Cabin air filter...what do you make of this??

Redsoxx1918 · Aug 28, 2021

Changed my cabin air filter this morning. 2019 with 25K miles. Pretty dirty but what is this section that looks chewed up? Mice perhaps?? No mouse droppings at all and no other signs in the vehicle or engine bay of any rodent activity. No strange smells.

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NorthPark · Aug 28, 2021

Yikes that thing is gross

johnnygraphic · Aug 28, 2021

Brown recluse. Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

<<<< · Aug 28, 2021

Clearly, something chewed on the filter media. I'd guess mouse.

Ripper238 · Aug 28, 2021

Wow, i would say a mouse too. Mine is a 19 and no chew marks, but now i am concerned how a mouse even got in there???

02SE · Aug 28, 2021

I'm with the others that said most likely a mouse.

TRDfan2011 · Aug 28, 2021

Ripper238 said:
Wow, i would say a mouse too. Mine is a 19 and no chew marks, but now i am concerned how a mouse even got in there???

They enter thru big opening above the filter. It's covered by the wiper cowl cover. Many cover the opening with wire mesh. Few write-ups about this.

Ripper238 · Aug 28, 2021

TRDfan2011 said:
They enter thru big opening above the filter. It's covered by the wiper cowl cover. Many cover the opening with wire mesh. Few write-ups about this.

Good to know! I go camping a lot so i can see this happening. Now i can prevent it!

CavPro · Aug 28, 2021

I did the same with a 90's gm product, built a cage.

obxbird · Aug 28, 2021

I'd set some mouse traps in the floorboard just in case its a mouse. :hunter:

fkheath · Aug 28, 2021

See this thread: Ideas to prevent rodents from eating our wiring

One good solution is to place a few drops of essential oils on cotton balls and scatter them in the A/C system. Peppermint works particularly well; we use it in our mountain cabin to keep the rodents out.

trdgmn · Aug 31, 2021

TRDfan2011 said:
They enter thru big opening above the filter. It's covered by the wiper cowl cover. Many cover the opening with wire mesh. Few write-ups about this.

Thanks for the info. :thumb:

Ry'sRunner · Aug 31, 2021

Mouse. You might consider a K&N filter, they have a wire mesh that should prevent the little buggers from going all the way through. Happened on my Tundra and Mr Mouse met a quick but messy end upon impacting the whirling fan blades. $400 ish and a new fan assembly later, the K&N is cheap insurance in the Tundra and 4R.

97BlackAckCL · Aug 31, 2021

Something has been in there chewing

Stfflr · Sep 4, 2021

I used to be a Lexus tech back in the day and the largest single ticket I ever got was a 40hr job on an LX where a rat had chewed on every engine harness and got into the A/C vents. The insurance company actually totaled the vehicle but the customer wanted it fixed. That poor LX. I found the rat under the plenum and was able to kill it. I woulda let it go but was afraid it would climb into another customers vehicle.
Thats definitely a mouse or rat chewing on it. You can probably smell the urine and see little foot prints in the dust on your engine cover. I once heard an old timer say if you leave your hood open at night the critters wont climb into it.

TEujunga · Sep 4, 2021

If it chews all the way through the filter, this is what happens next:

Cabin air filter...what do you make of this??

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