1993 Toyota Previa

WHILE STARTING UP OUR 1993 TOYOTA PREVIA, THE RADIO AMPLIFIER UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, AND THE FIRE STOPPED. SMOKE ODORS FROM THE FIRE STILL PERSIST, AND THE AMPLIFIER WAS REMOVED. THE CIRCUIT BOARD NEAR ONE OUTPUT TRANSISTOR WAS BADLY BURNED, AND THE AMPLIFIER IS NOT REPAIRABLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE GLUE USED TO ATTACH THE LARGE CAPACITORS HAS MIGRATED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND MAY HAVE CAUSED THE SHORT. NO NEW PART HAS BEEN FOUND AS YET. *TR

I AM CURRENTLY ATTEMPTING TO GET AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) FIXED ON PREVIA. 6 WEEKS AGO A NEW CONDENSOR AND ASSOCIATED PARTS WERE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. THESE NEW PARTS WERE REPLACED TO MEET EPA REQUIREMENTS FOR R-134A COOLANT (ORIGINAL COOLANT WAS R-12). A/C ON SYSTEM FAILED ON JULY 2, 2003. PREVIA WAS TAKEN TO MOTORCARS TOYOTA IN CLEVELAND HEIGHTS (NOT THE SAME PLACE AS WHERE R-134A CONVERSION WAS PERFORMED) AND THE SYSTEM CHECKED. SYSTEM WAS RECHARGED WITH NO INDICATION THAT THE DEALER MADE ANY TYPE OF CHECKS FOR LEAKS. PREVIA WAS RETURNED THE NEXT DAY TO DEALERSHIP WITH STRANGE "HARMONIC" NOISE THAT WAS HEARD BY SERVICE MANAGER BUT NOT CORRECTED. REAR A/C UNIT IS NOT OPERATING AND FRONT A/C UNIT IS NOT CAPABLE OF COOLING ENTIRE VAN. I WILL BE NOTIFYING TOYOTA OF THIS ISSUE, BUT FEEL THAT WITH THE NUMBER OF PREVIA'S STILL ON THE ROAD, THERE WILL BE CONTINUING ISSUES WITH THE SWITCH OVER FROM R-12 TO R-134A. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THE NOISE IS NOTICEABLE BUT TOO DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. THEIR CLAIM IS THAT REAR A/C IS COOLING NORMALLY, EVEN THOUGH SERVICE MANAGER ADMITS THAT IT IS NOT DOING SO. HE BLAMES THE ISSUE ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN R-12 AND R-134A. IN READING INFORMATION ON THE WEB, ALL PARTS OF SYSTEM NEED TO BE CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND THAT R-134A RUNS AT A HIGHER PRESSURE, COMPRESSOR NEEDS TO BE CHECKED. FROM YOUR WEBSITE, TOYOTA RECOMMENDS IN THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN 080498 THAT AN IMPROVED REAR A/C MAGNETIC VALVE IS REQUIRED TO KEEP INTERNAL VALVE CORROSION TO A MINIMUM. THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT I STILL HAVE THE OLD VALVE DESIGNED TO RUN UNDER R-12 INSTALLED. THIS WILL BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM AS THERE WAS NO EFFORT TO LOOK FOR ANY LEAKS OR OTHER PROBLEMS. RECHARGING THE SYSTEM EVERY MONTH IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION. I WILL BE MAKING AN ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENT NEXT WEEK TO GIVE THE DEALERSHIP ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. I'LL CONTACT THE BBB, AAA AND THE NEXT MANAGEMENT LEVEL AT TOYOTA IF IT ISN'T FIXED THEN. *JB