Omg check your cabin air filter

Driving with a mask on finally makes sense?!?!

 

When you pull the filter you can see where the air is pulled into the fan beneath it, so down

 

Thanks! Thats what i thought.

 

Checked mine. I bought my 2016 used, 86000 miles on it, about a month ago. The previous owner took good care of the truck, but apparently skipped this filter. Mine was horribly filthy. Probably never replaced since it rolled off the assembly line. I had to replace it ASAP!!!

 

Just changed this last weekend. One year on the filter.

 

That’s about what mine looked like after about 6 months. They’re cheap so replace frequently.

 

That's the worst cabin filter I have ever seen. One of the perks living out in rural America I guess.
I changed one in my wife's Acura MDX a few weeks ago; (It hadn't been done since 2018)
It was dirty but no critters. I did however do some DD on cabin filters and the new aftermarket units are pretty slick.
Carbon layers, antiseptic layers, woven glass, even a HEPA layer.
You can almost get better air from your AC than walking around.

 

so I looked at putting a screen to cover the air intake! ??? how often are you cleaning that screen??? like house screens they will catch dirt an need to be cleaned!

 

There will be nothing left of my 2020 Tundra unless I do something. I need help.

This one is about six months old. Last one was eaten by the little buggers as well. If someone knows how to close off the ducting I sure would like to know, I do not know how they are getting in. They have begun to eat my sound proof mat under the hood. I am declaring WAR on rodents. Last time they chewed through my windshield washer tube and began to eat some foam around the top of the engine.

 

You need a cat. An owl might be preferred but are difficult to domesticate.

 

And this is why i feed the stray cats in the neighborhood. I usually find the mice in the lawn and not in my truck. It's worth the cost of cat food

 

To keep them out of getting into the cabin air filter area, you need to pull the plastic cowl beneath the windshield and block off the inlets under there with some wire mesh. To keep them from eating the foam, and possibly wiring, mix up a batch of Peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and give it a good blast under there from time to time. I also leave my hood open sometimes, they seem less willing to be under there if they're out in the open. Also while you're under the hood, check your air filter box under the filter, its another place they love to make nests. Good luck.

 

I been wanting to this a while back and got lazy. Im definitely doing this now. Im gonna get that spray also. Thanks for that info

 

put a few drops of peppermint oil on the filter. That'll keep them away. Plus your truck will be minty fresh

 

On a more sinister level, get some rodent poison and throw a few pieces under the truck.
They'll grab the stuff, take it back to where they live and decimate their population.

 

Second on the cats. I tried countless traps, etc. Killed lots of mice but there were always more. Got a couple of "barn cats", problem solved. I feed them well and they kill mice for fun.

 

Yikes, Will be doing that mod!

 

Did my routine filter changes today and found fresh mouse turds in the cabin filter and they chewed off the intake flapper inside the filter housing. Im putting the stainless mesh on this weekend. Little bastards.
Another supplemental alternative: Ive left a bait bucket with flipper/rolling log and have since drowned over 30 of the things in the last couple of weeks which in turn ive been feeding to the night life on the edge of the property. I have a blink cam on it and its very satisfying to watch them fall in. *plop*

 

Let's see that baby in action Mr. Blink

 

What he ^^^ said.

 

When I bought my 08 it definitely had a family of mice living in the cabin filter. Interesting to see I'm not the only one.

 

*Mrs.
Ask and you shall receive..
https://youtu.be/f3f-Mvw9K8Y
https://youtu.be/i-v_Uh1UP-8
And an added bonus possum getting smashed in the face by a rat trap. He kept eating the almond butter off the flip and roller traps so I left that out for him. Havahart traps next and hes going for a swim..
https://youtu.be/GryBH0uI1pY

 

Reading this thread peer pressured me into looking/replacing both cabin AF in Tundie and Camry... Both dirty and past due. Thanks Op!!
What's next? The dryer vent?

 

I bought a new Tundra in July. As soon as I got it home I pulled the cabin filter, placed a piece of wire mesh on top of it, sprayed peppermint spray into the filter opening, and slid it back into place. I have also pulled the cowl and installed wire mesh into the air intake opening. I also purchased an ultrasonic rodent repeller and installed it under the hood. In addition I spray the engine bay periodically with peppermint and I always have Tomcat poison for them near and under the truck. They did a number on my last Tundra. This is war!!!!

 

I believe rodents are why people domesticated cats!

Imagine if you had a large grain store that meant life or death if the rodents got into it?!

 

Yikes, definitely need to change my cabin air filter!

 

Just a heads up for those doing the screen mesh mod to keep the Critters out of the cabin air filter/ductwork.

Did mine awhile back and thought I had the problem solved till I found some fresh droppings on my cabin filter a few days ago. Could have sworn I had everything buttoned up to keep them out, so I pulled off the plastic cowl again to check if my screens had somehow come off since I decided to just silicone them in place rather then screw them on. Nope, screens completely secure and still solidly glued in place. Decided to take another look for any other place they could possibly get in and found another air inlet on the D/S that's easy to miss since its obstructed behind the wiper assembly. Made a screen for it and glued in place, hope this does the trick.

 

you guys replacing them with toyota oem ones or a diff brand?

 

Autozone or Oreily's...lots of options and not worth a Toyota branded one...