Anyone else get a rodent in fan?

[PearlDriver]

I heard a slight noise in my AC fan when on low speed. At any other speed the air noise was too loud to hear it inside the car.

When I went in for my 15,000 mile check-up I had them take a look.

The techs said a rodent had gotten in and chewed my cabin filter.

Has anyone else had this? How/where would a rodent have gotten in from?

[Patrick Wong]

This is a common problem; mice can enter the car by crawling through the space between the black plastic cowl assembly under the windshield, and the metal body. If you can't get rid of the mice, the cure for the problem is to remove the cowl and install wire screen covering the ventilation holes that lead to the cabin ventilation system.

[lefat1]

did you see it, palm bch toyota tried that one on me. they said it made a nest in the entire duct system and the blower had to be removed...$350...i said, "let me see it", all it was, was a rodent had brought a small branch and laid it on the filter, i bought a new filter and vacuumed the debris, no way it could get into the blower. cost me $28 for filter and 15 minutes of my time. i complained when they called for a feedback on my service, they said the manager would get back to me..never did.

[dryismyquest]

Yes.

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by dryismyquest

Yes.

Amazing photos - was the rat already dead before you took the first photo??

I didn't think the gap between the cowl and the body was big enough to let in such a big rat. The photo with the rat next to your shoe is great as it shows the relative size of the rat.

[pviebey]

Well, I live in Orlando, so I'll be sure not to take my Prius to Walt Disney World

[hyo silver]

Originally Posted by Patrick Wong

This is a common problem; mice can enter the car by crawling through the space between the black plastic cowl assembly under the windshield, and the metal body. If you can't get rid of the mice, the cure for the problem is to remove the cowl and install wire screen covering the ventilation holes that lead to the cabin ventilation system.

This would seem a pretty simple modification for the factory. Any idea if Toyota would consider such a thing? A few droppings is bad enough, but rodents are quite capable of causing major damage.

[wchardin]

Originally Posted by dryismyquest

Yes.

Yeah, that mouse could be classified as a rat. I have never seen one that big, except by the grain mill on the Ohio River, those get to be the size of small dogs.

[ZC1]

Originally Posted by dryismyquest

Yes.

Oh geez...now you've gone and done it.

Your gas mileage is gonna plummet since you removed the main part of the engine.

ZC1

[dryismyquest]

Originally Posted by Patrick Wong

Amazing photos - was the rat already dead before you took the first photo??

I didn't think the gap between the cowl and the body was big enough to let in such a big rat. The photo with the rat next to your shoe is great as it shows the relative size of the rat.

Yes, it was already dead. Not sure how long it was dead for, but it couldn't have been that long in the FL heat. The car is a daily driver, so when I clicked on the AC on fine Saturday afternoon, and that stench of death came through the vents, I immediately knew I had a project on my hands.

I was actually quite thankful, as, at first, I suspected one of those small lizards, and who knows just how much I would have had to take apart to find one of those.

The way it was discovered was very horror-movie-esque, when I pulled off the dash and the head was revealed, it was like, "WAAAA!!" (insert fast horror movie fiddle music here), as at first glance, you're not really sure its dead.

Just think, that's a size 12 sneaker too.