Cabin air intake.

[Marsalav]

here is an image of the fix i made.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/gallery/image/19277-2017-sierra-silverado-hvac-air-intake-mouse-mice-protection-screen/

Edited January 21, 2017 by marsalav

[mikepol2]

Slightly different spin on this topic...after the dealership replaced the cabin air filter I started noticing a whirring or tapping sound that goes away when you turn off the HVAC. Quickly found that it's the fan that sucks air down through the cabin air filter. I took the filter out and expected to see a leaf or something in there but can't see anything, doing my best with a mirror to see the whole way around. Anyone else run into this?

[Half_ton]

Slightly different spin on this topic...after the dealership replaced the cabin air filter I started noticing a whirring or tapping sound that goes away when you turn off the HVAC. Quickly found that it's the fan that sucks air down through the cabin air filter. I took the filter out and expected to see a leaf or something in there but can't see anything, doing my best with a mirror to see the whole way around. Anyone else run into this?

Yes. You have a piece of debris in the blower. I have large hands and my compressor didn't work, so I took the blower out and one tiny piece of leaf had fallen into the blower. I wish there was a relief cut above the filter so when it is removed it doesn't "Scrape" the leaves and other debris off and down into the blower housing. The black cover isn't fun to remove and one screw couldn't be reinstalled as the angle is jsut too sharp to get the screw back in with a driver on it, it resides in my glove box..... This last time I changed it, I again had a leaf fall into the blower, but lucky for me my air compressor got it out.

Crap design if you ask me.....

[mikepol2]

Any advice or pointers on how to get the blower out?

[Half_ton]

Any advice or pointers on how to get the blower out?

remove the black cover above pass side footwell, then just remove the blower with a few screws and a plug. simple

[cbrsilv15]

Just a heads up, Amazon has AC Delco cabin filters for right around $10 and free shipping. I ordered one the other day.

 

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-CF1188-Professional-Cabin-Filter/dp/B012TZ5QCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1489857924&sr=8-1&keywords=cf1188

[lrymal]

Wow.... bringing up this old topic, but I never found an answer to the original question. Where is the cabin air intake? I changed out the cabin filter and found stems, whole leaves, lots of debris. I don't understand how those get inside the intake. There certainly are no openings that large by the wipe cowling where they could simply fall in. The only area that seems to collect large leaves is in front on the radiator area, at the bottom part of the grill. Lots of branches and large leaves trapped there.

Does anyone have an old service manual with a diagram of the HVAC?

Edited November 10, 2018 by lrymal

[TJP]

Hi Newbie here, 

I have a 2018 with the Mouse Motel problem and tried to open the pic at the top of this page(3) but  have not been able to. ??  
Does anyone have any pics, experiences or other help they'd like to share.

Thanks in advance

TJP

[mjr1084]

On 10/24/2016 at 8:51 PM, TJay74 said:

No way a rodent is making into that intake system. It is on the wiper cowl.

Haha. Searched for a way to add a screen and came across this post. Here's my mouse I pulled out of the cabin filter.  http://imgur.com/a/cC1HgCE

[K-man]

The plastic cowl under the windshield wipers covers a type of tunnel area which houses the  wiper motor and linkages and also the air intake to the cabin blower motor.  This area is sealed against rodents and debris EXCEPT for vertical openings on the ends (between the fender and the ends of this channel). Plug these holes and you will stop rodents and garbage from going through the blower and plugging the cabin air filters.  We had squirrels/chipmunks dragging anything/everything in through this opening on a 2002 Sierra 2500HD. NOTE: leave small holes for drainage of water.  Eventually these small holes may plug with accumulated muck and you will have to remove your plug and clean out and reinsert the plug. A better fix would be to fasten a screen ontop of the blower air intake that is in this tunnel.  You can access this intake by prying off a panel on passenger side of this tunnel that is factory sealed with caulk and painted over. (Not obvious that it is a removable panel)

Edited October 14, 2020 by K-man
new info

[Adel]

I have a Dutch Shepherd that that is a Search n Rescue and travels in my 2014 Silverado and his scent gets in the vents when fan is turned on. Your answer still doesn't explain how his smell stays in vent system. I just changed cabin filter and it was disgustingly dirty and filled with dog hair. How is this getting into the circulation system? Where does the air inside the truck get brought into the cabin filter?

[G Lee]

Changing cabin filter I noticed coming out it had loads of pecan shells and all kinds of crap on it.  Thought I got it all but some shells fell on the fan—-couldn’t get all them out of the fan blades so there’s quite a blade imbalance there.  Now I guess I get to pull the fan out and try to find my mouse access hole too.  Unless someone has a shortcut up their sleeve?

[G Lee]

Forgot to put down year model 2015 Silverado 2500 HD

[Black02Silverado]

18 hours ago, G Lee said:

Changing cabin filter I noticed coming out it had loads of pecan shells and all kinds of crap on it.  Thought I got it all but some shells fell on the fan—-couldn’t get all them out of the fan blades so there’s quite a blade imbalance there.  Now I guess I get to pull the fan out and try to find my mouse access hole too.  Unless someone has a shortcut up their sleeve?

Did you try a shop vac to get them out?

[2015 High Miler]

Old thread but this looks like a good option.to keep out rodents and debris: