HVAC / AC & Heater / Blower Motor & Fan assembly foam cushioning fix

https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/p...siteid=214329&vehicleid=84921&diagram=8510100

https://parts.camelbacktoyota.com/p...siteid=214329&vehicleid=84921&diagram=8510105



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one of these above parts began spewing grey foamy cushioning out the vents over the past several months
I am concerned that this is possibly the reason for the 'intense' wind rattle/vibrations coming through the vents on the passenger side at highway speeds over 50mph with the fresh air lever/selector (as opposed to recirc airflow)
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this is the only picture on TW been able to find so far with dash removed ... think this is a 2nd gen?

does anybody have a picture of 1st gen dash apart (preferably with no pass airbag but maybe not necessary) to see where other foam cusioning is located
there are a couple 2oo1 salvaged Tacos on a lot nearby that I may and go do some 'surgery' on to take the dash apart to see what I am working with to 'fix' this issue

any picture of just the blower motor fan assembly?

 

I have a very similar problem. Whistling noise when fan is on high and recirc is off (allowing outside air) and defrosters and center AC vents spewed a bunch of that grey foam. Hope you find a cure.

 

i have my glovebox out currently so I can better see & hear some of the innards, the dash is gonna need to come all the way out i think to properly fix this and re-cushion/foam everything possible for the next 20yrs!
... moved the lever (i have manual slide lever, not sure how the newer first gens work with the turn nob?) that opens/closes the door to block fresh air and did not see any foam missing but it definitely needs a good cleaning back in there

have you ever taken one of these dashes and assorted pieces behind it out before?
it did not seem that difficult at the salvage yard last month, but I did not have to put it all back together properly afterwards!

 

I had a strange clicking noise with my blower. It sounded like an old tyme oscillating fan. I replaced the motor tonight with a new Import Direct from O'Reiley. The old motor was so worn I could barely turn it with my hands. Also, the blower fan had over 20 years of gunk/dirt accumulated on it. I even found a couple of twigs in it.

So I cleaned up the blower and installed the new motor. It sounds like the blower in a new car. Nice and quiet.

 

did you have to dig out the dash to remove any of that? my blower does not make any weird noises that I can tell other than a chirpy sound once in awhile depending on weather and relative humidity (i think)

i peered into the depths behind my glovebox and see 2 more years of dirt than yours i bet lol

how are the foam 'cushions' in your vent system?

 

i am getting very frustrated with this noise every time I hit about 70mph (or is extremely windy outside),
it starts flapping away behind the passenger dash area and i need it fixed!
got very personal with it this past weekend on a 2000+ mile midwest adventure

is there something that flew in from the outside and got stuck/wedged inside somewhere and only moves/rattles when the airflow coming in is at a higher gust

i switched the lever to the recirculated position and it goes away, but i drive most exclusively with fresh air coming in, I can't wait until winter to see if its still there! i usually leave the fan motor off in the winter on the highway and let the fresh hot air come in (not sure how that works, cold air in and heats up through the core?)


does anybody have a pic of this assembly removed from the inside to see what might be going on and possible fixes

 

It's really only a bunch of disassembly steps to get to the blower motor and fan box. I think the FSM has the steps or there's gotta be a write up I'm sure with the steps for removal to get to the blower.

 

i took one of these out already a few months ago in a salvaged Tacoma (only 3 bolts I think but one is buried pretty deep!, i had to remove the dash to see what it looked like but hoping I can get around that to fix mine, just one of many age-related fixes needing to be done, unless something is caught up in there and just needs cleaned out

 

So time to go for it on yours and see if anything is going on there?

 

yes, i guess if nobody has ever had this problem before and fixed it i shall be the first lol
i might need to get a long borescope and stick it down wherever the fresh air inlet is at (i have no clue where it comes in from, under the cowl somewhere?)
and see if something is stuck inside there, at this point i am assuming the foamy cushioning broke and so the plastic on plastic flapping sound is going on

 

Gotta get in there and just see for yourself, no way around it

 

I have the same issue. Little pieces come out every once and a while. Never really looked into it.

The fresh air inlet is located under the cowl. Take off the black plastic grate under the wipers and there is a hole you can look down and kinda see where it is. Far pass side. Mice were building a nest here on mine and I was getting pieces of acorns and nest blowing through my vents. Cleaned it all out with a vacuum and its better now.

I'd be curious to see if anyone has a fix for this foam thing.

 

the Toyota mechanic showed me a 'rattle kit' they had on hand with all new cushions and stuff

had a real nice sticky one stuck in my drivers side side vent, goop all over my finger picking that one out!
I have to look at the inlet when conditions are right for light, you can see all the way down to the part of the lid that opens/closes through the outside? I can see one side of it through the vacant glovebox (which I think that is a sort of 'cabin filter' maybe?)