[Bkblack]

I have a 2010 RAV4, this time last year on start up the heat would kick in fairly quick. Now it seem to take quite a while to get the interior warm. If anyone could help thanks in advance.

 

[Blogson]

Does the engine temperature gauge register the engine warmup reading as it did last year? If it does not or if the engine doesn't reach its normal temperature as in the past the problem most likely is the engine thermostat. If the gauge behaves as before then there likely is a problem with the heater control - your profile doesn't indicate which model RAV you have. Or there could be air trapped in the heater - has the coolant been changed since last year?

 

[Bkblack]

The gauges seem to read the same. I haven't gotten my coolant change this year and I remember having to add coolant this summer.

 

[Blogson]

If you provide details about your RAV's model and year and the area where you live that will help members to diagnose any problem. A possibly stupid question - is the weather colder this year than it was last year at this time? Also, about how much coolant did you have to add - was the overflow tank empty when the engine was cold?

 

[Leorav4]

long warm-up

My car is same since new. it take about 8 to 10 mile to start warming up the cabin even the motor is at 186F after about 2-3 miles. It is not very comfortable. I have heard, the new RAV has an electric pre-heater. If it is true, probably Toyota knows this "problem". And I noticed, when I do sharp turn, left, or right, hot air sharply fills leg area, and at straight it is again cool till 8-10 miles of travel.

 

[Blogson]

My car is same since new. it take about 8 to 10 mile to start warming up the cabin even the motor is at 186F after about 2-3 miles. It is not very comfortable. I have heard, the new RAV has an electric pre-heater. If it is true, probably Toyota knows this "problem". And I noticed, when I do sharp turn, left, or right, hot air sharply fills leg area, and at straight it is again cool till 8-10 miles of travel.

According to your profile you have an '11 RAV, as I do. The major difference is that yours has the I4 engine and mine has the V6. My heating system doesn't act in the same way as yours does. Since your system throws out more heat in sharp turns, a guess would be that there may be air trapped in your heater core. If so, the remedy is to purge the air from the system. From a 2009 post by our esteemed administrator JuneBug:

Garage

According to the 2006 Toyota RAV4 service manual, all you have to do is fill the reservoir with coolant up to the neck, then squeeze the upper and lower radiator hoses to purge the air from the system. If you look carefully, you'll notice that the reservoir is at the highest point in the cooling system. The procedure is detailed in the 2AZ-FE COOLING – COOLANT section. Download the service manual here:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/gmor3i
James


P.S. - Put the RAV's heating system control onto its highest heat setting while dong the purging!
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[road_rascal]

I have a 2010 RAV4, this time last year on start up the heat would kick in fairly quick. Now it seem to take quite a while to get the interior warm. If anyone could help thanks in advance.

Depends on how cold it is. My '12 V6 takes around 3-5 minutes before I get heat (and I mean really hot air) through the vents when it's 0F or colder out, and right now it frakking cold now (-5F).

 

[DVS]

I have heard, the new RAV has an electric pre-heater. If it is true, probably Toyota knows this "problem".

I'm pretty sure that feature was introduced in the 2012 model year (the last year of the 4.3 series), I4 engine only.

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