I've been meaning to replace the cabin air filter in my 04 Vibe for.....a while.... (at least four years....). Just never got around to it. So today, I set out to do the dreaded flapping vent actuator fix. Mine started doing this last year while on a trip to Chicago.
Anyways. I removed the glove box, and thought hey!! what a great time to check the filter!
This is what I found:
I SHOULD HAVE done this a long time ago. I saw this and almost lost breakfast. No wonder the actuator failed, it couldn't properly close with that mass of mouse nest blocking it. I had NO IDEA this was there. No smell, nothing.
I live in a rural area, and have to keep them glue traps behind the washer/dryer. Danged mice get in from under the house and that's where they access the interior of the house. Usually find one or two a month back there, and THAT I can smell.
The mass of nest was lodged behind the air door. When I took the filter out, I could see it back there. I ended up putting a thin piece of card board into the filter slot before I attempted to vacuum it out. Just in case it came free and fell into the air ducts.
I guess this will be a yearly check from now on. I seldom drive the car in the summer, as I'm usually on two wheels once the snow melts. I'm assuming that they tried to take up residence as the car sat there for four months, unused. ~sigh~