Prius "A MOUSE MAGNET"

[Ct. Ken V]

Hi, cyberprius & ebsmythe,

I think I have already responded to one of the "mouse threads" before either here or over at PriusOnLine. If the mice can get inside the car as far as the cabin filter region in the 1st place, then they can get into just about anywhere inside the dash (includ'g the lower glove box). You don't really want them chew'g up anything inside the passenger cabin, so you MUST screen off all 5 holes on the firewall behind the black plastic tray below the windshield wipers. I've done this on mine.

Next, to protect the engine from getting damaging debris sucked into it (yes, the mice also like to nest in the engine air filter box), you also need to screen off the OUTER end of the inlet tube [where early Prius owners used to store their dipstick wiping rags (not know'g that was the end of an air intake) only to find them missing next time & finally discover'g them inside the air filter box when their engine wasn't running right]. Some owners have screened off the tube where it comes into the box, but the mice can still nest within the tube & block the airflow in there. It's really best to keep them from getting that far in the 1st place, so just screen of the OUTER end of the tube behind the passenger side headlight. I've done that on mine also & it's the easiest of the mouse-proof'g steps to do.

The one area I haen't gotten to yet is in the rear hatch area. I think it was Patrick Wong who made me aware of this location in one of his postings in a thread on the mouse problem. I think there were some pictures of the area & the associated vents that can use block'g. I need to take advantage of this good weather to remove some of the hatch area trim (plastic parts aren't as brittle & breakable in the summer as they are in the winter) to see just what is needed to block off access there.

As far as wiring harnesses under the hood getting damaged by mice, that's going to be a lttle harder to prevent, but stopping them from getting insde the passenger cabin we can do, but it shouldn't be our job to do it. I wish Toyota would use the metal screens at the factory & save us the aggravation of doing it ourselves (or of paying some hefty repair bills if we don't catch the infestation damage early enough). It would be very easy to do on the production line & would be very cheap too. Oh, if Toyota would only listen to us!

As an aside here, though, I think something might come of the starter hole cover issue (the tab that cuts into a nearby wiring harness if the cover is installed improperly at the factory) because when I had mine checked & the offend'g tab removed, the dealer did a warranty report on it (to bill separately for their labor). I think Toyota definitely looks at those reports with an eye to not having to pay out later, so maybe the assemly lines have revised instructions with better pictures on how to properly install the starter hole cover so the tab isn't near any wires now (or maybe the tab doesn't even exist on the cover any more). Have any of you with a 2007 or 2008 Prius checked to see what the situation is with your starter hole cover?

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

[ebsmythe]

I wonder which one of us will screen those hatch area holes first. Whomever does should post any tips so others can benefit.

Thanks again,

Barry

[ebsmythe]

Ken,

Great post! thanks.

How did you fasten the screen around the holes? (no way I would use duct tape) I thought of small self tapping sheet metal screws but some of the necessary pilot holes would be impossible to drill. What about that epoxy putty stuff? I need to organize first and have everything needed handy so the cars (we have 2) are out of commission as little as possible.

I forgot about the air intake screen(s). They are now on my list -times 2.

Barry

[Ichabod]

I've heard mentioned in mouse-related threads before that just leaving the hood open when parked can rid the engine bay of mice. They like enclosed spaces and opening it up apparently makes it feel not so cozy in there.

I haven't done this, because I haven't had mice in my car... and it might be hard if you don't have a garage.

[Ct. Ken V]

Hi, Barry,

If you check around here & at PriusOnLine for other mouse problem threads, you should be able to find 2 good threads with pix included (one of them may have been Hobbit's). If I get a chance I may be able to find them later & provide some links if you can't find them. Try look'g up "Mouse Hotel" or something like that at one of these boards.

The material I used is a wire mesh (called Gutter Guard, I think) which is usually available at Ace & True Value hardware stores. Each 3-ft long piece comes with 2 attached clips (that I just moved to a different location on the mesh for areas that would be difficult to drill). I just slid those clips over the sheet metal at one side of an open'g (the side that I didn't have clearance enough to get a drill in) & drilled the other side to put in some screws & lockwashers (I didn't want to have to take all that stuff off again to get back in there if a screw loosened up & fell out). If you remove the wiper transmission & the plastic tray you can drill at most locations you would need a fastener at. Where you can't drill that's where I made use of the clips. If you go one step further (which I didn't) I think there's a metal tray or panel you can also remove to give you unlimited access for drill'g to cover the 5 firewall holes.

