Surprise - Fan Blower Inlet Point

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Shadow07SE

New member
Well I found quite a little surprise last night while replacing the cabin air filter. It was the first time I've replaced it after almost 75k and was quite nasty. That wasn't the surprise though.
When I went to put it back it I noticed some insulation like material wouldn't allow me to push the new filter back it. It was starting to get dark and I didn't have a flashlight in the truck at that moment so I just put my hand up there to figure out and pulled out some of the material. I felt around and noticed a couple hard pieces of something and a ton of material. Since this was the first time replacing it, I honestly didn't know if this stuff was normal or not. It was starting to make a mess and fall into the blower so I decided to stop until I could get a light and figure out what I need to do.
So about an hour later I grabbed a flashlight and quickly realized that the material was definitely not suppose to be there. I also went to grab (bare hands) some of the "hard" pieces and notice a nice large dead mouse staring at me. Quite discussed to say the least.

So my question is where the heck is the inlet to this blower so I can sure this doesn't happen again. I had to the leave the truck outside for about a month back in January and the little bugger probably got in then. I've checked the repair manual but can't find any good pictures. Thoughts?
 
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I had a similar experience when replacing my cabin air filter during my last oil change ... no critters found but definitely a cozy nest had been built.

My mechanic recommended pushing the "recirculation" button prior to shutting the engine off (to help close off the inlet to the filter).

I had been leaving it on "fresh air in" and this leaves the inlet open.

Once the nest was gone I noticed a huge difference in air flow inside the cabin (especially for window defrost in the winter).

Almost time for my next oil change, so I'll be checking how the cabin air filter looks this time around.
 
I have owned an '86 pickup (new), an '87 used, an '03 new Tacoma, and a '96 4-Runner used. I don't think any of them had cabin airfilters, but on every one of them have had at least three or four times, a mouse get onto the blower fan. You'll know when this happens, when you turn it on the whole vehicle shakes with a great deal of noise from the blower. Once the mouse entered the blower while it was running with the airconditioner which started the great shaking instantly. The mouse soon dies from the centrifugal force. Was easy to fix, the blower was removeable with three screws and a plug over the passenger's feet. When I had the blower out I would clean the fan with Lysol and squirt same back up the inlet tube. This made it smell sanitary for awhile when I'd start using it again... so far, never got Hanta Virus. I hope the cabin air filter prevents such nonsense with my '08 4-Runner; this was certainly a problem Toyota should have fixed over the years.
 
This doesn't sound good. I had some mouse issues in my Mustang, but never 4Runner. I was thinking if putting some mesh type wire on intlet of the fresh air intake. Is this inlet near the wipers like other vehicles?
 
Critter stories

My first 4x4 was a 1985 K5 Blazer. When I was living in Buffalo in college I had a surprise one snowy winter morning... Went out to start the truck and it made a funny sound. When I backed out of the driveway, the snow was bright red! Apparently the fan shroud, next to the warm radiator, was a nice place for rats to spend the night. Was a gruesome scene when I lifted the hood!
 
Pushing the recirculation button is a good idea. I tried to hunt down the entry point yesterday but never found any point that looked compromised by the family of mice. I didn't really take anything apart and most of it was visual. I'll check out the repair manual for the recirculation piece and see if I can track it down there.
 
The fresh air inlet, at least on my '03, is under the cowl trim between the hood and bottom of the windshield on the passenger side of the vehicle. I had this problem years ago on mine, and installed my 'chipmonk' mod at that time. Basically, I installed a piece of 1/4" square mesh metal screening material over the fresh air inlet to keep the small critters out of the HVAC ducts. Depending on where you live, and the extent of the critter population in your area, you may have a big problem, or never see it at all. I live in the country, with a lot of pine trees near by, and the critters like to store their pine nuts just about anywhere they can get into. Another place to check is inside the air intake filter on many older vehicles. I have seen an older GM air filter assy completely filled with pine nuts!!!
 
Pics

TechWrench said:
The fresh air inlet, at least on my '03, is under the cowl trim between the hood and bottom of the windshield on the passenger side of the vehicle. I had this problem years ago on mine, and installed my 'chipmonk' mod at that time. Basically, I installed a piece of 1/4" square mesh metal screening material over the fresh air inlet to keep the small critters out of the HVAC ducts. Depending on where you live, and the extent of the critter population in your area, you may have a big problem, or never see it at all. I live in the country, with a lot of pine trees near by, and the critters like to store their pine nuts just about anywhere they can get into. Another place to check is inside the air intake filter on many older vehicles. I have seen an older GM air filter assy completely filled with pine nuts!!!
Click to expand...

