Heater does not seem to blow warm air

[a***h]

I'm quite surprised that My new Hybrid Lariat does not seem to blow warm air even when I set the dials on 85 degrees. Now the A/C freezes me out most of the time. I have to turn the A/C off most of the time when I'm on Automatic climate control. So I'm wondering if there's something I've missed on this heating system? The outside temp today is in the 50s and I would think this vehicle would act like the dozens of other vehicles I've had in the past. Has anyone other than me noticed this behavior?

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[Ozarkbeard]

Nope. Mine blows hot air. Try it with Auto turned off and make sure the air output is set for Floor.

 

[rivermaverick]

I was wondering about winter temps, we see the opposite problem in Arizona in the Summer temps get into the 115 - 122° range the AC is slow to cool the cabin because it has to cool the battey.
The owners manual shows 3 high amp fuses in the under hood fuse box for the hybrid electric heater.
The parts book shows an auxilary electric heater (item 15)in the HVAC assembly but how it's controled I don't know.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

I'm quite surprised that My new Hybrid Lariat does not seem to blow warm air even when I set the dials on 85 degrees. Now the A/C freezes me out most of the time. I have to turn the A/C off most of the time when I'm on Automatic climate control. So I'm wondering if there's something I've missed on this heating system? The outside temp today is in the 50s and I would think this vehicle would act like the dozens of other vehicles I've had in the past. Has anyone other than me noticed this behavior?

In my lariat I had AC on automatic and temp set to 73°F (almost always there but change temp setting up and down). I Have fan speed set to 3 (this is apparently the max chosen speed when max cool or max heat is NOT chosen). Perhaps you have fan speed set to lesser volume??? The other day my the ambient temp was 52°F and mine started blowing hot air to get temp up to 73°. You may also have the "nipple" vents closed. They can be tricky as the direction slider moved all the way left or right will close air flow completely off. Moved part way will direct air in that direction but all the way will let one side heat or cool nipples and the other side can choose to leave them alone. There are some things that can cause the air flow to cancel your chosen temp. If humidity level is close to dew point the defroster will be turned on and air will be directed to windshield and the AC will run to lower the humidity to prevent fogging. Check your vent preference selector buttons also. Good luck.

 

[Timothyd]

I'm quite surprised that My new Hybrid Lariat does not seem to blow warm air even when I set the dials on 85 degrees. Now the A/C freezes me out most of the time. I have to turn the A/C off most of the time when I'm on Automatic climate control. So I'm wondering if there's something I've missed on this heating system? The outside temp today is in the 50s and I would think this vehicle would act like the dozens of other vehicles I've had in the past. Has anyone other than me noticed this behavior?

Gonna be a long winter.
I'm missing the simple controls of the past.

 

[Exranger]

Also check for rodent damage, my Ac went out and they chewed the wires. Was my last guess for sure

 

[MinntoMich]

I've found that my hybird will not reach a summer operating temp range now that our highs are 60 degrees or less. It will get something like warm if I drive at highway speeds so the 2.5 is doing most of the work, not the battery, and that makes a big difference on the cabin comfort level.

This is going to be a downside to the hybird. I dont know what its going to feel like at 28 below but I'm going to find out soon enough.

 

[Silver23]

Oh great. My MPGs are finally good with cooler weather and now I find out we have an electric heater?? crap....

 

[Darnon]

The owners manual shows 3 high amp fuses in the under hood fuse box for the hybrid electric heater.
The parts book shows an auxilary electric heater (item 15)in the HVAC assembly but how it's controled I don't know.

 

[jsus]

Oh great. My MPGs are finally good with cooler weather and now I find out we have an electric heater?? crap....

It's not a PHEV, so it's going to have to run the ICE if for no reason other than as a generator. Thus, the ICE is used as the primary heat source, just like a non-hybrid ICE vehicle. It's more efficient to just use the waste heat off the ICE like any old car, than to generate electricity and run an electric heater. The main difference is that the ICE can still shut down for electric only operation while you still draw heat from the warm engine. Of course, when the engine (coolant) gets too cold/the HVB SOC is too low, the ICE will fire back up.

The electric booster (which is just that, a booster) operates in a rather narrow band as referenced by @Darnon. Unless you set heat to max or live in extremely cold climates, you may never actually use it.

 

[rivermaverick]

It's not a PHEV, so it's going to have to run the ICE if for no reason other than as a generator. Thus, the ICE is used as the primary heat source, just like a non-hybrid ICE vehicle. It's more efficient to just use the waste heat off the ICE like any old car, than to generate electricity and run an electric heater. The main difference is that the ICE can still shut down for electric only operation while you still draw heat from the warm engine. Of course, when the engine (coolant) gets too cold/the HVB SOC is too low, the ICE will fire back up.

The electric booster (which is just that, a booster) operates in a rather narrow band as referenced by @Darnon. Unless you set heat to max or live in extremely cold climates, you may never actually use it.

It appears theat the auxillary electric heater is just for cabin heat, is the battery warmed via the ICE coolant and exhaust heat exchanger?

 

[SimplyCosmic]

Nope. Mine blows hot air. Try it with Auto turned off and make sure the air output is set for Floor.

Yes, this confused me at first as there was noise but I didn't feel heat coming out of the vents.

According to the manual (pg 128):

If you press AUTO during cold outside temperatures, the system directs air flow to the windshield and side window air vents. In addition, the blower motor may run at a slower speed until the engine warms up.

So, turning Auto off and then changing the air outputs to the floor or both the floor and forward vents resolved this for me.

The Auto setting may work best for cold weather remote start situations where defrosting the windows as a priority makes sense before I get out to the car (along with the seat and steering wheel warmers).

 

[23grayXLT84]

I'm quite surprised that My new Hybrid Lariat does not seem to blow warm air even when I set the dials on 85 degrees. Now the A/C freezes me out most of the time. I have to turn the A/C off most of the time when I'm on Automatic climate control. So I'm wondering if there's something I've missed on this heating system? The outside temp today is in the 50s and I would think this vehicle would act like the dozens of other vehicles I've had in the past. Has anyone other than me noticed this behavior?

Using AUTO controls for heat / cooling will automatically redirect airlfow.
Cooling = front vents
Heating = floor (and maybe windshield)
With this setting you wont feel direct heat as it is pointed towards the floor.

If you want it blowing hot air at you, you will need to manually select airflow direction / speed and temperature.

This operation is pretty typical in vehicles with automatic climate control.

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Yes, this confused me at first as there was noise but I didn't feel heat coming out of the vents.

Be sure the vents are not closed as the slider if slid all the way left or right will close off air flow.....

 

[a***h]

Wow , I'm learning things I didn't even consider about these hybrid vehicles. I have a Toyota Venza Hybrid which kinda acts the same way this Maverick does. The heater is very strange unless I'm driving out on the highway when the ICE is in operation. The one difference between the two vehicles is that the Venza comes up to temperature quite quickly, as far as engine temp.

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