Horrified at quality and design of Toyota Camry after removing panels

[sicky]

I have had a problem with rats getting into the air conditioning duct for some time on the Camry, effectively getting into the interior of the vehicle.  The Toyota dealer said every time that the filter had been saturated with rat excrement, and changed the filter, yet never bothered to do anything to prevent it happening.  They don't seem to question why something is happening and what can be done by way of prevention.

 

I removed the plastic cowl from the base of the windscreen and found the cause of the problem myself.  The first picture shows a large opening (black rectangle) which does not have any gauze protection - just a big gaping hole into the duct.  Although the windscreen cowl is well sealed around the edges, there is an opening on both the left and right sides of the bulkhead, which leads down beside the inner wings (see second picture, right side square opening).  The enables pests to gain access into the vehicle, because they have failed to provide any degree of protection over the holes.

 

The metalwork too is so light, it's almost like plastic.  It's quite shocking to see what quality you get.  This is what you get for your money with a Toyota!  Plastic everywhere.  The cost is THB 1.3m but you have to spend your own time covering these holes with metal gauze, given that there are unwanted pests almost everywhere.  Hope this helps anyone else with a similar problem.

[whatawonderfulday]

Why don't you just get rid of the rats ?

[johng]

Crickey the buggers had a good chew on those wires !

[balo]

So is this Toyota any different than the same model sold in Europe? 

 

[kartman]

On 6/30/2017 at 8:13 PM, balo said:

So is this Toyota any different than the same model sold in Europe? 

 

Rats wouldn't be seen in a Toyota in Europe.

[bangkokairportlink]

This is why we buy German cars...

 

And some people will keep like stupid that we just pay for a badge.

 

I have driven a Toyota Camry and a Honda Accor (both top models) and both times I had the feeling to drive a tractor on a boat...

 

 

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

This is why we buy German cars...

 

And some people will keep like stupid that we just pay for a badge.

 

I have driven a Toyota Camry and a Honda Accor (both top models) and both times I had the feeling to drive a tractor on a boat...

 

 

A tractor on a boat? Yes, I can imagine that might be difficult to drive.

Edited June 30, 2017 by giddyup

[Ace of Pop]

3 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

This is why we buy German cars...

 

And some people will keep like stupid that we just pay for a badge.

 

I have driven a Toyota Camry and a Honda Accor (both top models) and both times I had the feeling to drive a tractor on a boat...

 

 

Bi Polar folk can be treated easily  these days.

[dotpoom]

12 hours ago, johng said:

Crickey the buggers had a good chew on those wires !

God bless your eyes?

[pest]

My mates Volvo suffered the same problem with rats and wires

We sprayed all the engine bay weekly with wd40 it worked 

Never seen another bare wire in a couple of years 

[overherebc]

Really built to last only a few years then has to be replaced. Minimum thickness of steel so it does the job for it's intended short life. Almost impossible to do any welding repairs.

Even the german cars that are built now are going the same way.

Is there such a trade now as panel beater??

[overherebc]

2 minutes ago, pest said:

My mates Volvo suffered the same problem with rats and wires

We sprayed all the engine bay weekly with wd40 it worked 

Never seen another bare wire in a couple of years 

I installed a nasty little Thai dog in the garage. No rats in evidence.

[wombat]

throw some ratsack down the hole

 

[wombat]

22 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Really built to last only a few years then has to be replaced. Minimum thickness of steel so it does the job for it's intended short life. Almost impossible to do any welding repairs.

Even the german cars that are built now are going the same way.

Is there such a trade now as panel beater??

plastic re-shapers i think they are called now

 

[VocalNeal]

29 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Minimum thickness of steel so it does the job for it's intended short life.

All designed by computer modelling. The strength is in the design, not the thickness. Also, the strength of steel is in the depth not primarily the thickness. 

 

But yes they cover a multitude of "sins" with plastic. In the good 'ole days everything was visible so...

[Siamjim]

ah i had the same problem, i used scented mothballs and it did the trick.. leave it in the package or it will go too fast and put a few holes (10+) then tie or lay it in the problems area.  

[Geoffsilverfox]

Had a similar problem with rats under the bonnet, but they chewed the wires and the car would not start.  The third time it happened I went to start the car, and because of a short in some wires, I blew the engine control computer, 35,000 baht to replace.

Solution for me was to hang a plastic perforated container that is used in toilet deodorisers, under the bonnet, and filled it with naphna balls obtainable from Tesco, just like the old fashioned moth balls we had back in the UK.

[OmarZaid]

try spreading black pepper

[Ace of Pop]

My mates Volvo suffered the same problem with rats and wires
We sprayed all the engine bay weekly with wd40 it worked 
Never seen another bare wire in a couple of years 

Stopped the Rats squeaking too, must spray Mrs Pop with it later.!. ?


