Do sonic rodent repellents actually work?

Last month my 2022 Tacoma needed a new wire harness for the knock sensor because mice chewed it up. Now they've done it AGAIN. This is after spraying peppermint oil all over the engine and the suspension.

Have any of you tried a sonic device like this example?

$28 Ultrasonic Rodent Repellent for Car Engine – Battery Powered Under Hood Mouse Repeller with Flashing Strobe Light, Keeps Rats and Mice Away from Vehicle, Automobile, Truck, Garage, Attic, Barn, Shed

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VKBHH15

I'm planning to wrap the new harness in "Honda tape" and cover it with some form of wire loom. But I'd like to keep the mice out of the engine bay altogether.

 

No.

I have rats that I absolutely cannot evict from my shed. Sonic did not even slow them down. I can at least get one or two with a snap-trap before they get wise to that.

 

This is how I solved my rodent problem

 

What do you do to solve your feral cat problem?

 

Luckily I don't have rats. But the mice are everywhere. And unfortunately the Tacoma V6 is a perfect mouse house.

 

We have a few cats in the neighborhood but they're not helping. And I don't want to add more cats to the environment because they are devastating to bird populations.

 

@CTSpruceMica

 

If you don’t want cats then get one or two of these traps. Best I’ve used by far. After I first got it (before cats) I would have 2-5 per night

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134011209572

 

When my cousin bought his place upstate we found a trap like the one in this video on the porch. There's times when no one is there for weeks on end so we needed to figure out a way to continue catching the and to keep them from stinking up the place. We put a few inches of green antifeeze in the bucket and added a bunch of sugar to the mix to make it more attractive. We catch them even without bait (I guess the antifreeze & sugar smells good enough) but peanut butter will definitely help coax them in. Of course antifreeze isn't a good idea if you have kids or pets around but if you can regularly empty the bucket you can leave it empty or add water.

https://youtu.be/cbSDy4Ttv98?si=9qWTENnSfJQ9Yf2t

 

I don’t recommend leaving the bucket empty. You end up with a bunch that tried to eat each other. Putting a little water in the bottom is a lot less mess

 

Good point.

 

I put an ultrasonic/LED strobe rodent-repeller under the hood of my Gen 2 Tacoma when the f'ing squirrels seemed to have turned it into a bushy-tailed rat superhighway. Muddy footprints on the engine cover almost every time I opened the hood, and I'd see the b*stards jump on the tires to climb up.

They never damaged this truck, but they did chew the wiring on my Lexus RX, and years ago on my XJ Cherokee.

Amazingly enough, the ultrasonic/strobe repeller seems to work! I find it hard to believe, but that's my real-world experience. In a YEAR of use, I found footprints one time. I had one of my wireless security cameras set up looking at the truck's underside and it was immensely satisfying to see a squirrel run under the Tacoma, look up the tire into the engine compartment, and move on!

The one I got is ostensibly an indoor device, but I figure under-the-hood propped on the power steering fluid reservoir is thisclose to indoors, and it's working fine today almost three years later. It's a 120V plug-in style with a small wall-wart transformer, so it has to come out when the truck goes for a drive. Small price to pay, and my Gen 2 will often sit for weeks. I got another one to swap around the other vehicles, and it's living in my classic car now (a 1962 Triumph TR3).

I have one of the 12V kind, and one of the AA battery types too. But not enough empirical data to form an opinion on either. I like the idea of a permanent underhood mount for the 12V repellers.

The kind I got (twice) on Amazon seems to be no longer available. Pity, 'cause I'd get a third one!

 

Those work well. I made a “walk the plank” type of bucket trap with a piece of pvc and a fishing sinker for a counterweight.

 

I gave these a shot this summer after having lots of mice, squirrels, and ground hogs causing all kinds of issues in my basement and garage.

Ive always been skeptical of these types of things, but so far I haven't had any issues since installing.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Victor-PestChaser-Pest-Repeller/1001089494

 

I know the bucket traps are effective, but putting a bucket under my truck every time I park isn't very practical.
My truck doesn't even sit still for extended periods. The mice only need one night to cause problems.

 

Fluid film on frame rails, uca, inner fender wells and I lightly spray all the harnesses especially any that run behind the motor. I also Honda rodent tape wrap as much of the harness as I can reach before spraying

I also spray the top of the fuel tank. Seen them nest there as well and chew off the fuel pump connector

They all seem to hate touching the greasy stuff. Including porcupines and marmots that like to eat brake lines and harnesses as well

 

You don’t need to put it under the truck. Just keep one in the garage. You just need to thin the herd.

 

It doesn't need to be in or on or under the truck to be effective. It lures them in from the general area and kills them off.

 

As far as the sonic repelers go, recently sold a house, new buyer asks," what's the extension cord to the attic". I explained what is was followed up with the question,"does it work"? My response was I've never had a problem, but you can unplug it and see.