Mice are not my friends

Saturday night I hopped in the truck and had a terrible moaning, grinding sound as soon as I started up. Turned it off immediately. Turned it back on and the noise was intermittent, but quickly disappeared altogether. No issues beyond that. Last night, my son said it smelled a little like wet animal in the truck. Today, When I entered the truck, I knew by the stench, what the problem was. Pulled the air-filter and sitting on top of the blower was a large dead mouse. Disposed of the mouse and hopefully it was the only one. My question is this: It obviously came down from the top so I am going to put mesh on the air intake under the passenger side cowl. The flimsy grill over the filter was in a lot of pieces in the filter. Lots of gnawing on the top of the filter, but there was also gnawing at the bottom of the filter and there was no obvious hole through the filter. Is there any other air intake or is it possible the rodent slipped by the filter? He was underneath, on the blower itself.

 

I think the mesh would help but don’t know it might happen again …there seems to be a possible posse of fowl vermin out to destroy the taco’s????? Seriously, I’m beginning to wonder if they sprinkle something on them and it makes the rats come running like wolves….though they can squeeze thru impossible areas, though u did say no hole thru the filter so idk then that’s crazy, it had to come thru the top and got trapped would explain the bottom side gnawing…right? I would comb it all real good and eliminate the entry point which I’m thinking ….it’s the only way in top side thru the cowl (that you’re talking about). Keep us posted…….

 

It is mouse season! Seeking shelter or a warmer place to get out of the cold. I was standing near my open garage door when I was getting a whiff of death stank... It took a minute to track it down, but it was a moust that was able to squeeze into the garage door trim, climb up the side and die between the aluminum trim and the old wood trim directly under the aluminum. Good thing my wife did not see the little tail dangling down where the poor thing tried to push his way back out after getting stuck!

Mesh in the right place might work. Might not...
Mice can and will chew through almost anything to get where or what they want.

Can you set a poison bait station nearby to eliminate them in the area? Like one of those outdoor bait stations where they walk in to eat the bait...

 

Just wait until they decide to chew on the wiring. I don't know what made things different, but we have an open carport and park three cars in it, and for over 15 years never had any issues. Then one day my wife tried to start her car (2018 RAV4) and it bucked and popped and then quit. A close inspection under the hood showed the pigtails to the ignition coils as well as several of the sensors were all chewed up by rodents. My 2011 Tacoma is parked right next to it on one side and a '99 Avalon on the other and neither one has any chewed wiring at all.

When we got the RAV4 to the dealer, we were told the newer cars have wiring with a plastic insulation that is vegetable-based and rodents love the stuff.. The ENTIRE under-hood wiring harness on wife's car had to be replaced, luckily it fell under the comprehensive coverage of our insurance. I found an electrical tape on-line that has oils of Cayenne pepper and some other unpleasant stuff blended into the tape and adhesive and is marketed as "anti-rodent". I wrapped it everywhere I saw wires exiting from the corrugated wiring tubing and there's been no problem since.

Rodents look for two things, shelter and food. They can get anywhere they can fit their head through.

 

You will find a few screening ideas on this thread.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/air-intake-mouse-help-please.629317/

 

Spray under hood and engine bay with rust proofing and that will stop them. It worked on my vehicles.

 

I had an animal taking grass clippings and was trying to make a nest on top of the engine under the cover. I removed the cover. I get fluid film tomorrow. You have to regularly check for rodents attack. I think that this is a chipmunks took at least 10 out of the breeding pool with rat traps. Don't forget to check your cabin air filter.

 

Thanks for the responses! I did read the thread on screening the intake the other night, which is where the idea came from. I may pick up some rust proofing to spray the screen before putting it on as an extra deterrent. Replaced the filter today and before throwing the old one out, I took a closer look and saw the mouse had actually put a hole through one of the pleats. I knew they love wiring. The chewed completely through one of the wires on a coil pack for my wifes Fusion about 6 or 7 years ago. And they are especially attracted to the wiring on a John Deere garden tractor!

 

Squirrels will also eat your wiring. I garage mine now all the time after a $9,000 complete wiring replacement.

 

Be mindful about critters getting inside your garage. I caught this guy on the passenger side of my truck inside my garage.

 

The nice thing about getting the whole truck rust proofed (including under the hood) is, I doubt the mice like the smell.

But I don't have factual evidence to prove this....