Help! Dead Rotting Animal in Air Vent System!
07-22-13, 10:30 AM
#17
Lead Lap
Wow, glad that you checked. I hope that you got all of them. It sounds like you got a good price on the filter too. If you have a flexible hose, you might be able to connect it to your vacuum and run the hose into the vent pipes from the filter box and catch anything that is near by. Best of luck and let us know the results.
07-22-13, 10:59 AM
#18
CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. IF YOU FOUND DEAD RODENTS IN YOUR SYSTEM THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS..
I know how we handled high end office equipment that had evidence of rodents. We wrapped them in plastic, put Skull and Crossbones label on it and had the equipment removed. Techs were forbidden to attempt to clean it up due to possibility of Huntavirus.
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/pdf/HPS_Brochure.pdf
Based on the grass in your picture it looks like your in Southern Florida. The Cotton Rat and Rice Rat are found in Florida.
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/rodents/index.html
JR
I know how we handled high end office equipment that had evidence of rodents. We wrapped them in plastic, put Skull and Crossbones label on it and had the equipment removed. Techs were forbidden to attempt to clean it up due to possibility of Huntavirus.
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/pdf/HPS_Brochure.pdf
Based on the grass in your picture it looks like your in Southern Florida. The Cotton Rat and Rice Rat are found in Florida.
http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/rodents/index.html
JR
Last edited by FLYCT; 07-22-13 at 11:28 AM.
07-22-13, 12:07 PM
#19
I thought there would be one, but 5 :O... thinking about how it must smell makes me feel sick :S.... how did they get in there,, hopefully you have alot of mouse traps in your garage!!
anyhow after this process you should get a "car odor bomb".. it's a can that smokes up the inside of your car except with a scent which should pretty much travel through the vents and whole system. Very useful, mercedes dealer used it when I had my previous car detailed by them.
anyhow after this process you should get a "car odor bomb".. it's a can that smokes up the inside of your car except with a scent which should pretty much travel through the vents and whole system. Very useful, mercedes dealer used it when I had my previous car detailed by them.
07-22-13, 12:51 PM
#20
I know you've already purchased a cabin filter, but if it were me I would order an OEM "Denso" cabin filter or an aftermarket filter that contains charcoal for odor control. The Denso air cabin filters do a better job than the aftermarket cabin filters in filtering outside air with exhaust and keeping that new car scent IMO.
Last edited by sixonemale; 07-22-13 at 04:53 PM.
07-22-13, 08:35 PM
#22
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It may be mold
I think Lexiss_sc430 has a great suggestion. I have been having a terrible stench coming through my 2008 SC430 vent system and I believe it is mold build up caused by dampness and the A/C system. The local dealership people were idiots. They instructed me to turn off my A/C a minute or two before I got to where I was going. I changed the filter and that didn't help. Lexiss_sc430 may have it. I can't wait to try solving the problem with Lysol.
07-22-13, 10:14 PM
#23
I think Lexiss_sc430 has a great suggestion. I have been having a terrible stench coming through my 2008 SC430 vent system and I believe it is mold build up caused by dampness and the A/C system. The local dealership people were idiots. They instructed me to turn off my A/C a minute or two before I got to where I was going. I changed the filter and that didn't help. Lexiss_sc430 may have it. I can't wait to try solving the problem with Lysol.
Check out this video on YouTube:
Jr
07-23-13, 02:02 PM
#25
"As photos indicate...the stench is coming from the vents located near windshield wipers on drivers side of vehicle.
3 estimates....$2,000.00 minimum (2 day job) to pull out my dashboard in order to access the blower motor and air vents. REALLY?"
You may want to let the repair shops know, who gave you estimates of $2,000 or higher, that they were all at least 99% off of what how much it ended up costing to fix the problem. I'm assuming 15 minutes of your time, plus $11 for the new cabin filter.
It kind of reminds me of when my intermittent windshield wipers would only sometimes work on another car that I owned. I had one estimate from someone who really sounded like they knew what they were talking about of over $1,000 to take the steering wheel completely apart and fix the inner controls. As it turned out, on a damp day when they decided not work, I finally checked the fuse/relay box as a last resort and looked at the windshield wiper relay switch, which low and behold, had a hole in it allowing moisture in on damp days preventing the intermittent wipers from working. That explained why the wipers worked fine on dry days after washing the car, but on certain damp days they did not work. Rather than $1,000, it ended up costing around $10 for a new relay.
