A/C intake vents

[Sac State]

Strange thing was happening. I kept noticing white fluffy paperlike substance being blown onto the passenger side floorboard. After taking apart the glovebox and removing the air filter I noticed that behind my dash was a major handful of this white stuff. It appeared to be a shredded paper towel. The shreddings were throughout the area behind my dash, glovebox, crammed in the fan itself and up through the a/c dash vents. I guess the a/c fan shredded the towel and deposited it throughout my dash and footwell.

WTF!

The cabin filter wasn't dirty but was clogged with these shreddings.

How would a papertowel get into the a/c unit? I know the vents by the front windshield (cowl) provide air to the a/c unit and they are screened. Is there another intake vent where a paper towel(s) might have been sucked into the a/c unit?

or do you think it was sabotage because I raised a stink with my dealer for not replacing the a/c cabin filter when they did service the last time?

 

[ToyotaDoodz]

I declare shenanigans. Other than the sheer expense, that's why I started making my own.

 

[Bluto]

Maybe a small furry creature was building a nest in your truck.

 

[Sac State]

Maybe a small furry creature was building a nest in your truck.

I've had that happen before!

I park in a garage at night and I was looking for hair, droppings, etc. and didn't notice anything of that sort. Just nice, white, bleached shredded paper towel. I looked throughout the engine bay and didn't notice a hole where the towel could have been sucked in during driving.

I have a 23lb cat that patrols the garage at night, so if it is a mouse, he won't be a mouse for long.

 

[Offroader]

Was your air conditioner recycling inside air or taking fresh air from the outside?
The filter only works for outside air, which I think they should apply to both inside and outside air, since dust collects and damages the evaporator.

 

[Sac State]

I rarely select recir air, always choosing fresh. The fan is what did the shredding. Just like a perfect little Quisinart. I did think it was a mouse at first, b/c the paper was perfectly shredded and fluffy, just like nesting from a varmit.

 

[Northof49]

Maybe a small furry creature was building a nest in your truck.

That's usually what that means when you see that.....

 

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On a slightly different note, I keep finding pack rat nest/poop on top of my cabin air filter. I can't figure out how it gets in. I thought the screened openings at the base of the windshield were the only access. That screening is intact. Are there others?
Bill in Oregon