I’m not going to hold my breath that Toyota will suddenly issue a recall of all the nearly 20-year-old Sienna minivans to solve the HVAC Is Garbage problem. But in a hypothetical ideal world, a world of peace and tranquility, where mud is Nutella and friendly birds land on your shoulder and whisper hot stock tips to you, the recall would be underway right now.
Yes, for real. Because this human-machine interface misstep is so annoying, so preventable, I simply must talk about it in hopes of preventing such miseries from ever happening again.
This design failure is on the HVAC controls of the $500 2006 Toyota Sienna that David gave me after my heart exploded, because dropping off high-mileage cars in your driveway is how David shows he cares. Here’s the specific problem:
Can you see the issue here? I’ll highlight it, just in case:
Now do you see? What’s going on is that there is a label there, TEMP, just over an adjustment rocker switch. At a glance, it seems like that switch controls the TEMP (you know, for temperature, the same stuff used to cook frozen pizzas) because it appears to be prominently labelled so.
Of course, that’s not the case. The actual temperature control is here, highlighted in red:
The two-way switch that seems to be labeled TEMP is actually the fan switch, and there’s a little fan icon (I’m pretty sure it’s not a four-leaf clover, which would make that switch a LUCK setting switch, something I don’t think is included in most cars) to let you know that the rocker controls the fan speed.
See the problem here? At a glance, you look at that screen and you see TEMP and a control switch with two directions on it, so why wouldn’t you assume that was how the temperature is controlled?
The problem is when you go to adjust the temperature higher, you’re actually increasing the fan speed, and you’re rewarded with not warmer air, but, usually, colder, because you’ve increased the fan velocity and now you’re being blown with air that you had determined to be not warm enough as it is.
The actual TEMP control button is just far removed enough from the main focal point of the HVAC system, that vacuum-fluorescent display (VFD), so it’s surprisingly easy to overlook.
I don’t understand how this wasn’t shown to be a problem in focus groups. Everyone I’ve seen try to adjust the temperature in this van has made the same damn mistake, and it is not the fault of those people. It’s bad UX.
It would be easy to fix, too! I think there’s a few ways to fix this, but one that could have been quite cheap and easy is also one that’s interesting, conceptually. They designed what that VFD can display, so if they added labels into the display itself, as opposed to silkscreened on the clear plastic lens, like this: 
…then I think all confusion would be eliminated, completely. I mean, look at that – there’s no doubt what those labels are referring to now that they’re part of the electronic display. The cost difference here would be negligible, if any at all – instead of having to silkscreen text on that lens, they just design the VFD to have three more illuminated shapes, the labels. Easy, cheap.
It’s interesting how differently our brains interpret the labels in the display as very clearly referring to the other, similarly-colored elements in the display, as opposed to the white printed text, which visually has much more in common with how buttons and switches are labeled.
I think that’s the root of the problem here: a grammar was developed, where white, printed-on text refers to controls and that aqua-colored illuminated display text refers to labels of information being displayed. They’re two very different things, and when Toyota tried to label information display elements on the screen with the look and feel of how they label directly-manipulable controls, the whole thing breaks down, because they broke their own rules of visual grammar they established.
This may seem to be a trivial problem with a car long out of production, but I think the lesson here is still valid, and still important. Details matter, especially when it comes to the way we control the features of our car, and visual looks, and visual grammar and rules are a real thing, and can make the difference between controls so good you don’t even realize you’re using them and controls so annoying you want to crowbar the whole damn HVAC unit out and fling it out the window every time you just want to get warmer but end up being blasted with a burst of unwanted cool air.
Details matter. Toyota, you’re welcome to use my fix approach for all second-generation Toyota Siennas (2004-2010) when you issue your recall and fix. You’re welcome.
Try using the Nav system. Then get back to us after you’ve finally been released from the insane asylum.
BTW, there’s a damper under the dash that often goes out. If the defroster doesn’t work right, contact me me.
I, a normal(ish) functioning adult think it’s fine. There’s a clear demarcation between the temperature being displayed and the fan controls underrneath. There’s three rocker switches there, and none of them relate to the display, so my brain doesn’t make the connection that those three values will be changed by the controls directly below each one.
exactly this.
Spot on! Even if you somehow made the mistake, how would you then make the same mistake over and over again? I just don’t see it being that confusing.
You are correct, as always. Sometimes. On occasion. OK, once in a while, but this one is important and you nailed it.
