RX - 1st Gen (1999-2003) Discussion topics related to the 1999 -2003 RX300 models

Heater blowing cold air

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Old 10-21-08, 11:19 AM
  #31  
lexus114
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Man,they should have just left these things vacuum operated!! Of course with the electronics involved I guess they couldnt.
Old 10-21-08, 01:00 PM
  #32  
jtriana
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Thanks blueridge. Sounds easy enough. I got that same price from lexuspartsonline.com. I'll clean the servo first and see how that goes, and will order a new just the same.
Old 10-21-08, 01:10 PM
  #33  
salimshah
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Originally Posted by lexus114
Man,they should have just left these things vacuum operated!! Of course with the electronics involved I guess they couldnt.
I lived with a GM car with everything controlled by vacuum ... it had its own set of problems. Nothing is perfect.

Salim
Old 10-21-08, 01:12 PM
  #34  
lexus114
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Originally Posted by salimshah
I lived with a GM car with everything controlled by vacuum ... it had its own set of problems. Nothing is perfect.

Salim
You are SOOOOOOOO right about that......
Old 10-23-08, 11:33 PM
  #35  
TxAg85
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Default DIY AirMix Servo with Picture!!

Originally Posted by blueridge
It is not that hard of a job, but patience is needed. You will need to remove the glove box, two crews on top corners and two 10mm bolts on the bottom corners. It also helps to remove the small trim piece next to the passengers left foot. There is a plastic screw on that.

I was able to fix the servos (both were inop) by taking them apart, cleaning contacts, grease, etc. I do not know how long that will last. I have priced the servos at irontoad.com for $125.61 each. There is an airmix servo and a recirculation servo, the recirc servo controls the damper for vent selection. It sounds like you only need the airmix servo.

The servo is held in place by 4 small screws and the airmix servo is more of a pain to get off than the recirc. You will need to twist your body and use a lot of patience to get to the screws and remove. If your RX has been running let it cool down, less than an inch away from the servo are the lines to the heater core, that may be why this servo fails to much! It gets hot there!

There is a wired plug that you will have to press the tab and pull out. When installing make sure you match up the servo arm position to the door airmix door position. What I did is: turned the ign switch to "on" and set the controls to full hot and let the servo move the arm. then placed it onto the airmix door arm.
Thanks Blueridge; followed your plan with my Code 41 error on my 2000 Rx300. Once in position, confirmed AirMix Servo was culprit. Was not able to adhere to your patience recommendation on the upper screw attachment -- what a tight spot. I ended up using my Dremel tool to remove the top portion of the through hole and slide the servo out from the heater tubes!! Unlike your success, TLC on the servo parts did not work. Ordering part shortly. I did rig a wire to the AirMix lever arm to manually get hot air until the new servo arrives. The picture shows the Air Control Servo and the Air duct that needs to be removed for access to the AirMix Servo (only the "painful" screw is shown on the AirMix Servo just below the Control servo and behind the duct). The two silver heater tubes (also shown) should be hot once the engine warms up.

PS -- First time "poster"; hopefully the picture helps tell the story.
Attached Thumbnails Heater blowing cold air-air-duct-in-place-small.jpg  

Last edited by TxAg85; 10-23-08 at 11:41 PM. Reason: Label picture in text for clarity
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Old 10-24-08, 09:25 AM
  #36  
blueridge
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Sweet! Glad it worked out for you. Nice picture, I wish I did the same thing! I don't know how long my servo repair job will last but when they go at least I know how to do it myself what that times comes.

This appears to be more common, I think the airmix servo is subject to temp extremes due to the heater core lines so close.
Old 11-19-08, 12:56 PM
  #37  
patrinif
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Default fix to heat problem

I have the same problem as the beginning post, cold air come out and the two pipes are hot, like someone said above there are 3 servos, and the servo that opens and closes the gate is broken, so i manually moved the gate and now i got hot air, i just have to buy a new servo. it is right behind the steel pipes. i got to it by taking off the glove box, and the panel on the center console on the passenger side on the left of where your feet rest close to the firewall, (i know its a bad explanation but if you need pictures i could post some.) anyway i noticed the servo is busted, so i just moved the lever by hand. (there are two servos close to each other, the one for the vents which is easy to see and the one of the gate which is closer to the firewall.
as i said if you need pictures i can post some.
Old 11-19-08, 01:30 PM
  #38  
bob2200
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Originally Posted by patrinif
i just have to buy a new servo.
There are quite a few postings by people who have taken them apart and repaired them. From what I've read on this forum, they are quite repairable if you are so inclined.
Old 01-12-09, 03:36 PM
  #39  
jk00.rx300
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Originally Posted by RX300malib
So there’s someone else out there with funny temperature issues. I have written in the past regarding the NO HEAT to the drivers side only which is still an issue as winter is upon us here in Conn.

1. If you remove the glove box you can visually see the servos and adjust ***** to see them in action. You can see the servo move the vent door for the heat and adjust the defrost/dash vent/floor board direction diverter.