This forum is a great venue for all sorts of questions, suggestions, answers and solutions!
3 estimates....$2,000.00 minimum (2 day job) to pull out my dashboard in order to access the blower motor and air vents. REALLY?"
You may want to let the repair shops know, who gave you estimates of $2,000 or higher, that they were all at least 99% off of what how much it ended up costing to fix the problem. I'm assuming 15 minutes of your time, plus $11 for the new cabin filter.
It kind of reminds me of when my intermittent windshield wipers would only sometimes work on another car that I owned. I had one estimate from someone who really sounded like they knew what they were talking about of over $1,000 to take the steering wheel completely apart and fix the inner controls. As it turned out, on a damp day when they decided not work, I finally checked the fuse/relay box as a last resort and looked at the windshield wiper relay switch, which low and behold, had a hole in it allowing moisture in on damp days preventing the intermittent wipers from working. That explained why the wipers worked fine on dry days after washing the car, but on certain damp days they did not work. Rather than $1,000, it ended up costing around $10 for a new relay.
This forum is a great venue for all sorts of questions, suggestions, answers and solutions!
Last edited by sixonemale; 07-23-13 at 06:06 PM.
07-23-13, 08:37 PM
#26
Personally, I would be wary of removing caucuses and calling it a day.
There could be feces, urine and other nasty bodily fluids still in the vents that have not been properly addressed. This is why I say it's an insurance issue.
I'd want it torn apart and all ducting and fans either replaced or disinfected using EPA approved procedure.
Like I said earlier, we were prohibited from cleaning up any equipment with signs of recent infestation. In particular we were told NOT TO VACUUM as this could make nasty stuff go airborne and then you breath it in. Think about what running the blower does.
Just my opinion. I'd torch the car before I'd let my kids drive it.
Sorry to be so gross and blunt but this event needs to be first be dealt with safely in mind, not how much money was saved. Proper remediation may be costly initially but cheap in the long run. It needs to be treated as an environmental hazard.
JR
There could be feces, urine and other nasty bodily fluids still in the vents that have not been properly addressed. This is why I say it's an insurance issue.
I'd want it torn apart and all ducting and fans either replaced or disinfected using EPA approved procedure.
Like I said earlier, we were prohibited from cleaning up any equipment with signs of recent infestation. In particular we were told NOT TO VACUUM as this could make nasty stuff go airborne and then you breath it in. Think about what running the blower does.
Just my opinion. I'd torch the car before I'd let my kids drive it.
Sorry to be so gross and blunt but this event needs to be first be dealt with safely in mind, not how much money was saved. Proper remediation may be costly initially but cheap in the long run. It needs to be treated as an environmental hazard.
JR
Last edited by FLYCT; 07-23-13 at 08:42 PM.
07-24-13, 06:12 AM
#27
"Sorry to be so gross and blunt but this event needs to be first be dealt with safely in mind, not how much money was saved. Proper remediation may be costly initially but cheap in the long run. It needs to be treated as an environmental hazard."
I did gloss over the most important environmental/safety aspect of this issue and completely agree with Flyct's advice of cleaning HVAC system up properly and treating it as the environmental hazard that it is.
I did gloss over the most important environmental/safety aspect of this issue and completely agree with Flyct's advice of cleaning HVAC system up properly and treating it as the environmental hazard that it is.
07-29-13, 10:33 AM
#29
Lead Lap
Flyct, have you tried the a/c refresh/cleaning fluid?
07-29-13, 02:27 PM
#30
I had very musty smell in my Lexus CT200h. It started at about 8 months since new and brought it in for warranty service.
The dealer treated the system with the same 2 part Toyota Refresh kit and replaced the air filter in the glove box. After treatment there was a very slight "chemical" smell which went away after a few days. It absolutely resolved the musty smell. That was about 6 months ago and the odor has not returned.
JR
The dealer treated the system with the same 2 part Toyota Refresh kit and replaced the air filter in the glove box. After treatment there was a very slight "chemical" smell which went away after a few days. It absolutely resolved the musty smell. That was about 6 months ago and the odor has not returned.
JR
Last edited by FLYCT; 07-29-13 at 02:35 PM.