Canada - A/C - Dust From A/C Vents

Bulletin
L-TCI-3093

Issue Date
January 13, 2012

Market
Canada

Title
DUST FROM HVAC VENTS

Service Category
Vehicle Interior

Section
Heating/Air Conditioning







APPLICABILITY

TSB SUPERSESSION NOTICE
The information contained in this TSB supersedes the information for ES350 in TSB L-TCI-2577.
- Production Change Information, Warranty Information, Parts Information, and Repair Procedure sections have all been updated.

TSB L-TCI-2577 is no longer applicable for 2007-2008 model year ES350. Be sure to review the entire content of this service bulletin before proceeding.

INTRODUCTION
Some vehicles may exhibit a condition where dust or powder is visible from the HVAC vents. A newly designed evaporator and HVAC system cleaning procedure has been developed to address this condition. The procedure listed below details evaporator removal, HVAC system cleaning, blower motor cleaning, and installation.







PARTS INFORMATION:

PRODUCTION CHANGE INFORMATION
This TSB applies to:








- 2007 - 2010 ES350 vehicles produced BEFORE the Production Change Effective VIN shown.
- ALL 2010 - 2011 North American produced RX350 vehicles.
- 2010 Japan produced RX350 vehicles built BEFORE the Production Change Effective VINs shown.
- 2010 RX450h vehicles produced BEFORE the Production Change Effective VINs shown.







WARRANTY INFORMATION







REQUIRED TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

REPAIR PROCEDURE
1. Confirm the condition.
Check for white dust or powder on the top of the instrument panel and interior surfaces.
If white dust or debris is present, check the cabin air filter for damage and for other external sources of debris. Proceed to step 2 for evaporator replacement if no external debris sources are found.

2. Remove the evaporator.
Refer to ETAS/TIS Library, applicable model and model year Repair Manual:
Vehicle Interior-Heating/Air Conditioning-"Air Conditioning: Air Conditioning Unit:
- 2007 ES350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2008 ES350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2009 ES350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2010 ES350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2010 RX350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2011 RX350: Removal / Disassembly"
- 2010 RX450h: Removal / Disassembly"

3. Remove the HVAC ducts and registers from the dash pad.














4. Remove the center console ducts from the center console.








5. Verify all HVAC ducts and registers have been removed.








6. Blow out ALL the HVAC ducts with shop air.
7. Wipe out ALL the HVAC ducts with a damp shop rag.
8. Visually inspect the HVAC ducts and verify all of the dust has been removed. If additional dust is discovered, repeat steps 6 and 7 until the dust has been completely removed.








9. Clean the HVAC registers by blowing the registers out with shop air.

NOTE
If dust remains it may be necessary to clean in-between the vent fins with a small soft brush.








10. Clean the side window defroster vents by blowing them out with shop air as shown.
11. Disassemble the HVAC case and remove the evaporator. If the HVAC case was not previously disassembled and the evaporator removed, refer to the disassembly procedure in step 2.








12. Remove the heater core and blow out with shop air.








13. Blow out the evaporator tray with shop air. If there is still dust on the tray, use a small brush or damp shop rag to clean the tray.








14. Clean the thermistor with shop air.

NOTE
Do NOT remove the blend doors from the servo motors.

15. Use compressed air to blow out the evaporator case.
16. Wipe the evaporator case with a damp shop rag.








17. Clean the evaporator cover with a soft brush or damp shop rag.








18. Wipe out the blower motor housing with a damp shop rag.

NOTE
It is critical to completely clean the blower motor housing as it may contain copper particles that can damage the protective coating on the evaporator.








19. Use shop air and blow in-between the fan and the blower motor housing.
20. Install the NEW evaporator.
Refer to ETAS/TIS Library, applicable model and model year Repair Manual:
Vehicle Interior-Heating/Air Conditioning-"Air Conditioning: Air Conditioning Unit:
- 2007 ES350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2008 ES350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2009 ES350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2010 ES350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2010 RX350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2011 RX350: Reassembly / Installation"
- 2010 RX450h: Reassembly / Installation"








21. Remove the dust cover on the back of the blower motor.








22. Use shop air and blow dust out of the blower motor commutator, brushes and windings.
23. Reassemble the blower motor assembly.
24. After repair, confirm proper operation of the HVAC controls, and cooling and heater functions.

NOTE:
Issue of this Technical Service Bulletin is to ensure that proper repair information is available. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN AUTHORIZATION FOR REPAIR. Normal provisions of the formal warranty policy, as applicable, will apply.