Prius "A MOUSE MAGNET"

...just replaced my engine air filter and had mouse signs (seeds) in there.
Now for the cabin filter...

Increasingly I use the sticky traps in my garage for bugs and mice. Over time they pick up quite a few bugs etc

 

The mice got to the Prius, big-time! Air filter and wiring harness under the dash. Geico just paid our dealership $3,300.00 to replace the entire Prius wiring harness, air filter, and to shampoo the inside to get rid of any smell. And have to wait 4 weeks as there is not a single wiring harness in the USA. BTW, the dealership told us that Toyota uses peanut oil to lubricate the wires inside their wiring sleeves, which attracts the mice. Not only mice. Found a snake skin in the car. Must have gone in there to eat the mice. Every Prius should come with a snake, as long as they're trained to not bother you while you're driving! Going to use electronic and mass mice catchers inside and outside the car. Brought the car to the dealership because the GPS was not working correctly. That's when they opened the dash, found the nest, and the chewed wires. Also had two soccer-sized mouse nests in the spare tire area - in the tool box and on top of the spare tire. Car parked outside, under carport and am surrounded by woods. I love nature, but this is ridiculous.

 

OP here:

Just happened to drop in and see that my old post had been brought back to life.

I still get the occasional evidence (some seed pods around the top of the engine block), but it has been a LONG time since the critters have been in the actual cabin filter area (couple of years??).

My cat (now gone to Kitty Heaven) was no use. Snap traps caught birds. I finally swallowed my reluctant stance against poison and now use the "commercial-type) mouse/rat bait stations with the poison grain inside.

Accessible only to rodents....it seems to keep the population controlled pretty well. I still don't like the "solution," but it beats finding shredded wheat cereal squares in my air cleaner.

 

I contacted Toyota and the response they gave me was:
"As we are confident you are aware, the action of rodents entering vehicles is not a new issue, nor is it isolated to specific brands or models. Toyota has not issued any Special Service Campaigns related to this issue, and does not have any proposed modifications or design changes in response to this."

I was planning top buy a second Prius for my wife, but now will start looking elsewhere. I had to take my windshield wipers off and the plastic tray beneath to cover the rectangular hole under the windshield glass on the passenger side with a screen. After twice having a mouse problem... once in a garage and once parked in the woods, I tried putting down mouse poison, only to find the mouse stored the poison on the Prius air filter. I think the mouse had a plan to do me in .

 

Hello P Mar,
I discovered a rodent problem similar to the one described by Moused in my 2011 Prius Gen3 about a month ago. Cost my insurance co $1800 to remove rodent leavings and clean up the mess but there was no wire damage. I researched this problem, designed, and just finished installing a set of three 1/4"mesh, 23 guage, galvanized steel screens to keep rodents out of the passenger cabin. This includes 1 screen over the rectangular cabin air intact opening you mention(see attached photo) plus 2 screens for the 2 rear cargo area air outlet flapper vents. My screen design includes non invasive (no screws or holes) installation. I also designed and installed a screen on the engine combustion air inlet.

Have you had any more problems since installing the cabin air inlet cover screen? Let me know if I can be of help.
Bill Serres

 

I had a friend with $12,000 damage to his 2005 Prius and he is spraying Rataway Fragrance to protect the car.

 

Mice have gotten under my Prius hood many times. Once they chewed through my front wiper fluid hose right below the little plastic guide piece that connects to the hood. One other time they made a nest on top of the synergy drive box out of firewall insulation. This was in the course of a winter a few years back when I was driving everyday. Now the car is parked a few days a couple times a month and I haven't had anymore mouse issues. I guess they like newer cars better.

 

Just saw this FORUM.....my first Prius had the elect. system chewed up when it had 250 miles on it - it was parked for a week at long term airport parking near a field. The dealer that it was towed to, found two nests and said they get about one a month like this, but not specific to Prius. I saw on the news that this was happening at lots of long term parking (kind of near/in field areas) in many areas of the Country and on all cars. I know there are lots of different "home remedies" but the one I then tried was strong smelling soap bars in the engine compartment-like Irish Spring. Dealer said the rats really do not like smells like this and would find somewhere else to hangout/nest. Figured it couldn't hurt - who knows.

 

I just found out I have to replace my engine wiring harness, was told by the tech that a mouse or squirrel is chewing on it. I contacted my insurance company they are going to help pay for the repair costs, minus my deductible of course. Just upset that this is going to cost me $5788.46 to replace. Makes me wonder if my 2006 prius is even worth getting the repairs done. Also the tech stated that the car is throwing codes CO200, (left front speed sensor) CO205 (Right front speed sensor) C1300 (ABS, ECU) I also get the red exclamation light, ABS, and VSC lights coming on. Otherwise the car seems to be driving fine. Should I fix it? What will happen if I continue to drive it like this?

 

I would be very dubious of the need for this expense or even the extent of the repair. I see where it cost someone else $3,300 to replace the entire car wiring harness. Then I see where others state individual wire isolation and repair is possible. I think I would at least want another opinion. In the mean time you might want to take proactive measures toward mouse/squirrel control. Seems that peanut oil is used in the manufacturing process of these wiring harnesses. That can't be a good thing around rodent areas.

 

Thanks Steve, I already planned on getting a second opinion. I'm just aggravated, and skeptical that I have a rodent problem. I can see the exposed wires, but they don't looked chewed on. I also see no other evidence of rodents. Also, I was told the car would be in the shop for a minimum of 2 weeks. Great here goes another expense. Really thinking about driving it with the lights on, since the car is not acting up besides the lighting issues.

 

I installed 1/4' wire cloth under the windshield cowling. Once the cowling was removed, there are 5 or 6 openings that draw in fresh air (and mice) to the top side of the cabin filter. I cut the wire cloth a 1/2" larger than each of the openings. All ofthe firewall openings vary in size,so it was cut to fit. I secured the hardware cloth to the firewall using JB Quickweld. It is keeping the mice out of my 2008 Prius.

Sorry, I didn't take photos.

DBCassidy

 

There have been a few cases here on PC of people reporting that the dealer wants to replace the *entire* harness due to one small, isolated area of damage. If the actual spot can be found, and it is not likely to be more than one or two wires that are damaged, the effort to repair those connections (and I have indeed done this on other cars) is very definitely much much less than ripping out the complete old harness and putting in a new one. The dealer makes more money by this rigid policy of only replacing entire assemblies, and never repairing anything.

Where are you located? Maybe there is an independent shop near you that can do the work. Also, what are the DTC's that the dealer got when the car was scanned? List those here, as there are many second opinions that can help. Don't do anything until you get more info.

I posted earlier that I placed a very bright ( to a nocturnal creature) but very low power (2W) LED on the ground under the front of my car, which is in a rodent area. After one year I have no evidence of any curious rodents trying to cause damage.

 

Yeah, pictures would have been great. And I understand there are a number of rear openings also that can be closed off with wire mesh. I haven't closed any yet so I could get "invaded" at any time.

 

See
Diary of a Wimpy DIYer | PriusChat
and
Diary of a Wimpy DIYer | PriusChat
for some pictures of the front and rear screenings. Though someone pointed out that even with all the screening there may still be pathways from the hood hinge opening into the air ducts.

 

Thanks for the link. Great how to pics! I like the idea of marking where the clips are located. Seems to me that should have been molded into the plastic from the beginning. I wonder sometimes if prevention through elimination might be the better approach since it's not likely we can close all areas of access.

 

Yes I try to keep a few glue traps around the car in the garage hopefully to catch mice before they even get near the car.