Dead mice and nesting material in airconditioning vents

General Discussion
1

About 2 weeks ago I took my 2013 Buick Encore to the dealer after I turned on the AC only to experience a strong odor of either a dead mouse or a dead horse! After I waited 2 days for an appointment, they removed the mice and the nesting material, replaced the blower motor, and set off an odor-eliminating bomb in the car’s interior. The problem is that there is still an unpleasant odor in the car, which immediately intensifies when the AC is turned on. The mechanic doesn’t guarantee that removing the dash and and cleaning the vents – to the tune of another $1000 – will cure the problem, and he recommended waiting a few weeks to see if it will dissipate on its own. He said there are bits of dead mice in the vents, and that he’s never encountered a mouse problem as bad as this one. Anybody have experience with something like this?

2

Yes. There are treatments to the A/C system that vary from aerosol sprays to an anti-bacterial odor-neutralizing foam sprayed into the air inlet until it comes flying out of the dash vents. For the $100 or so that it costs it may be worth a try. But ultimately, there are pieces of rotting flesh festering away in your car. Eventually the smell will dissipate on its own, or you can dismantle and clean the system. Which you choose is up to you.

Don’t forget, call an exterminator and have your garage, driveway, house, etc inspected and cleaned or the offending rodents will return.

3

Thanks.

4

Try running the engine with the blower turned to max and the temp selector set halfway between hot and cold. Then spray a can of Lysol into the air intake cowl on the outside of the car at the base of the windshield.

This is a way to kill mold in the vent ducts, so it might help kill your rodent bacteria/smell as well.

5

Lysol is flammable and the blower may provide a spark:

I’ve had luck with dead mouse odor using Febreeze Pet Odor Eliminator, the pressurized aerosol version. Not flammable so it can be sprayed into the air intake. Start with a quick shot to make sure you like the perfume in it.

6

I wonder how the mouse, or mice died?

poisoning pests can cause all sorts of problems.

I m not saying you poisoned them or did anything wrong if you did, I m just curious.