1 or 2 Mice Getting Into Prius Every Day - Please Help!

By any chance, was it this one?



The spots I recall offhand are in the rear. They are air vents for the batteries (right rear) and when you close the doors so you don't pressurize the car (left rear) They have plastic flapper vents to let air out and mice in, although the last part was not really in the specs. What you can do is peel off the interior until you can get at them and attach pieces of 1/4' hardware cloth as a mouse barrier. The right rear one you can get at by starting to pull the 12 volt battery, it is at the end of that black plastic tube you have to remove to get out the battery. They use that tube as a highway to get at the traction battery. If they chew through those wires you'll get bizarre error codes that none of the dealer mechanics have ever seen before.

The left rear vent I don't recall clearly, but someone here will. I think that on the front people did something similar for the cabin air and engine air intakes. If you don't keep them out they will chew through random wires until the car dies. They will also pee and poop in places you can't possibly clean. This summer you'll start to regret that, but by then it will be too late.

PS, Here:

MouseProofing the Prius | PriusChat

 

I think you need to adopt a different attitude regarding rodents.
If they are getting into your car, they probably are getting into your HOUSE too only you
haven't seen them yet.
Live catch and release does virtually nothing to solve the problem.

You need to visit a "farm and fleet" store, maybe even WalMart in your area, and get some enclosed bait stations with bait blocks. The holes are too small for things like rabbits and they are quite effective for mice and rats.
Properly placed and cared for, they should be safe around most pets too.

Start with them inside the garage or carport near the car for a few days.
Then move them outside near the walls.

Extermination is the only real solution to things that carry diseases; think Black Plague.
And it is an ongoing battle in places like you live.

The downside is that you still need to inspect the car for the first few days.......as there might be
one inside dead.

 

The mice at Easy Riders place have it rough:

 

if you search here, there are many helpful threads with advice and pics on how to block the many areas they can get in. as well as novel ideas like peppermint and kittycats. i suppose you want to focus on why they have become a sudden nuisance. is it colder than normal? are you keeping anything attractive in the car? anything different in the immediate area? did your cat die? something must have changed. all the best!

 

I use a bright light under the car at night. An LED type candelabra bulb only draws ~2W so no a noticeable load. I place it under the front wheels. It is blinding to a nocturnal animal, and they stay away. Good old moth balls placed in various areas are also a deterrent.

Do a search in the GenII forum for "rodent" and there are plenty of posts, for ex.:

Prius "A MOUSE MAGNET" | PriusChat
Hate Mee-ces (mice) to pieces? | PriusChat

 

Keep a black snake in your glove box and another one in the boot luggage box. When the snakes are a nuisance buy a snake-eating gorilla. When the gorilla gets to be a hassle, keep it out it in the winter so it will freeze to death. Bootstrap your problems away!

 

The link cited by kenmce, and originated by ebsmythe, is the single best post regarding how to keep mice out of the Prius interior.
MouseProofing the Prius | PriusChat

I agree with Easy Rider that the OP needs to get serious and utilize rodent extermination practices, perhaps a pest control professional might be helpful.

 

...also check Google for cheap mouse traps...you can just have a bucket with a 2x4 leading up to it. My *other* car just had huge mouse nest in the air cond filter in the glove compartment (similar to Prius).

 

My mechanic told me to get a “rid-a-rat” electronic device connects to battery. I’ve been catching 1-2 mice almost daily for 7 years. I just got the device but need instructions to connect the positive wire to the positive terminal think in under hood fuse box

 

I'd be a bit skeptical about any "electronic rodent repellers".
Especially concerned about the drain on the battery.

A tamper proof rodent bait station is a much better solution.
And the only really effective one in some situations.......like living out in the country.

 

You don't have to kill mice to keep them out of your car. I personally don't kill rodents. They are in their natural habitat. I had the repair place put hardware cloth over every possible entrance (see "how to" elsewhere). I lift my hood when it is parked for a long time between trips also had them wrap my driver's side wire harness with hot pepper tape. https://www.autonationparts.com/parts/honda-anti-rodent-engine-wiring-harness-tape-3-4-quot-x60-40192317?origin=pla&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqIm_BhDnARIsAKBYcmtf-jj3rOiuTX2PEnn4wRoWoofVedXLwFV89xmFCstyVxNJP-4DV_QaAhRrEALw_wcB

 

I thought my 2012 Gen 3 was mouse free until one day I saw the evidence. I traced the entry point to a small plastic panel near the 12V battery compartment with a tiny hole chewed through it. I placed some mouse bait and placed an object against the hole. No more evidence of mice after that.

 

i spray peppermint oil all over the back in the nooks and crannies.under the hood on everything but the MAF and radiator

 

I would hate the smell of peppermint in my car.

 

No pleasing some people!

 

Place this opposite the hole, the mouse will die of fear.

 

Del

 

Mesh the cabin air intake (wipers and cowl need to come off), the engine air intake, and the hybrid battery air exits. For the latter I removed rear fairing and meshed the outside:

Mouse hole | PriusChat