dash Being an 06 maybe a visit to a dealer would be prudent.

 

It's the same with mine. Seems like very little airflow comes from the bottom vents.

 

...haven't noticed, maybe I should check...mmm

 

The obligatory "It's Normal"

Read the manual. It states that the "feet only" zone distributes air to ALL the vents. Simple physics. If the volume of air coming in goes out through more holes then the pressure drops. Want more air on your feet? Turn up the fan speed or switch to Face/Feet. That limits it to those 2 spots rather than side, windshield, center and feet (front and rear) like feet only.

Which is why I use it for defrosting. It blows some air on the side windows, some on the windshield and some on the feet to warm up the entire cab and help clear all the windows. Also doesn't have to overcome the cooling affects of the AC system like when you use feet/windshield or windshield only.

Feet only mode also tends to warm the whole truck up better without blasting hot air in my face.

 

That's what I mean. Even on just "floor", it doesn't blow that much at all, as compared to my last car.

 

Because "just floor" isn't really "just" the floor... It's ALL the vents in the truck. Other cars separate it so that it only goes to the floor with baffles, valves, etc. This truck doesn't. I'd go get my manual to scan in the diagrams, but frankly I'm too lazy to copy something every else already has.

My 98 Corolla sends it only to the floor in that mode so I know the difference.

It's just like a garden hose. Put your finger over the end and the water stream becomes more powerful and you can feel it more. Take your thumb off and drill a few holes in it and it's less powerful, less comes out the end, and it gets distributed over a larger area from where the holes are to the end.

 

I'm really surprised you read that level of detail in the manual. I'm usually a manual reader, but on the truck I only read the important parts and skimmed the others I thought I knew (like cabin climate control). My hat's off to such an anal-retentive manual reader.

But I'm tempted to pull my manual out when I go to lunch to make sure you're not blowing hot air ;-)

 

I don't normally read manuals, but considering this is a nearly $30k investment I figured it was smart to familiarize myself with it. Especially when it 8yrs newer than my other car, it's my first truck, first 4wd, etc... I wanted to see what was different and general guidelines for things.

Besides, then I don't have to come on here with a question similar to calling up the manufacturer of a DVD player for help working the remote instead of reading a manual with pictures that came with it....

Oh, and after seeing at least a dozen related threads I'm ready to pull a Wilson over oil threads....

 

Well, I made good on my threat. The wording in the manual for each air flow settings uses phrases like "the air flows mainly from..." Now the picture that shows the air flow settings on the next page is a bit different -- probably what you're thinking of, tiger. Everything but the floor setting only shows the air coming out of the selected vents. The floor setting also shows small arrows coming out at the windshield and panel.

And while I was in that section of the manual, I also looked at the defogging behavior. I thought I'd had it figured out before, but the manual is different than I thought. Both the windshield and floor/windshield settings enables the defogging/defrosting function. It describes that as changing to fresh air intake automatically. In windshield mode, you can't recirculate, but in floor/windshield you can manually change it to recirc after it jumps to fresh.

Then it talks about vehicles with A/C separately, saying you can also manually press it for dehumidified heating and cooling.

I thought we had deduced earlier that the A/C was turned on automatically in the defog/defrost mode.

 

See? Even you Texans can understand pictures! I'm so proud! *sniff*

As for the AC.... I know the light doesn't come on during the two windshield modes, but if you feel the air it suddenly gets colder like the AC is on... And I'd swear I heard the compressor cycle.... Maybe a reduced capacity mode?

 

Hey, hey! I get enough of that from the alliance boys. Notice that I read the words first and looked at the pictures second.

I dunno. I had been quite certain the AC came on because I've felt the load from the compressor, but the manual says what it says (and there's not even pictures for that part).

 

Maybe the words are confusing you without a picture to back them up...

Yeah, I figure the AC comes on (at least partially) whenever you use the windshield modes so I avoid using them in the winter.... Don't need the truck taking any longer to warm up than it already does. They might just lump it in under "defrost mode" without specifying that the AC comes on.

 

Yeah, there's room for that interpretation, but the paragraph below the one mentioning defog/defrost mode is addressed to AC equipped trucks and says to also turn it on for dehumidified air and even faster defog/defrost.

 

Weird.... I've never manually turned it on unless it was summer and I wanted AC. I always flip to full windshield (defog/defrost I suppose), have to turn the heat up because it gets colder, and windshield clears immediately just like if I had turned the AC on.

 

hmmm..... Just read through my manual again (starting at page 229). Apparently floor only doesn't send to the 2 center console vents, but does all the rest. Probably why I don't get hit in face with hot air.

It does say (pg 235):

What is the "defogging function"? I assumed it was the AC since my corolla's AC light comes on half-brightness when the windshield position is selected. What else could it be? It can't produce more heat so.....? With my car pushing the AC button makes the AC light double to normal brightness. I figured they did the same thing with the truck (used the AC) but didn't make it light up at all. Makes me wonder now what it does in trucks without AC since that "function" seems to be on trucks with or without AC.