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Do rodents make nests in the battery cooling fan or venting?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Sal43, Jun 16, 2021.

  1. Sal43

    Sal43 Member

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    I recently cleaned out rodents nests from the blower motor and cabin air filter area, rear underfloor cargo compartment and airbox under the engine air filter. Should I buy a borescope to see if the batter fan or vent tube have rodents nests? Is there enough space for rats, squirrels, or chipmunks to get in there or is it unheard of? Would a cheap $15 borescope be able to get into there from the intake vent to be able to get a good look?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    not that i can recall
     
  3. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Clean your hybrid battery cooling fan for it's own sake... Rodents are know to make it easy for stuff to get sucked in there, but they probably can't get in there themselves. But you be the judge of how this particular Prius poster's pic happened:

    150451_20180726_180825.jpg
     
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  4. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Do you drive everyday? Or does the vehicle sit a lot?
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah never mind the horoscope; open it up and clean.
     
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  6. wheezyglider

    wheezyglider Active Member

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    I guess they don't call 'em squirrel cage fans for nothing. :D But I'd expect that if the fan was clogged you'd tend to hear it more often and stay on longer than usual. It kicks into high when the battery gets hot, and then it's audible from the driver's seat. It would be normal to hear the fan when going down a long hill -- lots of regen heats the battery up. But if you're hearing the fan come on more often than normal, it's worth cleaning very soon.
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    o_O
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Doh!
     
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  10. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    im not a believer of horoscopes, read each one of them and they will apply to you, just not the month youre put in.
     
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  11. Sal43

    Sal43 Member

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    Once every 2 weeks since February 2020 till June 2021 during the pandemic but more now.
     
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I think $15 buys you a pretty cheap horoscope too.
     
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  13. Sal43

    Sal43 Member

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  14. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    why not just open it up and clean it as mendel suggested?
     
  15. Sal43

    Sal43 Member

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    If I had a plugin like you I'd do it every month, but it's way more complicated to to it on a regular Gen 3.
     
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    An hour or two. @NutzAboutBolts video shows the rear seat being pulled out, but that’s really not necessary: there’s one bolt needing removal, behind the seat cushion, just below fan inlet; just push apart seat bottom and back and reach through with a 12 mm socket on longish extension. Be careful not to drop the bolt.
     
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  17. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    That's a little like saying "whatever you do, don't think of a hippopotamus."
     
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  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Haven’t dropped it. Yet…