Anyone who has spent time in the Mineral King area of Sequoia National Park knows about the legendary car-devouring marmots. These little rodents have learned to crawl under cars and chew through the radiator hoses, rewarding themselves with sweet radiator fluid. It doesn't seem to harm them and they come back every spring for more. Some people wrap their cars in chicken wire or tarps, while others leave the hood up in the (mistaken) belief that it prevents marmot invasions. I just got back from three days there, and didn't take any precautions since I was just day hiking and it's a bit late in the season to marmot attacks. It got me wondering, though, about Prius' vulnerability to marmots. In looking at the engine compartment (from above) it seems far too cramped for a marmot (they run about 10 kilos) to get into, and I couldn't see any exposed wiring or tubing when I peeked under the car. Does anyone have a photo of the car from underneath, or better yet personal experience with this problem? Thanks, Eric
I do know that the underbelly of the prius are some plastic belly panels designed to make your car more aerodynamic. But they are no match for a coolant ravenous rodent. Are those panels intact?
If I were you, next time I'd try a known rodent repellent, like old-fashioned mothballs. I personally use mothballs to ward off squirrels and mice. Just get a small box of old-fashioned mothballs and pour some into an old sock, stocking or cloth, and hang or place the sack of mothballs somewhere under the hood. Then when you return to the car, remove the sack (unless you're willing to live with the smell of mothballs wafting through the ventilation system into your car cabin).
Are you certain that won't make your car smell like mothballs anyways? I would definately remove the sock before driving off... If for some reason the sock breaks, you'll have a hood full of loose mothballs... Although it seems to me to be more funny than dangerous...
I stood next to Boo in Detroit and don't remember smelling mothballs. Perhaps the airplane flight and a shower did the trick. Tom
I don't know about other animals, the smell of an old sock certainly attracts the attention of cats...
