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Protecting a 2017 Rav4 From Mice

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#22 ·
Thank you Mingy. I am going to undertake all of your instructions this weekend. Fingers crossed. Our Rav4 has always had terrible/gross mouse problems. Never any eating the wiring thank god. The Tacoma and the Corolla have never had mouse problems. Even though the problem is so ubiquitous in my rural community, the local Toyota dealer pleads ignorance. I bet somebody could make a decent living mouse-proofing cars in rural areas.

In my experience trying to mouse-proof my house, a determined mouse seems to be able to overcome almost any barrier. Have you had any relapse with your problem?

Here's hoping it works. My wife says she is going to sell the car otherwise.
 
#23 ·
I am trying to concoct a chemical solution to the "external wiring" issue but obviously that is high risk to warranty.[/QUOTE]


My Chemical solutions was to get the RAV underside and wiring Rust Proofed hoping they won't like the Taste or Smell.
Ott.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
pabloson said:
In my experience trying to mouse-proof my house, a determined mouse seems to be able to overcome almost any barrier. Have you had any relapse with your problem?

Here's hoping it works. My wife says she is going to sell the car otherwise.
Click to expand...
Pabloson

I have not seen any evidence whatsoever of mice in her car, or any of the other cars I've "mouse proofed" since then. The only thing that happened was we were feeding the dogs kibble outside near the car and some enterprising mice filled the insulation of the hood (above the engine) with kibble. We have since moved the kibble to a different area and hope they won't want to make the journey.

So far so good. If you get stuck or something let me know.
 
Discussion starter · #26 ·
pabloson said:
Mingy,

Were you getting mice in the engine air filter? Was this causing the engine to run poorly or ?
Click to expand...
Yes, I was getting mice in my engine air filter. I don't know if it affect engine performance, however, they chewed up the filters and I was worried about "raw air" getting in to the engine.

I first put mesh on the outside part of the filter, then went to blocking the inlet with a mesh "cup".
 
#27 ·
Mouse proofing the rain drain and hantavirus

Ok, with the help of Mingy's awesome post, I was able to (hopefully) mouse-proof my wife's 2008 Rav4. I have not had any problem with mice in the engine so I focused only on prevention inside the cabin. I placed some 1/4 inch wire mesh over the intake air vent. I did not screw it down or seal it in any way because the cowling, when re-inserted appears to create a tight pressure fit on top of the wire mesh. Fingers crossed that "grand central" is no longer.

When I removed the windshield wipers and the cowling, I disocvered a large nest on top of the windshield wiper motor. See picture. So basically we have been breathing mouse nest air whenever we switch to fresh air ventilation. Gross and smelly and btw quite dangerous due to hantavirus.

I recommend spraying everything down with a 10:1 water/bleach solution prior to getting to work. Also, it wouldn't hurt to wear a face-mask. I sprayed it all down, let it dry, and then vacuumed it up. Wherever mice have been in the car should be sprayed down as well. Be careful not to spray areas that may discolor.

Back to the windshield wiper nest: Blocking the fresh air intake won't prevent a nest in this location from recurring. In theory, the mice are crawling in through the water drain which is a little flap on the passenger side of the cowling that drains water down by the backside of the tire (this may also be how the mice climb up to the cowling). I screwed a little piece of mesh over the water vent. May have to check it occasionally after parking under pine trees etc. to make sure it does not clog. Picture attached.

That's it! I'll post again down the road to let you know how it has been working.

ps you know if you wanted to start a new business mouse-proofing Toyotas I bet you could be really successful!
 

Attachments

#31 ·
#32 ·
Mice really are an issue. My 2004 and 2014 Camry both had mice in the cabin air filter; also my 2008 Impreza.

I blocked the cabin air vent inlet with 1/4" hardware cloth (galvanized mesh) and also blocked the large air spaces coming up from the fenders on both sides -- these allow water to drain, preventing rust, but big enough for mice to go up into the area under the under-window cowl. I use peppermint oil under the plastic engine cover, as mice have eaten the insulation there (over the spark coils.) I covered the truck (Camry) air flaps with 1/4" mesh. Finally, I covered the underhood insulation with aluminum screening, as the mice LOVE to nest in that stuff. No mice since, even with peanut butter-baited traps!
 
