Bear mace went off in my 4Runner - insurance coverage??

I very stupidly had a can of bear mace in my rear driver's side door panel for protection against bears while traveling backcountry recently. As I was driving home, my Camp Chef stove came loose from bungies and somehow triggered the canister to go off. I immediately had to pull over and wore a mask to start cleaning it up.

I was able to get most of it out and got it professionally cleaned, but the stench is still embedded deep the carpet and maybe some of the metal interior frame. My question is whether this is appropriate to seek comprehensive insurance for, or if I do that, I'll be forever "profiled" as an idiot by insurance companies. I could also call Toyota to see if a new carpet could be installed and consider paying out of pocket.

Anyone have any suggestions here? I'm super upset by this, as the smell is still there and I'm not going to be able to sleep in there with the smell like that. Thanks all in advance and yes... I am an idiot.

 

You can absolutely file a claim under your comprehensive coverage and pay your deductible. Before doing so I’d get an estimate of what it will cost to fix. If it’s expensive and you want to use your insurance I would. You aren’t going to be “profiled.” Auto insurance doesn’t really work that way.

They are way more worried about people with multiple collisions or moving violations.

 

That sucks. Along the same lines I had an energy drink explode under my passenger seat. It ended up disabling the airbag system, and after getting a quote it came out to almost $3,000 in repairs. I used comprehensive insurance to get the repairs completed. The labor, parts, and rental vehicle were all covered under my policy, and I still only pay $64 bucks a month with Geico.

 

I had a bottle of StarSan tip over and leak all over the floor in the back of my F150, when I went to wipe it up all the carpet came with it. My insurance covered it no questions asked and my comp deductible is only $100, the entire carpet was like $1500.
On the other hand, a friend of mine had his truck stolen and they found it three weeks later, whoever stole it smoked meth in it the whole tim, it absolutely wreaked. His insurance would not cover the interior to be re-apolstered

 

Bear spray has oil (oleoresin capsicum) use water in a steamer, next, clean with Simple Green Outdoor Dog & Cat Odor Eliminator air out. If still smells take it to a detailer and ask them to ozonate it, its just a machine that removes smell. Some dealers ozonate as well.

 

Put it up for sale. I hear that a certain group of people just love that stuff… that is if they are not in jail already.

 

Put what up for sale?

 

Make a little trees forest. Though the only thing that would likely help (other then maybe time) is to replace the carpet.

 

When moving around in Bear habitat and camp out in a tent, I think a .375 H&H is a better option than mace and makes no mess in your 4R. Just me. Might receive some flak with that comment from people believing Bears are Disney's big fur babies and mostly cute.

 

Ha, I worked on a Hawker 800 one time that arrived after a two trip in Central America, went up on the plane and all you could smell walking up the airstair was pine trees air fresheners. Stuck my head in the cabin and they had about 500 little trees hanging all over. I guess they left a bottle of guava juice and a bottle of orange juice onboard and they exploded from the heat and "fermentation" process that had started. Crew said the smell was absolutely disgusting

 

my 4runner 18' had a similar issue, different horrible smell; ha.

I paid $300 to have overnite detail. shampoo carpets AND they but an oxzone machine in car for half a day.

Then replace cabin air filter AND when it is removed, run the air and squirt lysol or ozonator air cleaner into open hole. That runs the disinfectant thru the entire system and back out vents.
I also just chucked the carpet mats and bought new rubber mats.

All the above fixed 90% and time should do rest.

 

Much of the Lake Tahoe basin today is at 700 AQI due to massive fire. 700 is a staggering number. My friends there have homes full of smoke (and likely their trucks too). So insurers will be getting a ton of claims soon.

 

I can add my experience to the thread.
I put a case of beer cans on the back seat of my truck. Idiot cuts me off, I slam on the brakes, the case spills and one can explodes. I could see the foam in the mirror hitting the windows, back seats, upholstery….by the time I pulled over, the can was flat.
Truck was brand new, as in coming from the dealership new, with a stop at the beer store, maiden trip home.

 

This really sucks.






I hate hearing when perfectly good beer is wasted.

 

It was a joke son, nothing to see here, carry on.

 

Just an FYI, if you have asthma those Ozone machines are bad for you. While they probably wont trigger an asthma attack they will cause you to have repeat sinus infections.

My partner has a Cpap machine and got a Cpap cleaner that uses Ozone. Kept getting sinus infections over and over. A little quick research and I found it was that damn Ozone generator in the Cpap cleaner causing the problems.

More reading:
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/ozone-generators-are-sold-air-cleaners

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma/expert-answers/asthma/faq-20058187

 

Ozone, is active when generated, not anymore after the process is done.

 

correct. The detailer kept all the windows open for a while after taking machine out.
He actually wore a mask when putting it in and turning it on

 

Last week a bait bucket full of 30 minnows was spilled in my 4runner and went all the way from trunk to the driver and passenger seats. The fish went under the carpet I stripped the whole car and clean the metal under and cleaned the carpet. You could remove and put in new carpet and not have to fool with insurance and just order a new carpet for car or clean well. It was fairly simple but tedious. Just reinstalled the carpet and seats Monday went smoothly and couldn't tell it was removed.

 

Thats interesting. Can you order a precut, car specific carpet kit?

Would be perfect time to lay down some sound deadening tape under carpet.

 

yogi bear approved....hey, boo-boo......

 

LOL I hope you got a solid head count! I am sure you know, but it only takes ONE minnow to completely ruin an interior!

 

Damn. I’d call this a very bad day.

 

Just use it to build up your Mexican and Thai food tolerance.

 

Rock Auto sells the flooring from $154 to $283, but they only do so for 2019's and older. Not sure what could be different with the carpet for a 2021 compared to a 2019. It makes for a nice weekend project.