Dead mouse in cabin air intake?

Don't know if it was me. But I did this a couple of years ago. Used galvanized screen and stainless steel hardware....so nothing will rust

 

Damn bro, that's aweful.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen: A first post for me but not my first rodeo with Ratigan. I've attached pix of what happened to my 2009 Tacoma 4-banger a couple of years ago. The blower motor had to be replaced. These are my mechanic's pix that he sent me back then to show what he'd found. I suspect a similar but not so drastic problem right now and I'm trying to construct defenses. I need your help to understand what I'm looking at in the attached photos and some that others have already posted. I don't have a good enough grip on how the ventilation system works but here's what I think I'm seeing: I think the glove box has been removed and I'm looking at where the filter was installed. I'm guessing there must be a fresh air intake vent somewhere above. Is it the one shown in various photos under the cowl that runs transversely across the bottom of the windshield? Would that likely be where the critters got in? Can anybody point me to a pictorial of the ventilation system?

Thanks for helping,
Bill

 

Looks like an old nest, or two. Air intake is directly above, under the windshield cowling. Lift the cowling front edge, you'll see it. Cover it with 1/4" mesh hardware cloth (heavy screen), or something a mouse with razor sharp teeth can't chew through (not aluminum gutter guard), or squeeze through.
Maybe you park under a tree, like I do. I also cover the top, windshield, and cowling with a free HF tarp and a few bungees. Keeps the air intake, wiper posts, windshield, and washers clean.
A tarp alone won't stop a constantly pregnant mouse, still need the galvanized steel 1/4" hardware cloth air intake filter protection.

 

Thank you for your help. I'm going to make up and install an intake guard screen. I'm not familiar with hardware cloth. I understand the galvanized steel part. Do you think I could find hardware cloth at Home Depot or Lowe's? Bill

 

Yes both stores will have it. I get it from Lowes frequently. You can easily cut it to size with tin snips, or wire cutters.
Smaller grid is the 1/4". You can see how a small mouse could squeeze through the 1/2".

 

[QUOTE= I'm going to make up and install an intake guard screen. I'm not familiar with hardware cloth. I understand the galvanized steel part. Do you think I could find hardware cloth at Home Depot or Lowe's? Bill

Once you are in "in there". You can see a hole over in the top of the wheel well. That's where were they get in. The nice holes for screws says Toyota SHOULD be putting these screens in! The hardware cloth can be bent easily, & form fitted around the lip, to help keep it in place. Don't get poked.

 

Thanks very much. Under the theory that no good deed should go unpunished, do you happen to know where I could find on the Web an exploded diagram of the Tacoma's ventilation and heating system? My reason for asking is my mechanic told me he had applied some duct tape to cover a spot in the system they had chewed through. This isn't shown in his photographs, which makes me think the varmint(s) must have gone further than just packing the vent hole and filter with leaves and acorns and other nesting material. I can visualize the air intake you describe (and have seen photos on this forum) as well as the filter rack and its door, and the location of the blower motor. What I'm ignorant of is: There must be a box or plenum into which heat/chilled air is mixed and then exits via controlled doors into the dashboard/floor/windshield vents. I'm not sure how the blower behind the glove box interacts with the rest of the system. Bill

 

You will definitely know it when one makes it into your blower housing by the smell and thumping sound. If that hasn't happened so far, I would say you're good downstream.
Years ago, I had one in the truck blower and one in the wife's car blower. No damage to the blowers, just the stench. I did the filter housing mod on both, so far so good.
I also feed a stray cat just enough to keep him coming around. I place a couple cat treats on a front tire once in a while. He sleeps there sometimes when the engine is warm, jumps out when the truck unlocks. The lingering smell of a cat will deter any rodent.

 

[QUOTE="OldTacomaGuy44, do you happen to know where I could find on the Web an exploded diagram of the Tacoma's ventilation and heating system? My reason for asking is my mechanic told me he had applied some duct tape to cover a spot in the system they had chewed through. . Bill[/QUOTE]

I can't help you there, and I'd guess. you'd most likely would have to tear out the whole dash to get at much of it. Hopefully with the sized mess you had, "It" stayed there, as the leaves are large heavy ones to drag through a small hole(ask mechanic, what sized hole he patched?). The smell would let you know, if he got it all out. Or maybe how much air movement out you feel at vents, windshield? Plus duck tape is a poor temp repair. The glue on, it breaks down fast. Gorilla tape or the metal heating duckwork tape would have been better.

 

I need to do this to my truck, is it much of a pain to take the wiper arms off and the the cover for it. I cant figure out how they get under the cover and get into the intake vent. I already put a screen over the air filter intake before the filter box. Thanks for any info you have.

 

Each wiper arm is held on with a nut that is under the the plastic cover at the base of the arm. The end caps come off next followed by the cowl panel itself. It’s easy to take apart, but a little harder to put back together. I had some trouble putting the cowl ends back on. This video helps.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=rENcnOkP1o0&feature=share

 

Thanks for the info. I will have to give it a try. wish I knew how the mice get in there, I don't see any holes big enough. Thanks

 

This is my truck and these anti rodent screens are an absolute necessity. I live in the Cascade Mtns which is wild mouse country. Forget bears and cougars, it is the wild mice that worry me.
I'll have a comprehensive anti mouse post coming up shortly, as soon as I come down from Mice Mountain.

 

3rd Gen TRD Sport.
I managed to “hydraulic” 3 frogs into the cowl area running through puddles after heavy rains off road. A day or so later they started decomposing. Not sure what was causing the smell but decided to pull the cabin filter. Blood all over it. Removed cowl and found most of the frog setting on the plastic grille directly above the filter. Pulled it out and bleached and Lysoled things. Replaced filter. Smell didn’t go away. Pulled right fender liner and sprayed water everywhere I could reach. Two more dead, decomposing frogs flushed out. Going to add the clever intake grating found here.
I’ll see if I can also cover the holes at either end of the cowl area.

What a $hitty design.