Temperature knob is stuck - Page 2

DevinSixtySeven · #16 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 02:49 PM

um...try NOT forcing things when theyre stuck...just let the truck warm up, and remember to leave it in the full hot position when you turn the truck off at night. mine usually freezes, i havent busted anything yet, but that's from experience...if you force it, it'll probably break. just set it where you want it the night before.

-sean

BlueRanger · #17 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 03:23 PM

since were talkin about temperature here...if I put it on defrost with the heater on, will the AC compressor still turn on? I cant tell cause my trucks blower is on high, thanks.

LGL002 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 03:28 PM

In three words, yes it will, and I believe in either of the two positions that show the radiant heat icon.

Larry

Stooge · #19 (**permalink**) 01-10-2005, 08:15 PM

Mine freezes all the time. Have to put it all the way on hot the night before if I want heat in the morning. WD40 does seem to help. One day, I'll remove the cable completely, blow it out with compressed air and get my motorcycle cable lube attachment. Pretty poor design in the cable's routing via an inverted "U" and the end sticking up at the heater control valve ready to collect any water sprayed its way!!

Supraman93 · #20 (**permalink**) 01-11-2005, 05:15 PM

well i took it to toyota to get it fixed and they bent the new one putting it back on. so back i go. funny thing is while we were waiting we bought my wife a corrolla. pretty expensive day seeing as i went in knowing it would be under warranty lol

your drinking buddy · #21 (**permalink**) 09-04-2006, 05:20 PM

I had a similar problem, but the knob itself broke. Guess I'm gonna have to go to the dealer and pick one up.

warrior · #22 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 12:41 PM

Alrighty, I pulled the dumb action of turning my temp knob to "un-stick" it last week. My knob didn't break, and it seems to rotate just fine between the hot and cold temps. Problem is that I am getting no hot air now, and that makes for a darn cold drive

. From reading the earlier posts, seems that I broke the cable that gots to the hot water? Where or how does the cable run in the engine compartment? I guess the correct question is, the route that it takes and how can I get to it? Mine is an '01 SR5 and I had never had that sticking problem since I bought it. Know I shouldn't have turned it so hard, but............ I did, so now I get to learn about my heater

. Is it something I can do, or is it a "take it to the mechanic" issue now? Thanks guys

Warrior

LGL002 · #23 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 01:32 PM

The temperature control cable ends at the water blend valve located on the underhood firewall close to the top center.
Your post reminded me with the return of cold weather I need to spray the cable at the valve with some penetrating fluid so mine doesn't freeze. What happens is water collects in the cable and freezes and if you try move the dial before the cab interior warms up for a while things break.

Larry

warrior · #24 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 01:47 PM

Thanks for the reply. I wont be able to pop the hood for another hour or so, but should I be able to see a noticable broken cable at that point?

LGL002 · #25 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warrior

Thanks for the reply. I wont be able to pop the hood for another hour or so, but should I be able to see a noticable broken cable at that point?

I doubt the cable broke at all. Usually what happens when the knob is forced is the cable connection at the knob regulator itself breaks. If you remove the dash panel by pulling all the knobs ,removing the screws beneath them, then if you tilt the center dash vents upwards there are two more screws at the top of that opening that need to come out. Then gently pry the dash face plate loose with a slot screwdriver with masking tape on it's end so you don't scratch things up. You'll be able to see then what broke and needs to be replaced.
The lever that the cable connects to under the hood is metal and is unlikely to be the problem. Usually the water freezes at the low point in the cable housing inside the cab that's why the inside cable connection breaks first. Until I read in this forum about slowly squirting WD-40 or any penetrent into the housing at the underhood connection I found that if I always turned the heat knob all the way up before I got out in evening I always had heat. If I forgot to do that I left the truck run until the inside warmed up a little then I could move the knob. Hope this helps you. You are not the first owner this has happened to.

Larry

warrior · #26 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 04:50 PM

Thanks. I am heading out right now to check it out. I'll post my findings....

dogger · #27 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 10:51 PM

I agree with LGL002. What usually breaks is a plastic wheel-like
contraption that has tabs for the control cables. The "wheel" is
moved by a worm gear from the hot/cold knob on the dash. When
forced, the tab that connects the cable to the "wheel" will break.

The bad news is the "wheel" is not available separately from Toyota.
You have to purchase a new control panel for over $300 to get the
"wheel" and it is a pain in the butt to install because there are
numerous control cables that have to be forcibly removed from the
old panel and painstakenly installed on the new one.

My advise, if this is indeed your problem, is to find a control panel
at a junkyard. That way you only have to deal with the pain in the
butt install and not have your wallet drained in the process.

dogger

nati · #28 (**permalink**) 12-31-2006, 11:29 PM

Im having the same problem. I heard mine pop awhile ago. But the thing is my heat doesnt work very well in the first place. So Im puzzled. When mine popped I just manually turned the lever on the hose to open the valve so its blowing some what warm air. Its not hot though like it should. I even put in a new 180 degree thermostat. That didnt help either with producing more heat. Any ideas what could be wrong with my heat?

ferris buehler · #29 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 11:53 AM

Same problem here. The place mine seems to be sticking is the lever to the left of the passenger's left foot. Does that in turn have another cable that goes to the heater control valve? Mine is stiff in any weather. The cable that goes from the temp knob left toward the firewall moves freely. I assume that goes to the valve. It's the one that goes to the right behind the glove box that is stiff on mine.

I did snap a tooth off the gear on one panel. Junkyard is the way to go on these ($60 for the whole assy). Make sure you tell them to pull the complete assy. The part that the knobs is attached to stays in the dash when you pull the front panel off.

Any hints on my problem?

dogger · #30 (**permalink**) 11-19-2007, 03:08 PM

Sounds like you are describing the control cable that determines which register is open/closed - i.e. defrost, heat, etc. If this cable is sticking I would suspect it is either been damaged somehow (check for kinks) or needs some lube. One way to isolate the problem is to disconnect the cable from the valve lever (check under glove box) and move the lever by hand. If the lever is hard to move, you have another problem. If it moves freely, it's probably the cable and another trip to the junkyard is in order.

Hope this helps.

dogger