4 Wheel Drive/SUVs: HELP!, pop rivet tool, jeep wrangler

Question
Hi Carl,

I'm not sure if you can offer a suggestion about this problem, but it's worth a try. I have a 2005 Ford Escape that we just bought. The weirdest thing occurred. I smelled a terrible odor when I put on my AC-like a dead dog. I brought it in and they found a dead RAT in the fresh intake under the passenger windshield wiper and maggots in the blower. I'm told this happens at times. They removed the blower and glove box to clean it out. Do you have ANY suggestions on how to prevent this? I had a Jeep Wrangler before buying the Escape and took it off-road. I never had this problem. Any ideas are appreciated-thanks.

Answer
Dan,

This is a first for me.  I have seen similar situations, but they have always been in a vehicle that hasn't been used for quite a length of time.  

Most vehicles have a fine mesh screen covering any intake areas for the heater, or AC ducts.  Check and see if someone has worked on yours, and forgot to replace the screen.  If not, go to your local hardware store, and purchase some screen material, a pop rivet tool, and cover any large openings that a rat, or other critter could crawl into.

Carl