Something died in my truck

[ericm979]

A few weeks ago I didn't drive the Tundra for a couple weeks. That coincided with a heat wave. When I got in, it smelled like dead animal. I found one dead mouse that had been squished by the accelerator pedal. Removing it lessened the smell but it didn't go away. I've since removed the front seats, center console, front carpet and about a third of the dashboard on the passenger side where the smell is stronger. Other than some gunk from the one dead mouse which I cleaned up, I've not found anything else. I can still smell something though it's less than before. I suspect there's a second mouse or the one mouse had babies. I've blown up under the dash with shop air and also under the insulating pad that's next to the firewall, and looked and felt under it as much as I can. It can't be removed without removing the entire dash.

I've taken the truck apart about as far as I'm willing to go. If I stop now and put it back together, will the smell go away after a while?

Anyhow this is a lesson that if you have a mouse problem in a vehicle, take care of it right away. For some reason after owning the truck for four years and parking it in the same place all that time it became a mouse party spot this summer. I trapped them but clearly it wasn't enough and at least one moved from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment.

 

[GeneV]

Exhibit A, Toyota Sienna engine cover:





Exhibit B, Toyota Sienna, engine cover off:





Exhibit C, down in the well, where I can't reach it:

 

[Jstpssng]

Also try your cabin filter. I'm not familiar with Tundras, but have taken many dead mice from the heater box, or whatever they call it now. A couple of times I've had to park a truck until the stench died down... not something I would wish on anybody.

Thank you for reminding me... I keep two snap traps under the seat of my Colorado and need to reset them tonight.

 

[oldnslo]

Does your Tacoma have a cabin air filter hidden behind the glove box like my Tundra? If yes mice can climb into that air chamber and cause a stink.

 

[GeneV]

I heard mice hate peppermint oil, so I'm dousing everything in there (and in the tractor) with it.

 

[herm0016]

Toyota is known for this issue, they use a soy based wire insulation. my in-laws had 3 4runners have this same problem in FL, one of them was totaled due to wire damage from mice. others had quite a bit of damage.

 

[Jstpssng]

Toyota is known for this issue, they use a soy based wire insulation. my in-laws had 3 4runners have this same problem in FL, one of them was totaled due to wire damage from mice. others had quite a bit of damage.

I found out the hard way, my insurance won't cover mice damage.

 

[Torvy]

Toyota is known for this issue, they use a soy based wire insulation. my in-laws had 3 4runners have this same problem in FL, one of them was totaled due to wire damage from mice. others had quite a bit of damage.

This is not a manufacturer specific issue. They all use the soy based wire insulation because it is planet-friendly.

 

[ericm979]

I replace the cabin air filter early on, forgot to mention that. It looked a tiny bit chewed on but no dead mice in there. When I run the truck and turn on the fan the smell decreases. So I don't think it's in the ventilation system.

I've had wires chewed on a 1999 GMC truck back in the 2000s but nothing since then on any of our vehicles. I've been cleaning the remains of mouse dinners off the Tundra's engine cover all summer, and setting traps.

I taped a mint based mouse repellent pack in the engine compartment after this all started and I've not trapped a mouse or seen any sign since.

 

[seville009]

If you can leave it somewhere with the windows and everyooen for a few weeks (insude a garage or under a tarp), that should help eliminate most of the smell. Needs to dry out whatever died.

Also give it a good dose of Lysol spray everywhere you can inside.

It could even be that there is/was a nest in the seat cushions.

 

[4get gto]

Just had this problem over the summer. I have a Nissan Frontier and a mouse got in the heater box at the cabin air filter compartment and died. Fortunate to be able to get it out put the smell lingered for weeks. Even changed the filters 4-5 times...

BTW I used one of those car bombs you set off inside the car made by Meguiar's and thought that stank worse than the dead mouse.

 

[YanmarFever]

I had a collector Cadillac almost ruined by mice while I was away for a few months.
The best way to get rid of mice smell, tobacco and all smells is the way used car-lots do it. Most of them own an ozone generator, just plug it in and roll up the windows.
After a few treatments, the smell never came back (ever). You don't want to breathe it or it can give you a mondo headache !

I bought it on eBay many years ago, now there are many sellers selling them there so be sure to get a good one, not some Chinese junk...

