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Prius is home sweet home for mice.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by KeinoDoggy, Feb 9, 2016.

  1. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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    Ok, both of my 2012 Prii that are parked in a garage have mice chewing on the cabin filters. BOTH! I have owned cars for many years and this is the FIRST time I've had mice get INSIDE a cabin. Don't tell me this isn't a problem due to poor design. Ridiculous that Toyota is not acknowledging that they leave access to the cabin area wide open for mice to enter. Probably my last Toyota cars since from what I understand the problem exists across many of their models.
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    this is a problem due to poor design. and mice. from what i've come to learn, they impregnate the cabin filters with mouse attractant, to try to sell more filters.
     
  3. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    As I have suggested before, the first line of defense is a strong offense. Kill the mice with rat bait.
     
  4. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    In the past I had em in both my cars air filters in my garage a Prius and VW Routan (Dodge Caravan).

    From that I conclude nothing except mice are bad news. Recently they say squirrels cause the most electric power failures in the USA. Seems like to the designers out there we need to say: Here's your No. 1 unexpected issue: rodents.
     
  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    comcast had to replace my cable with rodent proof grade. it's so expensive, they only use it when the regular grade fails the rodent text.
     
  6. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Are your rodents sending you texts too? I hate when they do that.
     
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  7. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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    I think those here that try to make a joke here about this are trying to defend the Prius. The cars are great, love them for everything they bring to the game as far as gas mileage. However this is a design problem and instead of joking about it, realize that there are many, many people experiencing this. The car has several unscreened large holes in it leading from the outside of the car to the inside. That's pretty attractive to any rodent that happens to pass by.

    mice in prius - Google Search
     
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  8. jdenenberg

    jdenenberg EE Professor

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    I had mice in my Prius AC filter once in 12 years. It did cause me significant allergy issues on long trips, but no wiring problems (yet). I had the ductwork cleaned out and replaced the filter with a higher quality, carbon impregnated one (available on-line at a reasonable price) and have had no re-occurrence to date, but my Prius is garaged so it is not as rodent exposed as one parked outside in the wild.

    There have been many discussions on PC about "mouse proofing" a Prius by adding screening at several possible rodent entry points. Anyone having rodent problems should attempt this low-cost fix rather than just complaining to Toyota as they are unlikely to help you in this instance.

    JeffD
     
  9. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I agree see my earlier posts...I think rodents are a potentially serious issue that are possibly not designed well enough against in general. Sorry for the levity. There was an element of anti-Prius that caught my attention.

    Causes one to wonder, how many USA car fires, listed as caused due to electrical or fuel, are really rodents chewing thru the tubes and wires? On my Weber grill, the squirrels love to chew thru the rubber tube from the propane tank. My sense is when I accidentally leave the valve open, somehow they smell the gas and try to get it. I have a new Weber grill and now the gas is inside the door so harder to access. Probably should be a braided metal tube not rubber,
     
    #9 wjtracy, Feb 10, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2016
  10. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    I frequent several car forums focusing on the cars of other manufacturers. I see the same mice/rodents complaints there. Critters seeking a warm protected place to nest. And they chew stuff up to carry to create the nest.

    If you see mice around, know you have the potential for a mice problem and deal with the critters.

    In 50 years of parking the same cars mentioned in the complaints both outside and inside, I've never seen the problem. Perhaps because I have snakes (and falcons, and eagles). The snakes could themselves cause a problem but then I wouldn't be blaming the car maker. I've had squirrels and birds somehow get into the house through the furnace flue pipe/chimney. I climbed up on the roof and created an invasion proof cap and the problem went away.

    Price the wiring harness replacement/installation for a Porsche 911 if you think you have a problem.
     
  11. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    I suspect that rodents have always been an issue, but with the tighter engine compartment packaging and full under-skirts come cozier spaces to nest, and with the smaller gauge wiring of modern autos, even a few nibbles here and there can mean bigger problems.
     
  12. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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    A TV station in Hawaii broadcast this just 2 days ago...

    "On Your Side wrote Toyota Motor Corporation numerous emails asking if the Prius used different wiring that might attract rodents. We also wanted to know why so many consumers are complaining online about rodents being attracted to the Prius.

    Toyota said it would look into the issue, but three weeks later, 3 On Your Side had not received an answer."


    Woman says rodents love her Toyota Prius - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL
     
  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    That's very interesting....I do not recall anyone bringing up soy wiring before.
     
  14. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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    Obviously there is something going on here. Toyota needs to step up and at least say if there is an issue with the composition of the wiring.
     
  15. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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  16. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Well like the article says, because USA is a litigious society, USA management style is generally non-pro-active (to put it mildly).

    We here have heard many nuisance complaints of mice in the air filters, but not too much serious damage to wiring has been reported here, such that we would be alarmed. But of course we here are not a huge % of USA Prius owners, in fact we active here are probably way less than 0.1% of Prius owners. We have no proprietary data on failure rates (eg; of batteries etc) and causes, like Toyota may have.

    Maybe your post will cause some of our mechanical experts to inspect for rodent bites in wiring. To my knowledge this has not been a listed maintenance item in our compehensive DIY to-do lists of things to look out for.
     
    #16 wjtracy, Feb 11, 2016
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2016
  17. matt b.

    matt b. Member

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    Simple solution "mothballs" inside the engine strategically placed in areas where the balls will not roll around and will be stable
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    my fathers girlfriends caddy had the wiring harness destroyed by mice. i haven't heard gm recalling any cars.
    but maybe she has been the only one. i don't frequent gm forums.

    peppermint.
     
  19. Dion Kraft

    Dion Kraft Member

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    How about adopting some CATS?
     
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  20. KeinoDoggy

    KeinoDoggy Member

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    I did adopt a cat. ;)