Rodent proofing ventilation intake

DIY

 

If you live near me I'd be happy to do it for you and post pictures on this thread too.

 

Gen5 is so new, you'd do a great service to fellow Gen5 owners to figure it out and post photos.

 

All the cars I've owned had to intake under the plastic shroud at the base of the windshield; passenger side. Only ever had to remove the shroud on the Taurus and Sable. The cabin filter was actually installed there for those models.

Instructions of removing it on the gen5 are likely in the repair manual.
Complete Gen 5 (2023+) Repair Manual Available | PriusChat

 

I found a mouse nest in the engine airbag in a VW I had.

 

Airbox

 

Interesting -- I don't park near tall grass fields or other mouse habs but who knows what they do, arse-crack of dawn...

Has anyone seen any evidence of mice eating wiring harnesses on our Priuses?

With biodegradable insulation on most harnesses since the early '90s, the less-fortunate marques (like Honda, Mazda, & M-B) have had lots of PITA repairs on components which can often require the entire effing vehicle be taken apart to fully repair. Or at least it'll look and feel that way, to the hapless dealer tech whose got your RO on his bench. Lived in WA a bit so if you're gonna have hantavirus-y furballs making your vehicle their home, toilet, and graveyard, gonna be there

 

Not my current 5th gen, but one morning my former 3rd gen would not start and neither a jump or fob next to power button trick did anything. My mechanic found a chewed through harness. I knew it was squirrels because they lived in my trees and I'd find droppings in the engine compartment. After a few weeks of checking under the hood randomly everyday, they eventually stopped visiting the car.

 

Good Question - I took apart the wiper area on mine to see about adding screening - I did it on my 2017 Prius (and other cars) without a problem. This one? It gets awfully narrow and tight in the Gen5 HVAC air intake area, so I gave up and buttoned it back up. I'll wait and see if I do get mice through there - usually you can tell right away by checking the cabin air filter. I did add screens @ HVAC (exhaust) body vents in the rear, R+L, as I've had mice come in there on my other Toyotas.

Also, do you have a link for that product? Might be nice to see how an engineer solved the problem

 

I think adding mothballs or something as a deterent would be easier if you have this problem

 

C'mon...

Wipers, linkage and motor will very likely need to come off, bottom of window trim, and underlying metal cowl. Opening is typically in the firewall, driectly forward from the glove box.

 

I don't know, it was a suggestion. I don't have this problem to take it further