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[thaipo7]

Get a cat or two.

[Classic Ray]

I had a Benz 190E 1990 model in the U.K. for years, replaced by a C180 2001. The 190E was solid as a rock, couldn't flex any of the panels. The C180 bonnet and wings flexed easily. The newer C class is even worse. They claim things like crumple zones and fuel economy improvements by reducing weight, but it also means they don't last as long.

[jacko45k]

I had a friend have a different problem but in the same area. These drainage holes got blocked as he parked his vehicle under a pine needle type tree and they got in there and in the rain the interior of his vehicle flooded. Manufacturer would not accept it as a design flaw.

 

I am still amazed that the vehicle I currently have comes without a spare wheel to save cost and weight!

Edited July 1, 2017 by jacko45k

[Mansell]

Just start feeding and encouraging a local cat to hang around....end of rat problem,

[Flustered]

5 hours ago, pest said:

My mates Volvo suffered the same problem with rats and wires

We sprayed all the engine bay weekly with wd40 it worked 

Never seen another bare wire in a couple of years 

WD40 works for spiders as well. They hate the stuff.

[StevieAus]

I think you will find that it's not only cars that have non metal

parts but read recently that the latest aeroplanes are the same 

As one of the earlier posters stated it's partly to do with absorbing the impact of collisions

Re the rats I have 4 Jack Russell Terriers great for dealing with rodents also seem to do a good job with keeping the two legged variety at bay

[Robert24]

Honestly this trend to move away from metal to polymere/plastic has been on going for a while. Car manufacturers try everything to make cars lighter, more fuel efficient. And btw all car manufacturers are doing this incl the German ones and also Sports cars.

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[Foozool]

Could happen to any car by rats. This is not because it is a Toyota. I have seen this problem back in LA. It happened to MB as well by neighborhood hungry squirrels. All wiring cables under hoods were chewed by squirrels.

[Kron]

The side panels to the air conditioning duct on my Nissan are likewise plastic and the rats had no problem getting through that.

The hole was not a lot larger than a 10 Baht coin, however was amazed at the amount of stuff the rats got through it when we removed the duct cover.

Was very lucky that no cables had been chewed.

[sicky]

Just by way of update on this matter, as it may help others foolish enough to have purchased a Camry, as I have been.  The attached pictures show what I have had to do in order to resolve this weakness in the design of the Camry.  I suspect other Toyota vehicle are similar in any case.  I purchased some fine but strong aluminium mesh and hot-melt glued it into place.  In the second picture, you can see the square opening into the inner wing.  This is where the rats were getting into the plastic-covered housing at the base of the windscreen, which contains the wiper motor.

 

I have also removed the air blower assembly from inside the car, because the rat droppings had accumulated inside the blower ducting and the blower itself.  What I found was something that surprised me - it's in relation to the switchable function which either recirculates air within the cabin, or alternatively draws air externally.  I didn't realise that when the car is parked and the engine turned off, there is a flap which remains open to the outside air, if the console button to allow inflow of air from outside, is currently selected.  When you turn off the engine, this flap does not close for safety.  This means that once rodents gain access into the wiper motor housing, they can pass easily into the vehicle through the rectangular section in the first picture.  Rodents essentially have a complete free-run of the air ducting and cabin filter.  This is the reason why there was so much dirt inside my filter (picture 3).  Furthermore, even if this flap is in the closed position, the rats can still deposit excrement inside the opening, which only later then drops down into the blower motor, when then driver subsequently opens the recirculation flap next time.

 

The whole thing, in my view, is an abomination, full of inferior quality plastic and with no regard for the ease with which pests can gain access.  They have eaten-away parts of the plastic too, because the thickness of the plastic is almost like cardboard.  The opening into the inner wing is a big hole - we all know that some rats are very small and can therefore gain access through very small openings, but this design offers no prevention whatsoever.  The manufacturer has done nothing to deal with the reasonable likelihood of pests.

 

Notably, the local Toyota dealer has been replacing the vehicle's cabin filter on every single service visit, showing me the filter but has done nothing to help me to prevent the problem.  They do not use their initiative.  I think many other Toyota models are the same - the filter has the same part number for various other models.  Hope this helps!

 

 

 

 

[sicky]

Just to add further, the problem is caused because the design allows unimpeded entry through the wing opening and subsequently into the cabin air circulatory system.  It isn't necessary for pests to eat away the plastic in order to gain access.  By contrast, the designers have made the windscreen cowl a very good fit against the bulkhead, but those who designed the inner wing section have omitted to do likewise -- perhaps another department!?  I noted that owners of various other Toyota models have found it necessary to improve the design - see attached from a pickup truck.  Sadly the main dealer is unable to compete with the ingenuity of many owners.