I had a squatter living in my 4Runner!

[A/V1]

I had a squatter living in my 4Runner! The S.O.B. made a mess, and even took a crap in it! I have no idea how he got in. I didn’t leave any windows open, doors weren’t unlocked, sunroof was closed, and the alarm didn’t go off.<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Fortunately, I was able to evict without violence, and there doesn’t seem to be any permanent damage. I don’t know of any legal action I can take now as I can’t find him, and never got a good look at him. I didn’t even call the authorities. I guess I was just too pissed. All I can really do now is maybe set up a camera, and set up a trap or two so if he ever comes back, I’ll catch him red-handed.<o></o>
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Here are some pictures of the mess I found: <o></o>
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Again, I didn’t get a description of the culprit, but I’m betting he had a pretty fuzzy tail! No idea HOW he got in, but I sure as hell hope it doesn’t happen again. I’m assuming he decided to make it his home while it was parked out in back of my house under a tree while I was recuperating from a couple surgeries I had recently. I unfortunately didn’t have the room in my garage or it would have been parked there.<o></o>
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And btw, I don’t park near that tree any more!<o></o>

 

[emoore924]

Besides storing food and pooping everywhere, those furry little bastids have an penchant for chewing on WIRING. So once you've removed the larder as well as the other, shall we say, remains, be sure all the things nearby are still working lest ye have to delve into the electrical system.

For posterity: Might be an old wive's tale but I store my boat/RV/collector cars with mothballs in little baggies inside. Seems to keep out the vermin.

 

[Sungod]

I had one try to establish residency in my old Dodge Ram. Things were good at first until he tried to do a little remodeling and bit into the pressurized gas line. The poor bastard got a mouth full of unleaded. I was lucky enough to catch it before my truck turned into a barbeque.

 

[A/V1]

Besides storing food and pooping everywhere, those furry little bastids have an penchant for chewing on WIRING. So once you've removed the larder as well as the other, shall we say, remains, be sure all the things nearby are still working lest ye have to delve into the electrical system.

For posterity: Might be an old wive's tale but I store my boat/RV/collector cars with mothballs in little baggies inside. Seems to keep out the vermin.

Yeah, I hear ya about the little chewers. After staring at it in disbelief, I proceeded to clean the cabin air filter area, the whole time inspecting everything else around it for chew marks. I did the same thing in the engine compartment.

So far it looks like I got lucky. :biggrin1:

 

[A/V1]

I had one try to establish residency in my old Dodge Ram. Things were good at first until he tried to do a little remodeling and bit into the pressurized gas line. The poor bastard got a mouth full of unleaded. I was lucky enough to catch it before my truck turned into a barbeque.

Dang, how much leaked out? I bet that was a mess. It probably had a hard time making friends after that considering what he probably smelled like Lol! That is, if he lived!:gun4:

 

[Link12]

My sister had one get in her 5th gen and destroy the wiring. $4500 charge to insurance for a complete new wiring harness. Adjuster said over the years he had seen several of these but none like hers. He said he usually can find a bed somewhere but hers must have just been one pissed off rat.

 

[Sungod]

Dang, how much leaked out? I bet that was a mess. It probably had a hard time making friends after that considering what he probably smelled like Lol! That is, if he lived!:gun4:

When I started it up, it looked like an Iraqi oil well. Gas was spraying all over the engine compartment. As much of a POS as that dodge was, it started and ran fine even though it was pumping the tank dry. Luckily I had the windows down and had to turn around first and caught it before the engine warmed up.

 

[RedSled]

Varmit cong.

 

[TechWrench]

The area you are showing is above the heater core. The critter is getting in to the vehicle through the fresh air intake, which is located under the windshield wiper cowl on the passenger side. There is no screening covering this intake, so once they figure how to crawl up inside the fender well to this intake, they have an easy path to get in. Once they find the path, they will store their winter food stash there, and set up housekeeping, and throw the occasional party for friends. I used to work at a Honda dealership, long ago, and this was a common problem with customers who parked in areas where these critters run rampant. The only fix we found that worked, was to remove cowl, and fashion a screen cover from 1/4" steel mesh to cover the intake opening. I installed one on my '03 years ago, when I found the first mess in the cabin air filter. Never had a problem again. I call it my anti-chipmunk mod...:biggrin2:

 

[A/V1]

