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MouseProofing out moused

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by astro1999, May 4, 2013.

  1. astro1999

    astro1999 New Member

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    we have mice getting into the passenger compartment. Very frustrating. I have read many, many, many posts about this. However, most are theory or juvenile (cat, snake, peta, toyota-is-never-wrong, etc.) replies. We live out in the country with no garage, so there are going to be mice. I just don't want them inside the car. Parked next to the car is a ford truck that has never had a mouse inside.

    I completed ebsmythe's excellent "MouseProofing the Prius" topic on screening the front and rear last year. It helped for a bit, but the mice quickly found a new way in. I am seeing mouse droppings on the floor/seats. I am finding nests in two places: above the cabin air filter (meshed) and on the spare tire. Both nests use the gray wool sound material.

    Maybe the mice are getting past my firewall mesh, or through the front quarter panels, to the cabin air filter (which I also meshed). But how would they get around the screened cabin air filter into the passenger area?

    What else do I need to screen off or plug with steel wool?

    Ideas on how to even narrow down whether they are coming in at the front or back?

    Please help. I am very frustrated with an otherwise great car.

    -Bryan
     
    prius mouse killer likes this.
  2. toyotechwv

    toyotechwv Toyota Technician

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    There are multiple areas they can enter the car. We encourage people to use pure peppermint oil to deter mice. Apparently they hate the smell, never had a comeback after a customer used it.

    SPH-D710 ? 2
     
  3. theliteratesims

    theliteratesims Junior Member

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    I don't have any suggestions for you, Bryan, just sympathy. My sister has a friend with a Prius that became home to several rats. She had to replace some wiring as a result. I don't know how she's kept them out since, but if I can find out, I'll post here.
     
  4. Ct. Ken V

    Ct. Ken V Active Member

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    Hey, Bryan,

    You did screen off all 5 of the holes in the front as well as the 2 in the rear, right? (I even did the intake end of the tube to the engine air filter box too). If you did all that, then I don't know where else the mice can get in. Maybe there were still mice hiding inside the car when you did the screening job or maybe there was a pregnant mommy inside at the time too. Eventually they should all die off without a source of food (unless you do keep snacks inside the car).

    Ken (in Bolton,Ct)
     
  5. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    you can say its "juvenile" but a female cat will get your rodent problems under control. a good female cat (some males think they are little lions and they won't hunt, only fight) will kill all rodents that come near your house. if you are one of those morons that hate cats, you deserve mice. if you're alergic, you have my sympathy.
     
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  6. astro1999

    astro1999 New Member

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    toyotechwv, it has been awhile now and operation peppermint has been a success so far. Mouse trap in the car has been empty, no nests, and no droppings. I will keep recharging the cotton balls. Thank you!!!!!

    I also found out how the mice were getting around the cabin air filter. There is a 1" opening in the "roof" of the housing the airfilter slides into. I plugged that.

    Ken, yes I did all five openings. The pre-existing mice is a possibility, but I was fairly sure I had trapped them all before winter. Tough to know for sure though.
     
  7. toyotechwv

    toyotechwv Toyota Technician

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    You're quite welcome. This what we recommend to all of our customers who have rodent issues.

    SPH-D710 ? 2
     
  8. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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  9. Johno

    Johno Junior Member

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    I was stunned to find this huge mouse nest in my cabin filter in my 2004 Prius. I sprayed foam insulation under the hood in the openings where the hinges are located. So far so good. IMG_0598.JPG IMG_0600.jpg
     
  10. pak

    pak New Member

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    My Prius V 2013 is a Nice Hotel for Mice. While I look for a way to stop this:

    I HAVE FILED A COMPLAIN WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION 1-888-327-4236. I invite EVERYONE TO DO THE SAME.
    Toyota completely disregarded my complain saying that it is not a manufacture problem. If there is a blog (actually many!!) obviously it is a recurrent problem.


    I have two reasons for filling this complain:
    1) Health complain - droppings - my daughter can reach them.
    2) The mouse has eaten the my daughter's car seat belt.

    As of yesterday, there was no claim for this topic filed in the NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. Seriously, if it is a problem, what are you waiting for?? They will accept your complain and start an investigation.
     
    prius mouse killer likes this.
  11. prius mouse killer

    prius mouse killer Junior Member

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    Been having problems finding pure peppermint oil in my area ... also been wondering why Toyota hasn't fixed this design flaw yet... would love to talk to one of the engineers to come to a solution that would please everyone ... the peppermint spearmint mix isn't working and the mice are now running cross the dash while the car is running down the road!

    Contact the nhtsa and tell them ... mice running around in the cabin across the dash and possibly your lap while driving is dangerous
    Toyota should fix this ... other car manufacturers have and have no problem with mice in the cabin
    Should we have to choose between fuel efficiency and safety?

    Have complained to the nhtsa and surprisingly they told me no one else has ... but you say that you have... maybe time to call them back and complain again?
     
    #11 prius mouse killer, Apr 29, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: May 11, 2015
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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  13. prius mouse killer

    prius mouse killer Junior Member

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    Do you mean standard operating procedure? What exactly is the sop for this type of problem and how wide spread of a problem is it to have a sop?! Scary thought
     
  14. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    You mean Hollywood LIED to me in The Green Mile???
    [​IMG]


    Advice: Try a few glue traps in various places near (or under) where you park the car. If you park outside put one inside the passenger compartment.
    The glue traps usualy smell faintly vanilla-ish, so it won't make your car smell.
    My (work) car is a 2010, and my 2 offices are BOTH adjacent to "cat ladies."
    I've never had a miece in my car in 80,000 miles....so there is something to the cat theory.


    Good Luck!
     
    #14 ETC(SS), Apr 29, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2015
  15. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    pure peppermint oil is on ebay.
     
  16. prius mouse killer

    prius mouse killer Junior Member

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    Thanks :)
     
  17. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    I aught to buy some myself. I found a mouse nest next to the hv battery right after I bought my '06 when I went to clean the hv battery fan.
     
  18. prius mouse killer

    prius mouse killer Junior Member

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    DGH said use 1/4 inch hardware cloth over the vents ... we have been told by Toyota that it will void the warranty if we modify the vents .. of course they also told us mouse damage is not covered either ... seems like they want people to get mouse damage since other than that the prius almost never needs it... but toyotatechwv says pure peppermint oil will deter them and claims to work for Toyota ( although toyota claims that mice don't get in and its not a problem that ours must be an isolated case and it probably got put in the car from an outside souce like birdseed or grocery bags) the flaps on the vents work like doggy doors for mice though and every other car I've ever owned or worked on has some sort of screen or barrier and I have never had a mouse inside of another vehicle including those I had when my kids were really little and would hide their McDonald's food under the seat to get their toy on road trips ... the nhtsa has been contacted though because it's a safety issue when they are bold enough to run across the dash while the car is moving! Not to mention if oneof those lil buggers ran up my pant leg... I fear the worst would happen
    On a side note though ... where did you find a skull gear knob? And are they universal or do you have to match the year of your prius?
     

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  19. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    I bought the skull from ebay, drilled it, and tapped it 6x1.0 mm, which is the thread size of the shifter. helps to have a drill press.
     
  20. prius mouse killer

    prius mouse killer Junior Member

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    Helps to know the thread and thread size too :)