Gen III - Rodent Damage - $900.00

There's a thread on rodent proofing your Prius.

 

I don't have the answers to your direct questions.
But I would recommend looking up the before mentioned threads on rodent proofing your Prius. Because whatever you do, your underlying problem is the presence of Rodents that have evidently been attracted to your vehicle.

Bad enough to be faced with this type of repair and damage, worse to repair it all only to have it happen again.

 

Will your insurance pay for it?

 

salvage yard?

 

i'm glad Toyota payed the bill for the 10$ air box, and 1$ of wires and didn't charge you $900 to do it.

 

nice to hear a story about a dealer taking care of a good customer! what will you do to prevent this in the future?

 

Here is a link to another thread about rodent damage.

I think with care, mouse access can be prevented for the engine air intake A simple wire mess is not a good idea they can easily reduce the air flow by 10% and screen by 50% at high speed. The mess will have to be expanded so that the open area of the mess is much larger than the area of the intake. For example a large box might do.

For the cabin air intake the issue is not so critical so I would think any wire mess (but not screen) would do.

It would seem that Toyota would consider doing this as part of a good design.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-care-maintenance-troubleshooting/78686-mouse-bedding-in-fresh-air-inlet.html

 

Hmmm...I suppose a person could rodent proof their Prius, but what about rodent-proofing home or work? Keep the garage door closed, put out some D-Con, clean up potential food sources or something else. Maybe the larger question is why rodents are attracted to Prius? Possibly a chemical on the fibers and wires that act as an attractant-like pheromone, or this stuff just makes gosh darn good tasting nesting material!

I do live in an area of voles, moles and mice and I keep my garage door closed ALL the time, even when I'm outside working in/out of the garage. So far, Ruby Sue's not been infested. Maybe I'll spray some repellent around her perimeter.

If we post too many more of these "rodent threads", Toyota may be forced to put a sticker under the engine hood, "WARNING! Rodent habitant!"

This is all too funny, but evidently very serious!

 

Rodents are attracted to anything. If the population grows to Nuisance stage then you have to implement strategies to reduce / eliminate the infestation. Your strategy can include creating natural predators by increasing favorable conditions for those predators, chemical and or mechanical control methods. This plan should encompass your home interior / perimeter and exterior. I would not recommend the chemical treatment for inside the home lest you have smelly carcasses in walls or air vents. A good plan is to have the perimeter protected by a mechanical device, i like the T-rex, around areas you believe the rodents have access. T-rex are also good inside the house but make sure kids can't get to them. Close outdoor perimeter should include some chemical treatments, avoid contaminating the environment and use protective devices to avoid non-targets (birds, cats dogs etc) Finally a natural predator environment will help. Put out bird seed at least 50 feet away from your home, it will allow hawks and other birds of prey easy pickings and they will not attack children (i think). Good luck with your plan, and your neighbors will thank you also.

 

i used to work on a golf course, and mice love to chew on the wires inside the irrigation controllers. (24v ac) it was believed that they are somehow attracted by the electricity. but it could be somrthing in the jacket. perhaps the prius has more going on the a typical ice car? although, i have heard of them being attacked as well.

 

I putting on rubber soled shoes and electrifying my Prius and home with a 1000 volt perimeter.l That'll keep the rodent bastards away!

 

A lot of electrical wiring insulation is now soy based material. That's why the rodents munch on it. Happens to a lot of new cars these days.

 

One of the most frightening rides I ever had was about 10 years ago on a rainy night. I had to do a presentation, my car was in the shop so I borrowed my (now deceased) father's S-10 Blazer. When I got onto the highway and hit the gas the pedal would not return. I'm doing 60-70-80-90 and I'm hitting the brakes with nothing other than a burning smell.
When I got to a stoplight near my home I turned off the engine. Light green sharp left and I bounced off the curbing. Next was a stop sign with poor visibility, I'm doing about 70 in a 25 with 2 feet on the brakes, I hoped and prayed an there was no traffic, did another 90 degree turn and almost went over onto the side of the truck. I tore through another stopsign and my house was in sight.
I pulled to the curb a block away turned it off and the gas pedal finally returned. Drove into my driveway heart pounding and went in from the rain.
The next day was Saturday and the rain had stopped. Opened the hood and there was a mouse nest surrounding the throttle and the air filter case was full of candy corn. As I recall it was about 1200.00 to have all four brakes replaced. It was that lovely GM setup with front discs and rear antilock drums to GUARANTEE you'd go into the ditch strait
Amazed I didn't have a stroke.

 

Had a similar rodent problem in December 2008 with brand new Highlander. Little buggers ate up most of the insulation under the hood. Fixed the problem by finding the entry point in my garage and closing it up. Insurance company paid for it; if I remember right the damage was appx $400.

 

I think they are attracted to the warmth of the engine, and love the comfy bedding that can be constructed from the air filter materials.

Like Esoniat mentioned above, you don't want to put wire mesh over the small opening (read: high velocity) of the air intake, but you can put some heavy chicken wire/hardware cloth over the air filter itself in the air box. This will keep them from chewing a hole in the filter and getting past into the "clean" area. This way the crap they haul in or holes they chew are limited to safer areas at least.

Same thing for the cabin air plenum. Relatively easy access above the cabin filter to install wire mesh.

 

Soy based wiring article:

Trouble Shooter | Motor | Find Articles at BNET

 

Rodent/mouse/rat repellents do not use home remedies.

I am seeing home remedies proposed and most of these are in effective and some are down right dangerous. Moth balls for instance are toxic to humans and ineffective against rodents.

I think you will be much better off cleaning the area, eliminating food, setting mechanical traps with good bait (I prefer peanut butter) and keeping an eye open for activity and cleaning up as you go.

I have already caught one mouse and I suspect that my activities at clean up and getting their smell out has made them more cautious. The environment no longer has the feel of home, three is no food, my storage room looks great too