Air Inlet Ducting around Wipers needing Gasketing

Wade Leveille · October 11, 2015

So for anyone out there who lives where rodents like to invade your vehicle, I was driving today and can hear what sounds like a marble behind the glovebox. I emptied evertything out of both gloveboxes and can make the acorn move by a quick turn to left or right.

It's October in Massachusetts and the Acorns are dropping. I suspect this is an acorn. I went looking for access points and noticed that the fresh air intake is behind the plastic wiper cover on the passenger side. If you pop the clips and look inside you'll see it.

Also, before you do that, notice that there are spaces on each end where, at least on mine, a large gap exist allowing rodents to carry acorns into that area. I can get my fingers in there...

So, I took some closed cell pipe insulation and put it under the ends to prevent anymore acorns from getting into the system... (see photos) The closed cell prevents water absorbtion. The only way to do this is to pop the clips up and out so you can lift the plastic cover... Note to leave a space toward the front of the engine so you don't trap water.

So now I'm stuck with something bouncing around everytime I take a corner... I'm going to call the Chevy Dealer... maybe it's something that came loose instead.. Anyway, with only 7k miles on it... It's bumper to bumper...

muddkatt · October 12, 2015

I know that sound really well. When I was a kid I was rolling a marble on my grandmothers dash of her 1970 Impala. It ended up going down the defroster vent. Every turn made a distinct roll then pop when it hit the sides. It was there until the car was sold.

tbarn · October 12, 2015

Not bumper to bumper if they find acorns.

Wade Leveille · October 18, 2015

That's what I figured so I took actions.. I removed the Glove Box to get access to the cabin filter...(easy, see Youtube Videos) DON"T remove the filter yet. I then got one of those manilla file folders and inserted it length ways all the way in under the filter...You have to just a bout push it all the way in untill it stops... Now, while holding that in, I used a bent paperclip to slowly withdraw the filter until I could get it with my fingers. Keep holding the manilla folder in so it stays against the back.... Everything fell off the filter onto the manilla folder. I then used a vacuum to suck out the acorns... Over 30 of them... Keep hold of the manilla folder again while you vacuum..

Directly under the cabin filter is the fan... wouldn't want the crap to all into there... Anyway, this worked for me and the foam I showed above, I believe will help prevent or at least minimise this from happening again..