2. Note the vent behind the glove for the inside/outside air input which is servo 3 of 3.

3. In my 99 model there is a temp sensor just infron of my right knee when driving the vehicle. If you remove the lower panel, you can remove the unit and notice the fan speed change as mine did which I assumed meant it was working.

To this day I have no heat crossing over from the heater box to the driver side which is a pain in the butt. So, I had to be creative a provided a flex hose from the passenger side foot vent and crossed it under the air box over to the driver side foot area. Now my feetsies don't freeze in the way to work.

I suspect that there is a vent door fault inside the air box and I have no plans to remove the entire dashboard in order to investigate or pay the crazy price to replace. I have a 99RX with 180K mile and runs like a champ. Yes the tranny was replaced at 125K.
Well, my wife's RX300 came down with the same problem a couple of months ago, and it looks like Lexus fixed it. I'm talking about the cold driver's side vs. passenger side working perfectly. I too checked out all the servos, etc, and finally bit the bullet and took it in. Turns out, the heater core was plugged. They're in there horizontally, with the supply and return tubes both on the passenger side, so from a flow standpoint, the driver's side is at the "bottom" of the core. They offered to try a pressure flush for $280, or a replacement core for about $1100, including labor. He claimed that the flush works about 70% of the time, so I went for it. Well, it worked! $280 is less than changing the plugs, so I'm happy, and my wife has warm feet again.

2000 RX300; 220,000 miles; Massachusetts

Last edited by jk00.rx300; 01-12-09 at 03:38 PM. Reason: added year and mileage
Old 08-01-09, 09:14 AM
  #40  
JohnLX300
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Originally Posted by ronl1961
I did a ac/heater self diagnostics test that I read about from another post. It showed code 31 and 41. (Air mix door position sensor circuit and air mix door servo motor circuit) Now the problem is, how do I know which one is causing the problem.
The Air Mix servo is on the bottom of the two servo boxes together. I played with this the other day, because both of my air servos are crap, even after I cleaned them up. The top controls the vents. I did order both from www.parts.com, they both run at about $117 each. I see it as if I buy them new now I will never have to do this and look at this again.
Old 10-20-09, 07:53 AM
  #41  
rpearson
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Thanks to everyone for posting - (especially TxAg85 for the extremely helpful photo). Last night I was able to repair my air mix servo, and have heat again. On the inside of my unit, I noticed the brush like contacts had worn through a spot on the electrical contact face of the gear, probably where it sat in a resting postion with the door closed. After cleaning, and rotating that larger gear so that the brushes now rest on a fresh spot, may have been what got it moving again. I don't know how long the repair will last, but at least I know I can eventually replace the thing later if I need to. My local dealer wanted around 180.00 for the air mix servo, and 250.00 labor. I had no bad teeth on any of the gears inside, but there is also a little worm gear inside, that turns the works, and it had rough edges, making it possible for it to get stuck against the inside of the case as it traveled along the moter drive shaft. Really thrilled to have saved 400+ .
Old 10-20-09, 12:15 PM
  #42  
artbuc
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Originally Posted by JohnLX300
The Air Mix servo is on the bottom of the two servo boxes together. I played with this the other day, because both of my air servos are crap, even after I cleaned them up. The top controls the vents. I did order both from www.parts.com, they both run at about $117 each. I see it as if I buy them new now I will never have to do this and look at this again.
JohnLX300, thanks for the tip on this site. I can't believe how cheap they are! Do they sell authentic factory parts?

Also, I couldn't find the air mix servo in their drop-down menu. What category is it in?

Thanks.
Old 10-20-09, 05:08 PM
  #43  
JohnLX300
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Its under Air Conditioner and Heater......then....Evaporator and Heater Components.....
then.....Servo.... All three types are listed there. And yes these are all authentic toyota/Lexus parts. After I received my packing list the address of a Lexus dealership in Tampa Bay, FL. is where the parts come from. I called and spoke to them many times to get part #'s and they are very helpful. good luck!!
Old 10-20-09, 08:58 PM
  #44  
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i have the same problem now. waiting for the air mix servo to come in so it can be put it. coast me $160 for a new one...
Old 02-25-10, 02:32 PM
  #45  
jpl77
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Default ServoMotor axle broke

I have the same problem and I found out the head of the servomotor
connected with the level was broken. The head is actully part of a plastic
gear inside and it could not withhold the torge and twisted itself off.

I custom made a wood, files it to the right shape and glue it back. I tested
it while turning the temperature dial - everything worked well. After I mounted
it back, I saw the motor wouldn't not stop at low temperature setting and
the broke the wood center piece right there! Surprisingly, the torge is so
strong and the motor sensing circuit didn't work to stop it.

Would you care to comment what caused it? Is there something else, for
example temperature sensor, or control switch, etc caused the motor
running non stop?


Thank you,

JP


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