Rodent Damage: Something to think about..

Toyota is not doing great, and who knows, roden-proof technology may save the company. You can laugh and stay in the box!

 

Toyota is doing just fine. I still cant believe that anyone would be calling Toyota because their car got messed up by a rodent. What is this world coming to? Never mind, I can see for myself right here.

 

Yep. Toyota is doing fine.

The issue about the possibility Toyota might want to be involved is already stated by the OP. There might be materials or parts that remain at a certain temperature (e.g. in the case of the Volt) that attract rats vs. other cars or some alternative material.

Would it be possible to incorporate something in many/all of the externally exposed components that would taste and/or smell terrible to rats ?

 

Snake oil?

 

I trapped a rat in my car last night. My heater started blowing cold air and that tipped me off to a problem. I was shocked to discover that there was a huge pile of crackers and a bag of energy drink powder on top of my cabin filter and rat droppings under the seat. How he carried the bag of drink mix from the back of my car and placed it on top of the cabin filter is a mystery to me. I have no idea how the rat entered the car. I will spend the weekend cleaning and exploring and disinfecting! I hope I don't find major damage. At the current time, my heater is not working and the mode button doesn't appear to switch the air flow from floor vents to dash vents.

 

I feel this whole post is just wrong... in many ways... even the "poll"... i won't vote even though I've seen evidence of a mouse being in my car (engine air filter droppings and cabin air filter droppings). i even saw the mouse jump out after a breezy 35 mile drive. (he was only in the car up to 6 hours total over 1 night.) i'll assume it was that mouse or one of his buddies that completely destroyed my fathers wiring harness on his F450 (sitting for transmission repairs)

how about taking something like This and ripping it apart.. or simply cutting off the bottom and gluing it in your car (or something similar)... hope you don't own any animals that live near it.. or bunnies. the constant sound can drive them mad until eventually they go deaf from it... (or to that sound level)

 

Yep! That is one damaged rodent.

 

Unless Toyota for some reason is purposely coating their components in a cheese scent, I really don't know how they could be found liable for the actions of rodents.

Rodents exist, vents in automobiles exist, places a rodent might think they want to nest, or materials they may think they want to gnaw or chew exist. How Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet or GM or anyone would manufacturer a vehicle that either induces this random but unfortunate action or be expected to produce a vehicle specifically designed to be rodent proof is beyond me.

 

Nice and inexpensive. Did you install it yourself? It would be interesting to see a photo of your installation.

 

I like that trap.

 

Just a quick update...

My car has been in the shop (Toyota dealer) for more than a week and I hope to pick it up tomorrow. The total repair bill is $2,290! (so far). My insurance company inspected the car and approved the repairs. Repairs included replacing the blowing motor assembly because the flapper (for interior air recirculation) above the cabin filter door was chewed apart and the plastic housing itself was chewed. It also included repairing the chewed wiring for the HVAC system, and cleaning the remainder of the HVAC system. It also included replacing the lower glove box door (backside was chewed) and a rear floor mat which was also chewed. And it included the cost to clean the carpet under the seats (poop covered). The rental car was also included. All of these costs were covered under my "comprehensive" coverage and I have no deductible for comprehensive claims. Incidentally, the parts totaled $1,089 of the $2,290.

I still don't know how the rat entered my car. The dealer has no idea either. The insurance adjuster commented that there must be something about Toyota car wiring (tasty?) because he sees 3-4 Toyota's a year with wiring damage caused by rodents, but he doesn't see many non-Toyota claims.

 

The gap behind the cowling into the cabin vent is pretty large. We have had mouse infestations there twice. Unfortunately I have not seen a way to block off the entry here due to the back firewall? being in the way. Garaging the car seems like the only solution.

 

The poll is closed, but otherwise I would have voted 'No.'

We live on the edge of cornfields and have field mice invade the house every winter. A couple winters ago they also invaded the '09 RAV4 and chewed through the wire that operates the horn. (I was mad as heck when I found out that my horn didn't work when I was trying to blare at that red-light-runner.)

However, it's also likely that some of the many electrical issues in the '94 Chrysler LHS and old '86 Ford F250 were due to rodent damage, but these vehicles were not as rigorously-inspected.

I think that is is a somewhat silly idea that the Prius is any more of a mouse magnet than any other chassis of a car that provides shelter from wind and all sorts of nice chewing materials.

Oh, and if you find a gap that they might be getting in through, copper wool is supposed to be good for preventing entry. Cram some in there (unless you are blocking required air flow) to prevent their passage. Apparently they do NOT like to chew the stuff.

 

On our Eurovan I used those stainless steel kitchen scrubbies to block rodent entry yet permit airflow.

 

My wife and I have owned several vehicles while living in our current home. Based on experiences growing up and reputation we purchased a Tacoma 4x4 and a 2008 Prius both new. We have had mice inside of both vehicles making them unsafe for extra winter clothing or groceries. Apologists feel free to scoff but even my rag top Jeep never had mice in the cabin.
The Prius not having an off switch for the traction control has made it not only worthless with the slightest amount of ice or snow but actually dangerous when encountering it crossing a highway and losing all power.
Yes, these are the last Toyota's that we will own.

 

Sorry u feel that way.

 

I didn't know that there was not a way to turn off the traction control. That was a nuisance trying to go up a snowy driveway, and not being able to try to properly rock the vehicle to start. But it isn't a deal-breaker for me, and I hope that perhaps they will eventually have an off switch.

On a side note, the 2009 RAV4 wouldn't run this morning. Every time it started to come up off idle it would shut the engine off. We had it towed, and they found a mouse' nest under the hood.

This will be the second incident of electrical damage in the RAV4--last time they chewed through the wire going to the car horn.

They never invade the cabin--just the engine area.

We'll be trying to come up with ways to deal with them. Maybe weekly visual engine checks are in order during the winter.

 

We got the repair estimate on the RAV4.

On the order of FOUR-THOUSAND DOLLARS. Fortunately for us, we carry comprehensive insurance so we just have to pay our $500 deductible.

On closer inspection, the nest appears to be the beginnings of a squirrel's handiwork, with branches far too long and thick to be carried by smaller rodents.

You know, this means WAR.

 

squirrel trap, peanut butter, wheelbarrow filled with water. 'nuff said.