 

[RustyA]

Poor man's solution is a box of baking soda and two small bowls or saucers. Split baking soda in half and place each saucer under driver and passenger seat. Park vehicle in full sun with windows up. You will be amazed how much odor is gone in two days.

 

[5030]

The OP's comment reminded me instantly of 'Grumpy Old Men' and the dead fish in the back of the International Travel all.

 

[Maintenance Mech]

As mentioned, an ozone generator is the way to go. You can either buy a cheap one, or possibly rent one. My local rental yard has them. Not sure if that is common or not though. Close the windows and doors, and run for 10 minutes. This gets rid of all kinds of bad smells from mildew if you left the windows open during a rain storm, to pet odors, cigarette smoke, to dead animal stink. Set the timer for 10 minutes. After that, let it sit for a while. Then open the doors and and let it air out. The ozone produces a sweet flowery sort of smell. That sweet smell will linger for a few days afterwards, but the carcass stink will be gone. If not, run it another 10 minutes. It is possible to over do it, so start with 10. This method also works well for houses that stink for any reason including wet basements. Just make sure to remove all people, pets, and plants first. It's harmful until it dissipates. Set timer for a few hours then leave. Don't go back in for several hours after the timer stops, then open all doors and windows to air the place out.

 

[dodge man]

I have a 2010 Challenger that has about 22,000 miles on it so it doesn’t get driven a lot. I left some hamburger and steaks in the trunk that got partly hidden by detailing supplies, this was in August 3 years ago. Left in for a week. The attached photos show all the powdered carpet cleaner I dumped all over the place and left on it for several days. The bag never leaked, it was just a bad odor. This helped but not enough, I tried lots of things, it always got better but was still there. I don’t drive it during the winter and someone suggested coffee. I spread out a large can on a cookie sheet and left it in the truck all winter. I thought this helped the most. There is just a lot of things in a vehicle that hold smells.

 

[ponytug]

I think dead mouse seems to permeate everything; seats, carpets, headliner, even when you get the body out. More than a few times, I have found two. Kind of like seeing a deer by the side of the road. I always look for the second one before it jumps into the road.

+1 on the ozone generators. If you can, run the cabin fan on recirculation while you do it.

There is also ozonium (sp?) spray.

You might also want to run condenser cleaner over the AC evaporator and heater.

Have you run the cabin air fan on high to see if anything blows out as you cycle it through the various settings? Did you try a mirror and a bright light to look under the dash?

I have had good luck with tobacco as a repellent, though I hear good things about perming oil.

All the best,

Peter

 

[oosik]

After three years I had something( mouse or chipmunk) die in the cab of my Power Wagon. There are simply too many places where this little beast could be and I decided not to tear the truck to pieces.

As time went by - the odor got less. Bloated, liquefied, dried up. Now there is no more odor. My son's GF is used as the "official" odor detector.

The entire process took less than two weeks. My guess - the little critter must have died somewhere in the heating system. All the filters are clean as a whistle.

 

[ericm979]

Have you run the cabin air fan on high to see if anything blows out as you cycle it through the various settings?

I just ran it on the setting it was on, I think ventilation because it'd been hot. That's a good idea.

Did you try a mirror and a bright light to look under the dash?

Oh yea, after I took half the dash apart. Nothing.

I put the truck back together today. If I leave it with the doors open (battery disconnected) or windows open, it doesn't smell. It's only when I close them up that it smells. I think it might be a remaining smell, not another mouse, but it's hard to tell. We smelled all around and could not locate a source. I hate admitting failure on something mechanical but I just couldn't find it and didn't want to take the whole truck apart.

If it persists I'll try the ozone generator. I looked for one on Amazon and they won't sell them to California. Apparently a while back we banned the type that are intended to run all the time at a low level, because it's actually damaging to people. However the industrial set a timer and run away type are not banned. Amazon can't tell the difference. So I'll have to get one from somewhere else, which is fine.

 

[groundcover]

Dad put a bag of clams on the trunk carpet of the Torino back in the day. Pretty special a few summer days later!
he asked the fish monger if he had any suggestions as he was about to set fire to the car. Guy suggested three drops of Odor Away each time we got in the car until the smell went away, dad never did burn the car .

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