Pay closer attention. I’m always right.
I think David might actually be a sleeper agent. When the paramedics intervened and saved dear Torch, DT came up with this “car revival story” to gift his dear friend, but in reality he was hoping the stress of this junker car would finish the job.
I sympathize with you, as a buyer of a 2007 Camry because my DD Vehicross is waiting to blow the engine this trip into 2007 has blown my mind. Seat heaters are on how do I adjust them? Was driving hit a button and the car wanted to make a phone call. The well lit problem dashboard showing multiple issues was cleared up by my mechanic cleaning the air filter. Now it is just 2 broken tprs sensors need replaced. However Jason don’t complain that a 20 year old car is set up different then you are used to while driving 40 year old cars and new cars.
But my confusion comes from pictures in an ad of a prepubescent girl in a body suit with a tag line of complete your collection. Anyone else seeing that? I bit questionable.
“But my confusion comes from pictures in an ad of a prepubescent girl in a body suit with a tag line of complete your collection. Anyone else seeing that? I bit questionable.”
You must be looking at different stuff online, all my ads are for heavy equipment.
I get quickbooks and Subarus. Quickbooks make sense since the way my work network is set up means we can often tell what people are searching for, we have a new accounting guy and use quickbooks. Subarus? Well this is a car site so that makes sense.
We can tell what everyone in the office is looking at based on ads. For a while it was all mountain bike stuff, then motorcycle parts. Right now it tends to be home reno stuff.
Y’all see ads?
My ad blocker must be a stone cold assassin because I’ve never seen an ad on The Autopian.
I borrowed my brothers Honda Odyssey a few years ago. I noticed my butt feeling quite warm. I looked on the dash for seat heater switches and found none. I finally found the switches in the front door pockets, as non-intuitive a location as could be found.
Yeah just found mine hidden by a cabinet.
I live in a temperate state in the US (think Chicago). Every car I’ve had since 2001 has had automatic climate control. In those 23 years, I’ve touched the climate controls, on average, *maybe* once a year (not counting the seat heater buttons and defrost). I don’t understand why anyone needs to fiddle with the temperature controls! The whole damn point of automatic climate control is that the car handles that for you. Pick a temp (I like 69F because I’m a bit juvenile at heart), hit the “auto” button, and forget about it. What’s the problem?
These ads are showing in the Autopian website article.
When I think of states I don’t think of Chicago, and when I think of temperate I DEFINITELY don’t think of Chicago.
In all the vehicles I have ever used the “Auto” controls, they have pissed me off and failed to appropriately do what I want. Additionally, the way I may be dressed is impacted by the weather outside the car, so my personal temperature needs to be comfortable are not dictated by a single number set a single time.
I am shocked that somebody has actually found a working hvac control panel in that generation of Sienna.
Same fix as CEL, black tape.
Can you really adjust the temperature settings by 0.1 degree increments? Or even 0.5? That means many button presses for a large temperature change.
It also makes the display look like it is set at 800 degrees with a quick glance.
These are usually because they don’t change the precision when switching from C to F.
It’s still pretty unnecessary in Celsius.
Our ’04 Sienna is an LE, and has the plebian manual caveman climate controls. Three knobs and two buttons, just as God intended.
These automatic climate controls are usually lousy at making you comfortable without fiddling with them. The only car with auto that has ever done it right is my Buick LeSabre, which makes sense because if the climate control isn’t right the old geezers will raise hell.
The Autopian staff attempting to relate to a truly reliable vehicle is amusing to watch. They just haven’t yet understood that everything Toyota does is purposely related to outlasting granite. Focus groups showed that slightly confusing controls reduce button pushing, and therefore spring wear, by 0.32%. Further laboratory research confirmed that making the setup slightly confusing, as opposed to mildly confusing or overtly confusing, prevented the dreaded over-push or random-push syndrome and led to HVAC control life extension of 345,600 seconds. Upon publication of the finding, the Andon cable was simultaneously pulled at Toyota factories globally until the new parts could be fitted.
Your car has heat?
Careful what you wish for in a recall now. Nowadays the solution would be a touchscreen with a row of equally sized, non-haptic feedback icons that are all the same color. And if it was a VW, they wouldn’t even give it a backlight!
What’s that huge gross red blob in the pictures? Shifter? Yuck!