I made a cardboard template 1st (like shown in the pix in one of the posts) to make it easier to cut & pre-shape the gutter mesh before attach'g it, but be extremely careful handling that stuff once you make your own cuts on it. As you get it in the hardware store the 4 sides have been deburred already, but anywhere you make your own cuts (with your tinsnips) the newly cut edges are like razor blades (I was bleed'g all over the firewall of my white Prius).

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

[donmah]

At my 35,000km service the Toyota tech said he found mouse droppings in the cabin air filter and thinks he even saw a mouse tail zip away into the vent. Recommended solution was to pump a/c vent system with cleaner + an a/c service for $126. Since I was not at the shop at the time and the price was not outrageous, I agreed to it, but thought the mouse thing was preposterous and still do. Now the car smells like disinfectant. But now I see that some others have posted on this mouse issue.

I'm still very skeptical about a mouse/mice in the car though I guess anything is possible. I live in the burbs, the Prius parked in a garage, and absolutely no evidence of any mice ever in our house or garage, or in car ever before -- no droppings, no chewed paper, nada. So my questions and comments are:

1. Since anything is possible, is it possible that Toyota (Canada or at least in Vancouver) uses the mouse thing to help sell their a/c vent cleaning service?

2. What in the world type of cleaning agent does Toyota use to clean the vent system, and has anyone else experienced the after effect disinfectant smell?

3. I'm going to set a nightly mouse trap in the car and in the garage for the next week or so and see what happens (which will more than likely be nothing other than some wasted cheese and a few dollars on traps I didn't need).

4. Prius a mouse magnet? Can't be. Any experts on mice and electrical fields out there (I'm just kidding).

dm

Originally Posted by cyberprius

Patrick Wong, one of my most respected posters, sort of got me thinking of this....

The Prius is a mouse magnet. I have my old car, a 1987 Corolla parked next to the Prius. I haven't had mice in there since last summer. My husband's '98 Camry is nearby. Last mouse attack on the Camry was last November.

My Prius has a red bullseye on it when it comes to mice. Is there something about that "soybean and wire" theory....

[Boo]

The Prius may not be any more of a mouse magnet than other cars, but I do believe that the Prius, like other cars, attracts mice and other rodents who like to chew wire covers, hoses, harnesses, etc., who are looking for places to nest, hoard food, etc., and who do indeed make their way into the car's cabin filter area (among other places in and outside the cabin).

Check out these threads and photos:

http://priuschat.com/forums/fuel-eco...part-deux.html

http://priuschat.com/forums/care-mai...-dog-food.html

MouseProofing the Prius

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by donmah

3. I'm going to set a nightly mouse trap in the car and in the garage for the next week or so and see what happens (which will more than likely be nothing other than some wasted cheese and a few dollars on traps I didn't need).

I suggest using the traps that consist of a tray filled with sticky material. When a mouse steps into the tray, it becomes stuck. This works quite well.

However if you don't see little pellet-shaped droppings around (especially in the corners of your garage and near any sources of water), this is a good sign and it is likely that you don't have a problem.

[donmah]

Originally Posted by Patrick Wong

I suggest using the traps that consist of a tray filled with sticky material. When a mouse steps into the tray, it becomes stuck. This works quite well.

However if you don't see little pellet-shaped droppings around (especially in the corners of your garage and near any sources of water), this is a good sign and it is likely that you don't have a problem.

Thanks for the replies . Boo (above) passed on some informative links. I'm a believer now, that is, that rodents seem to like the CAF compartment. I also used the links to find out how to DIY check and replace the CAF, which I tried today and it was a cinch. No need to trust Toyota or anyone else any longer to do this. If there is a mouse issue in the CAF then I'd like to see it for myself.

Car was just serviced on Mar 21, so tomorrow I am going to phone Toyota back to see what cleaning agent was used to clean the vent system. I was displeased with the "chemical" type smell left behind though they said that would disappear in time; the smell made my wife nauseas and the kids just kept complaining about it .

As for that mouse issue in my Prius or garage/area, I am still very skeptical based on exactly what you said. But traps here we come anyway just for good measure.

dm

[Patrick Wong]

I recall a PriusChat string last summer where a poster included photos showing the head of a dead mouse sticking up in the cabin air filter area. If anyone recalls where that can be easily found, that might be interesting for dm to see...