Let me back up a bit...a few weeks back i stopped to fill my washer fluid and when opening my hood i saw on top of the engine a bunch of pink stuff that looked like fiberglass insulation.

I had some insulation in my garage and maybe it somehow got pulled into the engine compartment? Confused was me, so i just took my shop vac and cleaned it all up and went on my way. It has not returned...

But i noticed a a couple weeks ago a "noise" that seemed to be coming from the stereo....but upon further investigating it seems to be happening when i turn on my heater fan.....its not really loud...but could some of this insulation have made its way up into the heater ducts? I am going to try and go out and have a look at it today...but not even sure where to look.

 

Some little rodents have hidden their winter food in your heat ducts, and have taken up residency in your MINI....

Remove the cabin air filter behind the glove box and wear gloves and have a box handy. May be a good time to have a new filter on hand too.

Probably would be a good idea and check your Intake's Air Box too. I have seen them eat the air filters and nest in there too.

 

GREAT!!!! Wish me luck....and why do i feel like Bill Murray....

 

cabin air filter was clean...no nesting in there...but i will say i broke the tab off when i opened it Cold breaks plastic....

Engine air intake was clean too....

 

Jeesh, sorry to hear that, but even cold that should not have happened.

I had about 20 acorns in my cabin filter after finding remnents of small rodent eating away at my bonnet blanket....and my plug wire boots... Maybe you could hook up the shop vac and suck out what ever may be up there ?

Here is a DIY for cabin filter replacement: http://www.geekshocker.com/Claire/maint/cabinFilter.php

 

Thanks for the link....i was following some other diy pic and i was trying to unsnap one of the 2 tabs and the plastic broke in my hand....brrrrr.

I did not do more than reach up with my hand and did not feel or se anything...but that picture you have with the squirrel cage fan...thats the typ of noise i am hearing...like somethign is in there and from time to time it falls against that fan blade....i will look some more.

thanks!!

 

No MINI experience, but both the pink insulation and the "whirring bits in the fan" noise have been indicators of mice for me in other vehicles.