AC blows dead animal smell with a huge vibration!

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Hi BITOG ppl. Last friday when I was on my way back home from work, I turned my AC on (more correctly the ventilation) not the AC itself. The first moment I turned the ventilation on I got a dead animal smell but I thought it was coming from outside and I didn't pay attention. But on the freeway I realized that on the third fan speed my car shakes a lot. I tried the fourth one and it was literally scary loud. I'm having slight noises on settings 1 and 2 as well.

I stopped by at my mechanic and I've been told my whole dash needs to come of to at least have an idea. This did not make any sense. Can you guys give me a little bit of vision on this? They didn't even open the hood and said they'll give me an appointment and they'll take out the dash to see if something is in there or the motor is broken.

I'm learning the cars one at a time but the heater/AC system was the last thing that I spent time to search on therefore I have no idea how they work. Any idea and help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
Seems pretty simple:

1. Drive wth dead animal smell and vibration, which will only get worse.

2. Have mechanic take it apart and fix it.

What about this doesn't make sense?

It's entirely possible that a mouse or vole crawled into your vent and that you DO have a dead animal in there.
 
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Maybe be able to get to it creatively if it's in the blower wheel, under a cabin filter.

Does it have a cabin filter? Have you checked it?
 
Mouse likely entered under the cowl under the windshield, chewed through the cabin air filter, couldn't get out and died on your blower motor squirrel cage. The whole dash doesn't need to come out, just removal of the blower motor and then run a disinfectant though the ventilation system and change the cabin air filter. If the smell persists, any ozone treatment maybe necessary. Probably want to install a screen on the side of the cowl to keep the mice out.
 
I had this problem on my mom's Explorer (no smell, just loud blower motor and a vibration from it). I thought it was a bearing on the blower motor going out. I was going to replace the blower motor, but when I removed the old blower motor, there was a mouse nest tangled up in the blower wheel, along with a dead mouse.
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. I cleaned it up and reinstalled the old blower motor, and the problem was solved.

Do a little research on your vehicle and find out what it takes to remove the blower motor. On some vehicles, it's necessary to remove the dash to get access to it. Some are much easier to get to.
 
Live with dead animal smell.

Or, remove the blower motor yourself.

Or, have your mechanic remove the blower motor.

Those are your options. Pick one.
 
It could be a mouse found its way in there and died. It is going to stink for quite a while, I'd want it out, fast.
 
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Mouse likely entered under the cowl under the windshield, chewed through the cabin air filter, couldn't get out and died on your blower motor squirrel cage. The whole dash doesn't need to come out, just removal of the blower motor and then run a disinfectant though the ventilation system and change the cabin air filter. If the smell persists, any ozone treatment maybe necessary. Probably want to install a screen on the side of the cowl to keep the mice out.
Most Toyota products have an easy to access blower motor/wheel assembly. The dead rodent is no doubt caught in the blower wheel. Following the procedure to replace the blower will provide access. I'd find another mechanic. I'd fix it quickly before the motor bearings are trashed because of the imbalance.
 
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have the dead mouse removed, other wise you will have to deal with the smell for ever...don't ask how i know-its been about 16 years in my old pickup! LOL
and although the smell is faint now it is still there.

i live out in the country and I have to keep up with the bait stations around my property.
 
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Thanks for the answers.

I live in New England, I can live without 3 other seats in my car but not without my heater. I don't care a lot about the smell, I just need my heater or I'll need it in 2 months. Badly.

I guess I missed an important point on my first post.

My mechanic told me that it can't be a dead animal. It might be the motor is broke or something. This is the complicated part that made me start a new tread on the forum.

All I try to ask is if it's possible to have a dead animal inside the dash of a completely locked car and it seems like it's more than 'just possible'

I'll bring printed version of this page to my mechanic and see what they're going to say.
 
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Originally Posted By: puredata
My mechanic told me that it can't be a dead animal. It might be the motor is broke or something. This is the complicated part that made me start a new tread on the forum.

All I try to ask is if it's possible to have a dead animal inside the dash of a completely locked car and it seems like it's more than 'just possible'


It is absolutely possible. I live on about 50 acres of wetland/woods and the number of rodents we have invading our house and vehicles every year is pretty incredible. Our cars have the windows rolled up and nothing "open" yet I routinely find mice everywhere inside. They get into the the air intake box, the headliner, under the carpeting, under the instrument panel, and I've found the cabin air filters chewed up to make nesting material. So as to your question about whether they can get into a closed-up car, yes they can. If there is no obvious way for them to get in then they make a way...
 
Thank you kschachn, as I edited my post, I live in New England and my area is pretty rural. I have never seen rats or mice around but more 'exotic' animals. Let's see what my mechanic will find and what the cost will be to me.

If I assume that my dash will need to be removed for the cleaning of the motor or whatever got the animal in it, can anybody estimate how many hours of labor would it take? Just to have an idea before leaving everything to my mechanic's mercy.
 
As others have posted, I would think it would not require an instrument panel removal to take out the blower motor. That would be the first place to look.

Another thing is that the smell of a rotting mouse (especially in summer) is pretty 'knock your socks off" bad. It isn't just a little bad, it is very bad. Is that what you are smelling?
 
I would find another mechanic. If he wants to pull the dash for something as easy as removing the blower motor, I think he is taking advantage of you, unless your scion isn't like the other Toyotas that have relatively easy access to the blower motor. Motor is typically held up by 3 bolts. As far as knowing is it possible for a mouse to get into the ventilation system, open the hood an check the spacing on either side ends of the cowl, is it big enough for a small mouse to squeeze in there?
 
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I don't know where your blower motor is or what vehicle but the easiest way would be to take the blower motor out and just get rid of the mouse or whatever is in there. Im assuming its the vehicle on your profile i will check on my all data program to see where your blower motor is and get back to you.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: mikered30
Mouse likely entered under the cowl under the windshield, chewed through the cabin air filter, couldn't get out and died on your blower motor squirrel cage. The whole dash doesn't need to come out, just removal of the blower motor and then run a disinfectant though the ventilation system and change the cabin air filter. If the smell persists, any ozone treatment maybe necessary. Probably want to install a screen on the side of the cowl to keep the mice out.
Most Toyota products have an easy to access blower motor/wheel assembly. The dead rodent is no doubt caught in the blower wheel. Following the procedure to replace the blower will provide access. I'd find another mechanic. I'd fix it quickly before the motor bearings are trashed because of the imbalance.


^ this.
IF you have a cabin air filter, it might be located on the top of the heater/ac box.you might be able to reach in, and grab whatever is there.
or, an access door to the blower motor, fastened with a few screws.
if neither apply, then the instrument panel likely has to be tipped down.
good luck.
 
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