Bad smell in car so figured it must be cabin filter. Removed filter and found area packed full of crap, don't even know how fan motor could run. Have looked everywhere I can think of to see where mice/rat is getting in. Where is the inlet for outside air. Was thinking if it is a box or tube I could make a cover out of 1/8" steel hardware screen to keep them out. Thanks for any replies.

 

This has happened to more than one person here.

The air inlet should be in the cowling below the windshield (between the windshield and the hood). It's the slotted area.

There must be an opening in the cowl somewhere large enough for a rodent to get in.

I'd probably try removing the cowl to see what's going on.

 

From what I have seen of the air intake area under the hood, there are lots of gaps around the cowl where it terminates at the passenger fender. It would seem difficult to block off. Apparently you are parking your car outside in the cold North Dakota winter weather and the vermin consider the HVAC filter to be a good matress. That is probably why they did not chew thru the filter and get further into the car. I like the idea of hardware sceen over the filter just to keep them from getting thru it.

I would be more concerned that mice could chew on the electrical wiring and hood insulation, tubing, etc and cause some real damage.

Perhaps it would be good to park the Fit facing into the wind or in some way make the car a less cosy place to winter over.

 

I've also heard that vermin don't like dryer sheets. Maybe I could tuck a dryer sheet in the filter to ward them off? Nice spring time bounce dryer sheet smell would serve dual purpose. If I close my eyes and take a good whiff it will seem like spring instead of 0 degrees and 6 inches of snow

 

Or stuff a cat in there.

 

Have cats but apparently I'm feeding them too much!

 

I live in the woods and have had a couple of cars totally messed up by rodents eating the wiring harnesses... I found some animal repellent at a farm supply store and spray it under the hoods of all of our cars trucks and motorcycles... I had to repair our 95 GMC Sierra with over 60 splices after it hadn't been driven in a few days... My wife is very strange about wanting a new car to remain like it was when on the dealer showroom and didn't want me to use it under the hood of her new Forester... It was parked in our barn when I opened the hood and saw evidence of rodents on top of the engine and had her look at it and she agreed that it needed to be sprayed.... You can also find the same type of product at Lowe's or Home Depot in the garden department. I just cover everything with a mist of the stuff every couple of years or sooner if I have washed under the hood.

 

Thanks for the replies. Think I'll try the dryer sheet and Texascoyotes spray idea. Have a couple of frams odor guard cabin filters coming on wednesday. Should be able to get it going for the wife to take to work on thursday.

 

I had the problem. I would catch 6 or 7 mice a week in trap in the car. I was cleaning out the ball of crap above the air filter every week. I, finally, removed the wipers and the sheet metal below it to find the entrance... a huge approx. 8X4 inch opening leading to the air inlet to the cabin filter. I used chicken wire to cover the area. Unfortunately, I have a feeling there are many more external openings in this car. I would love to know where they are.... I hate mice.

 

Thanks einstein77. I will give that a try also. Just finished vaccuming the air box out. Had to make a right angle attachment to fit shop vac. Also wiped inside of airbox down with hilex as there was alot of crap and piss in there. Was a major pain in the butt. Was able to cut a screen out of steel hardware mesh and tuck it up in between the foam and plastic above the filter. This will keep the buggers from exiting into the car. Now to keep them out of the airbox altogether.

 

You can always tell if the buggers have built a nest over the cabin air filter if it becomes hard or impossible to move the air recirculator lever. The lever rotational arm is right above the cabin filter and always jams in the nest. The big issue with these mice is that sometimes they like chewing on the electrical wiring.

 

Here is mine. I replaced it a few weeks ago with a Fram.

I suspect it is a chipmunk I have living in a retaining wall. Deep in filter grooves are seeds from lilies he has collected.

It is 10F this morning so I sure won't be checking it anytime soon.

 

^ Are you sure those aren't just its droppings?

 

And why in the hell are there snail shells in there? lol

 

French chipmunk.

 

I wouldn't bother replacing it... just shake it out. In another week your new filter will be destroyed.... they like chewing on the thing. It gets too costly to replace.

Maybe the best thing to do is to remove the filter completely, and the next time you put on the fan it will grind the thing up for good. Just joking... I like chipmunks when they know their place.

 

If you park with your hood open a few inches that helps. Critters only like places that are dark, secluded and draft free.

_

 

Well just maybe it is droppings.

Snails. I have a lot of those around the roots of the lilies. No idea how they got there unless the chipmunk gave them a ride. Could be a French one that likes escargot.

 

You know that chippy is french - where have I heard that before????

 

Late night on the Champs Elysees?

I wonder if they have mice/chipmunks in Japan? This seems like a design problem.