Sorry to bounce an old thread to the top... so did you guys just spray grease (or graphite?) behind the white fan using the straw that comes with an aerosol can? And that fixed the noise?

I just ended up buying a new one (not OEM) for around $40.00.

Works and sounds great.

No worries...this is how more people with this problem can see the thread before starting a new one.

To answer your question, yes. I bent the straw as close to the main rod on the back side of the wheel/fan assembly.

Great writeup, glad this got bumped back up.

i probably need to do this. Looks like another thing to add to my list!

X2....I never would have thought about cleaning this out. After 12 years, I'm sure it needs cleaned. Going to do this tomorrow! Thanks again for the write up and bump!

That's a lot cheaper than I expected... good to know in the future.


Thanks! I figured as much but wanted to make sure before I started pulling it apart.

Anyone know if cleaning the cabin fan could fix an engine like smell in the cabin of a 1998 4runner?

I did the Blower Fan clean up exactly as described. Additionally, wiped down the internals from the opening within far reach by hand using a wet nap. Then went on a drive on the hwy with all open windows, rear hatch and moon roof, blasting the system on HIGH for 15mins between hot/cold, recirc/fresh, on/off AC between all vent systems. I was getting major dust everytime swapping between recirc/fresh, that was borderline unhealthy.

I still get a hint of odor, so next step is Lysol or the Toyota brand cleaner kit. Anyone ever clean/flush the entire vent system out from the 15+ years of dust?

Lysol smelled good and saw more dust kick out from the vents afterwards. But didn't last long.

Ordered 2x the Toyota cleaner kit. Plan to do the foam cycle process and repeat a couple weeks after. Going for thorough clean

same thing here! the freakin shaft broke through. it still works, but really noisy! yea, me too. i should have left it alone. 12 years running great and i F it up.

Just did this. My fan started make a deep thrumming like the jet engines on a big Airbus on takeoff roll. A few comments:

There is NO reason I can see to remove the glovebox.

You do need to pull the kick panel. No one has explained how, so here goes.

1. Remove two forward screws from the plastic trim along the door opening, and lift the front edge away from the bottom of the kick panel.

2. Pull the kick panel BACKWARDS about two inches, which is all it easily goes. Then raise the bottom sideways towards the center console until it is loose.

3. Ideal implement for removal of the three screws is a 1/4" ratchet, short extension, and a T25 bit. It looks like an 8mm hex would work, but the Torx #25 works great.

Here were the culprits causing my noise:

What are those Durk?

Nice little writeup. My question is how can something that large make it into the blower motor? The only inlet for the fresh air for the hvac system is just below the wipers, which is already screened off right?

Since this got bumped I wanted to tell everyone there was a squirrel in mine, believed to be a flying one. Acorns and a nice little nest. Left the truck parked for two days turned on the heater and crap flew out of the vents and there was a horrible thumping coming from the blower motor. Needless to say I cleaned it all out. Point is watch out when you take the motor off, give it some distance and let it fall out to the floorboard and inspect from a far. In case your wondering the squirrel made a break for it before I got the motor out.

Also, the little bugger burred nuts throughout the truck. 8 acorns in the rear bumper. There are two holes just big enough to fit the acorns through and he stashed a lot of them. It tools me 6 months to locate them. I thought they were in the headliner, every time I drove around a corner they would roll to one side or the other. It drove me NUTS! no pun intended.