Hi, new member here - just got a new TE in July and loving it. Got on some dirt roads recently and fine dust started just billowing into the cabin through the vents. I mean this could not possibly have been normal. The entire cabin was coated in dust after 10 minutes with all windows up. Checked the cabin filter behind the glove box and it was installed properly. Anyone have any ideas what else to check for? I am mystified...
Choking on road dust
- Thread starter Mike-1972
- Start date
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FrontRange4Runner
New member
Cabin filter should stop most fine dust, however recirculate is very important. Without it you will literally be pulling new dusty air in constantly. Also the cabin filters are not air tight by any means and the harder you have your HVAC system blowing (lol), the more dust will be forced through the filter and around it. It's a good idea to keep a large gap between you and any vehicle you are following in dusty conditions. Your engine is breathing the same air as you are.
JB.
New member
Are you assuming that's where it was coming from or did you see it? If it was really billowing through the vents, I'd say something is up.
Using recirc seems intuitive but here's what the manual has to say:
When driving on dusty roads
Close all windows. If dust thrown up by the vehicle is still drawn into the vehicle
after closing the windows, it is recommended that the air intake mode be
set to outside air mode and the fan speed to any setting except off.
Makes sense when you realize it pressurizes the cabin and thus limits the points of entry to small areas that are guarded by the filter.
For short term cases where you're surviving a dense cloud of dust, you can go windows closed, recirc ON, no fan.
Jeremy556
New member
If there was dust coming from the vents, you are missing your cabin air filter. Go take a look, takes like 30 seconds, open the glove box, then 2 plastic access panels.