#33 ·
My sympathy for all who have had critter problems in their homes and vehicles. Squirrels, Rats, and mice are all attracted to food containing Vitamin D, Anti-Freeze, electrical wiring, and electromagnetic fields from power wiring and motors. My home attic was invaded by squirrels and birds that got in through a rotted out section of my roof caused by termites. My Hyundai attracted rats that got into the engine compartment and chewed through some radiator hoses and electrical wires and my dog tour up the plastic going around the front wheels with his nails, he later died after catching a rat that may have been poisoned by traps I set where the rats lived, the traps had large amounts of Vitamin D that rodents, animals and humans cannot digest at those large quantities. Damages to my home and cars cost thousands of dollars in repair costs. I had my house under termite warranty for past 30 years, but they do not cover damages, just come out annually and treat areas that show ground signs of termite activity. I do much more, I spray same stuff around house base, around doors and windows, and under the roof diffuser panels. The stuff I spray also treats and kills roaches with only annual treatments needed, I use SF, same as what the Termite Inspectors use, purchase it at Lowes or online at Treat my Own.

My Hyundai is now in a junk being used for parts for others. My dog is in a cemetery, and I have Polymyositis since 2008, but I have a new 2019 RAV4 Limited. LOL
 
#34 ·
I've owned 2 Ravs, 1 Camry and 1 Corrolla, rodent problems in all 4 vehicles. How much could it cost Toyota to stop this problem? 10$ for screens? Last summer I had a mouse chew through some wires in my 2017 Rav4. $800 for the dealer to fix and I was lucky! They we're able to splice the wires back together, they told me if the damage accured on a safety feature, the wiring harness has to be replaced. My 2010 Ford Ranger truck sits out in the elements and never a mouse dropping! I won't buy another Toyota. Tried peppermint oil, hot pepper and even Irish Spring soap all a total waste of time. I recently purchased 2 electronic rodent repellents. I installed them today. Fingers crossed. Thanks for this post. I'll keep you posted on the repellents. What a stupid, unsanitary and expensive problem that could be easily fixed if the vehicles we're designed properly!
 
#35 ·
Anyone who has not had a rodent problem in their auto or home attic are blessed, but never say never. Mice and rats are attracted to places that have food laying around as well as roaches. One other thing, many folks are not aware of, antifreeze attracts them as well because of its sweet scent. I had an issue with rats that got in my Hyundai Sante fe Engine after being chased by my dog. The dog tore the entire fender well apart and scratched up the paint pretty bad. I used smoke to get the rat to escape and the dog chased it till it captured it and destroyed it. So the rat was not in their long enough to do any damage to the electrical wiring and hoses that mice, rats, and squirrels will do.

My next solution was to determine where the rats came from and set Vitamin D Traps under my Shed and my pool deck and the rats and mice problem disappeared, but I think the dog got one of them and ended up dying sometime later. Traps today come with massive dosages of Vitamin D (green color) that attracts rodents and they eat it and cannot digest it. Same thing would happen to you if you take too much Vitamin D. like a few hundred thousand IUs.

The solution I like the best that works best is to own a cat or two, they eliminate the rodent problem, but you may have a roach infestation unless you spray around the outside border of your home once every 6 months or so.

When I was a kid I lived a couple blocks away from the Delaware river in Philadelphia. The area was mice and sewer rat populated and as kids we discovered dogs were good at keeping away rats and cats, but not mice, so we had mice problems. When we got cats after the dogs passed away, the mice and rat problem in our home disappeared and we were infested with roaches. So now I live in Southern Louisiana and already mentioned the problem of taking care of rodents with Vitamin D Traps and bugs with poison I spray twice a year around the outside slab, doors, and window frames of my home, similar to what the Termite Guy does. Nothing is sprayed inside the home. Also pets are out when you have to set bait traps since they can die if they capture and start eating a rodent that was poisoned.

Hope this is of some use to others.
 
#36 ·
Mingy said:
Protecting the Air Outlets

The air outlets are likely another pathway for mice. They are air "valves" but very easy for Mrs. Mouse to get through. I seal them off as well. It turns out the Rav4's outlets are real easy to access just by removing the plastic trim at the hatch. This is another 5 minute job.

The only complication is you need to cut a slot in the mesh to fit the plastic back in.

I installed the mesh held in places with screws. No mouse can get through that.
Click to expand...
Hey Mingy, I'm waiting at my dealership for replacement of the wiring for my wireless microphone that mice chewed in my 2017 Rav limited. $300 is the quote they gave!!! When I saw turds on my console and seats I started setting traps and got 9 mice total, with 5 the first night alone.
Thanks for the detailed instructions on mouse-proofing. If you get this message I would like to know where you suggest I find the appropriate mesh.
Thanks a bunch from a fellow mice fighter.
 
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Jannie
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