Omg. The amount of insulation in my cabin air filter…

That looks like mice tearing up things I think I've seen it in cars around here in North Carolina before some kind of rodent in there tearing up stuff in the car paper trying to make a nest I don't know whatever but they've been there yeah I never been a cabin air filter guy much I don't even run the fans very much or any of that stuff but I've noticed these things get leaves and sticks and anything that can get past the plastic grill work right under the wipers will fall down into that filter so I try to clean it about every 6 months at least knock it off

 

Yikes that's pretty dirty but at least you found it and replaced it! My son-in-law bought an old, used, Suzuki and had me check it out. His cabin filter was FULL of old wild bird feed so think the previous owner must've parked it near a bird feeder.

We like how the filters with activated charcoal help the car smell better and replace yearly since that's their lifespan.

 

if the car is running okay, you should be in the clear.
the question remains, where are the rodents?

 

Good catch! Now to set some traps so it doesn't happen again.

 

Put 1/4" galvanized steel mesh over the cabin air intake. You'll need to remove wipers and cowl for this.

^ In the second video he recommends to disconnect both the 12 volt and hybrid battery; I'm not sure how necessary that is, seems like overkill.

 

I also installed a Mouse Blocker (12v ultrasonic mouse chaser) in my Prius.

JeffD

 

I didn't disconnect any of that in the '04 which is still disconnected now being parted but I took the wiper and cowl and unplug the motor and the wiper motor sheet metal bucket and all of that out of the car with the hybrid battery and the 12 volt still plugged up because I wanted to move the car around the yard

 

Very common. That and cat theft too on this car. G2 Prius is the most sought after car for cat thieves.#1.

Mice love the intake box where the engine air cleaner is. Open the lock clips to that black box under the hood and check the engine air filter.

Open the rear hatch storage lid take The storage shelf out and check in there too.

 

That's pretty cool I got them in my Passat sitting out here that hasn't moved in a couple years it's been beautiful shape too bad no one will fix it but in the Priuses I've even got one a 13 sitting out here for a year nothing some mold on the tuff tex seats. But that white's right off but no mice no birds no animals weird

 

Yeah, mesh that too. That one's easy to get to.