JazzDad

There had been evidence of mice getting into the car. I was even catching them in traps set on the floor board. I then made the mistake of putting out rat poison. I guess one of the little critters croaked somewhere because the smell kept getting worse and worse. At first it only made my eyes water when I drove. Later, I suspect I was occasionally blacking out from the odor. Fast forward: When I picked the vehicle up from the dealer, they tell me they cut the blower box open, and (naturally) had to install the repair kit. They said it was one of the worst jobs they had done, washing out the deep pile of rodent urine and feces from the blower box. They also scrubbed the seats, floors and mats as there was mouse waste evident there, too. The last few days the car has smelled like Oxy-clean and Febreze (not shameless product endorsements). Well guess what? The smell is returning. No new evidence of mice, but there must be a dead body mouldering away somewhere. I’ve had the cowl off and made a screen for the fresh air inlet (through the firewall), to prevent new visitors. I’m thinking of taking out all of the passenger seats to see if it’s inside one of them. I’ve been up under the car to see if it got between a body skin and interior panel. The smell is generally inside the cabin. It doesn’t seem to come from the air vents. Oh, and this is a weird symptom—when I turn corners it gets more noticeable. And when I shut off the engine, a huge whiff assaults me. Your assignment, Mr Phelps: any ideas where it could be lurking? Thank you in advance! Bret

gravett1

Check cabin air filter.

843de

Almost hate to say it, but be prepared to take your HHR apart to find the deceased rodent. Drop the glove box, pull the cabin air filter, pull the fuse panel cover on the right side of the center console for starters. You might also have to drop the knee panel under the driver's side of the dash, but also check the non-obvious places like the rear storage bins, the spare tire well, under the back seat, etc. You will eventually find the dead critter, but having done this once to my wife's Peugeot, plan on field stripping your truck...good luck.

P.S. the living impaired mouse got into the headliner of the wife's car, don't ask me how, but I can field strip a Peugeot 405 faster than I can do a Springfield rifle.

geg

I see the mouse occupy America.
Condolences to you guys. I don `t know what I would do in that situation.
One day a mouse came into my Toyota. It was winter, she froze and came to bask on the warm engine. Unfortunately for her the morning she did not have time to descend off the engine to the ground and was roasted alive. A few days later, I accidentally found her corpse on the panel with the words "do not touch, high fever."
But I easily got rid of. I once saw a completely damaged vehicle - the rat has come to bask on the engine and went to sleep on the timing belt. In the morning the engine was turned on, crushed body of rat provoked shift the timing belt and the destruction of valves by means of the pistons.
And another guy was almost killed by a snake, asleep under the hood.

hellshotrod

i would check your headliner were the visors mount there is alot of room in that space they get into and make homes i had a buddy buy a car that sat in a yard for awhile and it was full of mice and ther nesting stuff and when it get hot look out it smells , just a thought good luck they also get under the carpet and eat the foam????? if they were in the dash they were in every part of the inside inside headliner, under carpet, in the rear com part ments, door pilers , really

nacademus

Do you only smell it when you're in the car???

vtfb68

Hire a hungry dog?
VT

geg

by the way
I often catches the eye the advertising of device for repelling rodents. Ultrasonic device. Not expensive. Powered by a standard electrical outlet.
If this thing to place next to the car - will probably be good. The corpse does not leave the car, but his relatives could not come to mourn over the body and chew your wiring.

geg

Probably nonsense, but ...

Disassemble the car - this time and labor, breakdown clips, the violation of established joints. If you use your home vacuum cleaner? Vacuum cleaner equipped with a thin flexible hose. The hose can be pushed forward, it will penetrate into most places where able to go a rats. Even if the corpse is not found - cleaning airtube of dust, rat **** and lastyear's foliage.

Just a thought ..

JazzDad

Thanks gravett1. Cabin air filter: done that. Lots of debris on top.

Thanks 843de: found a dining room under each of the back seats and a nest made of body insulation down in the spare tire well. They had even incorporated chewed foil in it. I may have heard him making his way up one of the door pillars before his demise, so the headliner may be the spot.

Thanks hellshotrod: The visors would be a good access point. I may try the dome light, too.

nacademus: Yes, only in the car. Usually worse after hitting bumps in the road or turning a corner. Strange, eh?

Thanks geg: I now have stuff in the vehicles to (hopefully) repel them. I put out a bowl of water on the driveway nearby to let them drink instead of seeking the condensate in the evaporator box. And your vacuum idea sounds good, too. Shop Vac here in the west.

Thanks vtfb68: Others had suggested cats, too!