A/C & Recirculation Question

isn't it true that if you have a good rapport with your service advisor then the dealer will do it during a normal service on request?

they did a bunch of that for me on delivery, but I've only been back to the dealer for Toyota care service since. seems they would just do this on request, unless there's something I'm not knowing about this. it's not like it's a safety or reliability thing.

 

This is off topic but I thought I would mention it here. It involves the recirculation door. I had a 2010 Equinox. With the climate control off, the recirculate door would open any time you started the engine. It would stay this way unless you changed a setting that involved this door so if no settings were changed the recirculate door would remain open when turning the key off.

I never thought anything about this until something happened to me. I parked my Equinox outside and sometimes it would go unused for a month. One day I started the car and there was this bad smell in the car. I needed to use the car so I just drove it with the air on but the smell got worst. I decided to investigate when I got home and found out there was evidence of a rodent living on the top of the cabin filter.



No big deal right? Just change the cabin filter. After changing the filter the smell was still there but not as bad. I tried 2 different AC duct cleaners and wiped down the entire upholstery (including carpet and headliner) twice with Lysol. Each time it lasted for a week or 2 but the smell always came back. Maybe it was my imagination. There are companies that specializes in removing this smell but I never pursued it. I eventually sold the car. Now it is important to me to have my car parked in a garage even if I have to make room for it. I have a loft over the bed of the Tacoma. Yes, I did see that post if his Tacoma would fit in a garage.

 

If a mouse, rat squirrel or chipmunk wants in to your vehicle, there is not much you can do to stop it, including garaging it. Best thing to do is drive it as often as possible.

 

Agreed, garaging and/or closing the recirculate door is a deterrent which may help. Same with locking your car to keep someone out.

 

Can anyone verify if you CA turn off the auto recirculation with techstream? I thought it changed the setting but it may not be what I was thinking it was.