The area you are showing is above the heater core. The critter is getting in to the vehicle through the fresh air intake, which is located under the windshield wiper cowl on the passenger side. There is no screening covering this intake, so once they figure how to crawl up inside the fender well to this intake, they have an easy path to get in. Once they find the path, they will store their winter food stash there, and set up housekeeping, and throw the occasional party for friends. I used to work at a Honda dealership, long ago, and this was a common problem with customers who parked in areas where these critters run rampant. The only fix we found that worked, was to remove cowl, and fashion a screen cover from 1/4" steel mesh to cover the intake opening. I installed one on my '03 years ago, when I found the first mess in the cabin air filter. Never had a problem again. I call it my anti-chipmunk mod...:biggrin2:

Mod #1 on my to-do list is now the ANTI-CHIPMUNK SCREEN MOD! Got any pics of what you did? Thanks for the info.

 

[A/V1]

My sister had one get in her 5th gen and destroy the wiring. $4500 charge to insurance for a complete new wiring harness. Adjuster said over the years he had seen several of these but none like hers. He said he usually can find a bed somewhere but hers must have just been one pissed off rat.

Man, a 5th gen... It's one thing having it happen to my Runner that's 12+ years old, with 220K miles on it, but to have that damage done to a newer vehicle... I think I would have taken DNA and tracked that little sucker down!:hunter:

 

[V8Man]

Check your engine air filter too. That box makes a nice home.

 

[A/V1]

Check your engine air filter too. That box makes a nice home.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just checked and no problem there.:roll:

 

[TechWrench]

Mod #1 on my to-do list is now the ANTI-CHIPMUNK SCREEN MOD! Got any pics of what you did? Thanks for the info.

I used to have some pics, but they got lost during one of my past hard drive upgrades. It will be a while, but once the weather clears, I will try to remove cowl and get some more. It isn't all that difficult to make one. Once you remove the wiper arms, there are only a few screws and plastic fasteners to remove to take cowl off. With it removed, it is easy to see the fresh air intake, on the passenger side. It is about a 4 x 8 inch opening with a raised lip around it. I cut a piece of 1/4" square opening stainless screen large enough to cover the opening and fold down around the sides. I used a large screw type hose clamp to secure the sides and keep it in place. I'm sure you could use wire ties or wrap HD mechanics wire around it and that would work.

With the cowl in place, you would have to look real hard to see the screen.
And it works.

 

[A/V1]

I used to have some pics, but they got lost during one of my past hard drive upgrades. It will be a while, but once the weather clears, I will try to remove cowl and get some more. It isn't all that difficult to make one. Once you remove the wiper arms, there are only a few screws and plastic fasteners to remove to take cowl off. With it removed, it is easy to see the fresh air intake, on the passenger side. It is about a 4 x 8 inch opening with a raised lip around it. I cut a piece of 1/4" square opening stainless screen large enough to cover the opening and fold down around the sides. I used a large screw type hose clamp to secure the sides and keep it in place. I'm sure you could use wire ties or wrap HD mechanics wire around it and that would work.

With the cowl in place, you would have to look real hard to see the screen.
And it works.

Cool, I guess I didn't realize that was the intake. I've had the cowl off a few times, for various reasons, but didn't notice that opening. I'll pop the cowl off again and check it out.

Thanks again for the info!

 

[A/V1]

So I got some wire mesh at Lowes to create the ANTI-CHIPMUNK SCREEN. I drilled some holes in the sides, and there were already two holes at the top, so I used some plastic retainers to hold the screen in place.





Before doing this, I completely cleaned it out again with my shop vac, as I noticed after looking at the pictures that the piece that selects inside air, and outside air wasn't moving properly. So after clearing the obstruction, I installed the mesh. After taking these pics, I also ended up creasing, and folding the aft side down some as there's nothing to attach to. I think it'll be ok.

 

[TechWrench]

Looks like that will do the job, Nice work.

 

[A/V1]

Thanks!

I didn't trim it up after the install either. I left it long around it so that if any vermin try to get in again, they have to work for it! LOL

 

[TechWrench]

Thanks!

I didn't trim it up after the install either. I left it long around it so that if any vermin try to get in again, they have to work for it! LOL

They will need a set of teeth like that villain in the old James Bond movie........:biggrin1:

 

[A/V1]

Jaws!