Please Read - Possible Fire Risk

[bufbooth]

Hello All,

I had a close call today with my 1990 Toyota Odyssey, I had an under the dash fire on the
passenger side. I was barely able to put it out, I thought I was going to lose the camper
due to the amount of smoke coming out.

I have had some past mice nest problems inside of
the heater blower motor that I have been trying to stop, but the fire was not caused
by the heater blower, but instead a thermostatically controlled heat element and is
just to the left of the heater blower motor. It appears that this heat element is
designed to heat up to provide warm air until the engine warms up. It is about 4 inches
square (I will post pictures later), each end is open (to allow air to flow through it)
and in the middle is a couple (2 or 3) wire coils. A mouse decided to build a nest
in it and above it. It was 40F this morning, so it appears that the coil turned on,
got hot, and caught the mouse nest(s) on fire. My damage is mostly limited to the
heat coil plug and the carpet below, and smoke damage. The fire started about 30 seconds
after I turned the heater on. I drove the Toyota for about an hour last weekend with
no issues, but it was above 60F, so the heat element never turned on.

I do NOT plan on replacing this heat element and highly recommend others to remove it or
unplug it (standard type automotive push in electrical plug) if there is any doubt that
your Toyota is mouse proof.

[Derek up North]

See:- http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=7695