Did you ever post a thread with pics of your chipmonk mod??? I think I got a mouse/rat/squirrel caught in the blower today and I'd like to figure out how to get it out without going to the "stealership". I'd also like to fix the problem for future critters. Thanks
 
TechWrench said:
The fresh air inlet, at least on my '03, is under the cowl trim between the hood and bottom of the windshield on the passenger side of the vehicle. I had this problem years ago on mine, and installed my 'chipmonk' mod at that time. Basically, I installed a piece of 1/4" square mesh metal screening material over the fresh air inlet to keep the small critters out of the HVAC ducts. Depending on where you live, and the extent of the critter population in your area, you may have a big problem, or never see it at all. I live in the country, with a lot of pine trees near by, and the critters like to store their pine nuts just about anywhere they can get into. Another place to check is inside the air intake filter on many older vehicles. I have seen an older GM air filter assy completely filled with pine nuts!!!
Click to expand...


we had this same issue at my grandmothers house with squirrels and chipmunks....they packed the muffler on my grandma's still bone stock and all original 67 Jeepster full of nuts. My brother and cousin had to cut off the whole muffler assy.
 
Ginuwite said:
Did you ever post a thread with pics of your chipmonk mod??? I think I got a mouse/rat/squirrel caught in the blower today and I'd like to figure out how to get it out without going to the "stealership". I'd also like to fix the problem for future critters. Thanks
Click to expand...

I haven't done any type of write-up on the 'mod', but I did take some pics when I did it. I will try to locate the pics (changed computers since then), and do a write up as soon as I can.
 
Wow, do you guys live in the jungle or something? I know that it does happen, but wow.....lots of it.

Good Luck
 
ALLEGRO said:
Wow, do you guys live in the jungle or something? I know that it does happen, but wow.....lots of it.

Good Luck
Click to expand...

Yep, I live in "their" neighborhood. Field mice, rabbits, raccoon,rattle snakes, beaver, coyote, fox, white tail deer, mule deer, elk, black bear, hawk, eagle, etc....
The only crime here is by wildlife. The deer are the worst offenders, down right arrogant basterds.
 
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Thanks

TechWrench said:
I haven't done any type of write-up on the 'mod', but I did take some pics when I did it. I will try to locate the pics (changed computers since then), and do a write up as soon as I can.
Click to expand...

I would appreciate that if it doesn't turn out to be too much trouble. I looked around and I couldn't really find the exact spot where they were getting in.... not sure if I had to remove the whole plastic cover at the base of the windshield or not. Thanks again
 
Wow

Took the 4Runner in to the local shop today and they found a "very large" nest inside the vents near the cabin air filter. The filter had been torn to shreds but luckily was the only part that needed replacing. Now to figure a way to keep out whatever it was that built that nest.......

$217 for labor and a new filter :redbrick:, guess it could have been much worse
 
I always have my recirculate button pressed in because whenever I forget, then that's usually when I end up driving behind a diesel or someone with a bad catalytic converter.
 
earthrealm said:
5yrs after!!!.

any luck with the pics?
Click to expand...

Nah, I can't locate them. But, the link in the post above take you to the Taco forum thread on this issue, and there are some great pics of the air intake and the screen one guy used to fix the issue. Same basic method I used.
 
found mice entry point! 99 4runner

I have had to remove the heater fan about 6 times to clean out mouse nests built on top of the recirc vent doors and even in the air filter box. I've set traps and caught mice but they continue to invade the car. When I move the lever for fresh air-CLUNK- the nest and sometimes dead mice fall into the fan. So I went looking for where they get in. After tearing out the plastic fender wells (torn out because of the plastic use-once bolt retainers) and removing the heater fan, wiper arms and the wiper cowl I found the air cleaner tube in the fender well and the fresh air duct entry point for the car tucked under the wiper cowl but where it is impossible to reach as it tucked in a channel of steel on the passenger side. Anyone else solve this problem on a 99? I can put a wire mesh over the air cleaner tube but but I can't even reach under the wiper cowl structure to put in on the fresh air duct. Help my car is starting to smell like mouse poop and pee!!
Thanks!!!!!
 
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