Dash Dildo
next bishop article:
“Our daydreaming designer imagines what James Bond replaces his Lotus with after he finds out Natasha is expecting triplets”
I think you’re really reaching here Jason……I mean, after the first time you misuse it you’ll probably never forget and do it again, so is there really an issue here?
Call it a quirk and move on maybe?
Yuck. That display is some clunky garbage that looks alarmingly similar to the display on my crappy old microwave. What does the SONAR button do?
Range to target. Obviously
Cut the chatter, Red 2. Accelerate to attack speed.
(The Sienna is Red Leader, obviously)
Ping once.
One ping and one ping only.
That’s for taking the Sienna fishing on the local lakes and rivers
Thank you.
that was bothering me
Sonar button is for the rear backup alert. If you have a bike rack on the back it’ll go crazy, so you can turn it off.
Have the same van! Knew exactly what this article would say! Solved it by putting a piece of electrical tape over the white “Temp, Rear Temp, Pass Temp.” And I’ve never been confused since.
80F!? I will be melting at those temps lol I don’t go higher than 74F. 68F on the summer.
I at first thought that it somehow wanted to put your car at 80c then I realized the issue
80F isn’t deadly like 80C but it’s plenty uncomfortable
Anything over 72 it too hot for me, weekend was 10c and I was in a tshirt and shorts
I am a little more interested in why they think anyone would need to adjust the temperature by 1/10 of a degree. The display would look way less cluttered if they had just made it whole numbers.
Just guessing it should increase half degree, and that they should reuse the display for other markets where half celsius makes more sense.
Presumably that’s why they didn’t have the labels in the display, they can reuse the same VFD part in all regions, then just swap out the plastic cover with different text screened on it.
Is there a chance it’s cheaper to do different front panels for LHD and RHD markets as opposed to dedicated full displays?
This is why I became a member. Keep up the good work Torch.
It would be better if the Temp were dials instead of buttons. Adding a blue and red coloring would work a bit better too.
Adding the “Temp” labels to display itself would create a terrible failure point: if for some reason that part of the display fails, user would only know which temperature is changing once it try one of the three buttons.
I agree it is confusing, but it should be a thing that you can get used too once you start using it regularly. I mean, it is able to figure it out.
Different from BMWs where you have that hot cold dial near the central vents that doesn’t exactly work together with the temparture you set in the HVAC control.
Blue and red coloring wouldn’t help blind drivers, though.
Wow at least it come with sonar so you can ping other vans under water
Give me a ping, Vasili. One ping only, please.
I was literally in the middle of typing this, when yours popped up.
Guess I’ll be watching Hunt for Red October for the 487th time again tonight!
My favorite line:
“You’ve dropped so many sonobuoys that a man could walk from Greenland to Iceland to Scotland without getting his feet wet”
That is a good one. He’s an underrated character in the movie.
“I’m a politician. Which means if I’m not kissing’ babies, I’m stealing their lollipops, but it also means I keep my options open.”
“Yuri, you’ve lost anuthuh submarine?”
A Russian don’t take a dump, son, without a plan.
“At that speed, they could run over my daughter’s stereo and not hear it”
LOL
Only if I can raise rabbits, and have a large American woman to cook them for me.
Actually, I think I will need two wives.
Oh, at least.
In North Dakota!
I would have liked to have seen Montana.
But where’s the depth charge button? Detecting the enemy’s van is only half the battle.
Drats, you sunk my Nissan Quest!
I saw a last gen Nissan Quest (the sculptural one) the other day that made me do a double take, I never see them here.
I see 1st Gen Quests/Villagers around me more frequently than any of the later ones, which seems to confirm that Nissan’s quality completely went to shit about 20 years ago.
Not a chance that his van is under water, it’s paid off! 😉
They even did it with the airbag light. Why doesn’t the whole light just say “Passenger airbag on” instead of “passenger” printed and “airbag on” as a light?
oh yeah, look at that! What the hell?
I mean, I’m an advocate for painting any label that’s not going to change. I think it should be “Passenger airbag” painted and then “on” is the light.
I’d tweak his solution to be that “Temp” still be painted, but in a similar blue color to the VFD.
And why did they choose to have a light for “Airbag ON” at all? “On” is the default for airbags, so the warning light should be for “Airbag OFF,” as when you place a kid’s car seat on the front passenger cushion, so you can confirm the airbag is in “safe” mode.
Otherwise, why not just have a giant “OK!” light that’s on all the time for everything? I guess the Prius already does this with its large, distracting “READY” light that’s on eternally,