mice & screening off cabin air intake

I know this topic has been addressed elsewhere, but I can't seem to find a thread specifically addressing it.

After seeing evidence of mice throughout the cabin, I removed the glove compartment and air filter and found a nest. Although my understanding is that there may be a number of "entry points" through the Prius, I'd like to start by tackling where they appear to be coming in at this cabin air intake. Is there a reasonable way to screen off this entry from the engine compartment side?

'Any advice appreciated...

 

Hey thanks,

I'm including a picture here where you can see the chewing/damage they've done to that insulation/firewall material just below what I think you are talking about. I was thinking they were coming in at this point, and wondering how I could screen in behind there. But you're saying I need to go in from the top by removing the wipers/drain gates since that where the actually air intake is? That makes more sense...

 

Where, specifically, are you talking about when you say "covering the air intake"?

 

OK, you were right on target as far as needing to look under/inside that cowl/rain collector...a comfy nest for mr. mouse was right there.

I'm still unclear about the air intake location. I've marked with a green arrow on the driver's side pic what seems to be the air intake...is that what you are talking about? The reason I ask is that as I look at it, it appears like is is just one of several openings (red arrows) that would allow a mouse to get in "behind" that area...it doesn't seem as if that opening is the end of a "tube" or hose for example that if you seal off that opening you've blocked the only entryway. But maybe I just can't see well enough what is behind that opening.

I've also included a picture of the passenger's side. There is a similarly-shaped opening on that side, but with a rubber "flap"/door over it secured with a screw (red arrow). Is that the opening to the cabin air intake that should also be sealed off?

Thanks again for the help.

 

Just posting back for future reference of others encountering this problem. The cabin air intake is not one of the openings identified in my earlier pics, but the huge opening (around 8" x 11") at the TOP of the passenger side cavity that is exposed when you remove the rain cover. Other threads talk about the wisdom of making sure your ventilation system is set to "recirculate" before shutting the car off and you can see why. Leaving it set to "outside air coming in" basically results in an unobstructed 8" x 11" passageway from the engine compartment directly into the vehicle via the air cabin entry/filter area. Leaving it in "recirculate" at least closes a plastic door that prevents easy entry, although any determined rodent could easily chew through that door.

I attached a section of metal screening with self-drilling sheet metal screws. Unfortunately those screws don't go in too easily around the rounded edges of the intake, leaving gaps. I stuffed some more screening into those areas. Not a "rodent proof" fix to be sure, but perhaps enough to discourage easy entry into the cabin.

PS Note the position of your wipers before removing them, since there is no obvious guide/fit pattern when you reinstall them...and if you don't get the position right your wipers won't "wipe" a full coverage pattern or will "overshoot" the edge of the windshield (drivers wiper).

Not a pleasant DIY project at all. For those having mice entering the cabin I'd first make a habit of keeping that plastic door "shut" by ensuring that recirculate option is lit before shutting down. If you are still getting entry, then this more drastic step might be worth it.

 

What I used was the just common window screening material you can buy at any home improvement store; this is a heavy-duty *metal* screening however...if you get the plastic/nylon stuff the mice will chew right through it. Better yet (but not as easy to bend/work with/install) would be galvanized mesh "hardware cloth" with 1/4" spacing between the wires, also widely available at home improvement and farm/ranch supply stores...

 

I'm not sure I'm following what you're saying. But I experimented a little during this project while I had the glove compartment removed so that I could physically see the plastic hinged "door" that is controlled by the ventilation controls. Selecting the "recirculate" option closes that door as you would expect. If you shut the car off while in "recirculate" that door will remain closed. Conversely, if the "outside air" control is selected, then this door is--again as you'd expect--"open" to allow the outside air to be pulled in. If you shut off the vehicle with the "outside air" control on, that door will remain "open"....in effect you've left an 8"x11" open hole into your car's cabin for anything that might want to get in.

Bearing this in mind I'm surprised I haven't had more rodent activity in my car over the years since I've lived in several ag/rural areas where mice are common and persistent. Particularly if you have kids or if you eat/snack in your car where you might leave some bits of food here and there...watch out. I don't do this often, but I snack on mixed nuts "on the road" now and then and I'm sure a few of those "escaped" down between seats, etc. Or if you're active and you've stashed some 'snacks' in a backpack, etc. Mice and rats have a very keen sense of smell and can easily detect small amounts of food in a vehicle...particularly if you've left that 8x11 opening "open" for odors to escape. And once one has made entry the problem is compounded because they leave a 'scent trail' that others will use for future reference.

Other threads have folks screening off all sorts of other possible entry points into the Prius, this appears to be just the largest and perhaps easiest to access. I'm hoping this will stop the access, along with several others things I will do to make getting into the vehicle less attractive in the first place. First, I plan to give mine a thorough cleaning (remove the old scent trails, droppings, etc.) Second, be much more vigilent about food in the vehicle. Third, in my case another issue was storage of wildlife/bird food in the garage. It is stored in a metal rodent-proof container, but you'll inevitably be spilling some as you fill feeders, empty new bags into the containers, etc. I've moved my seed storage container OUT of the garage to another location to keep the garage more "food free". The problem is that where mice find close food, they'll seek out attractive nesting opportunities in the immediate vicinity, which puts nearby vehicles at risk.

But certainly the advice I saw in a couple of other threads (not necessarily related to Prius) from mechanics recommending that car owners shut off their vehicle in "recirculate" mode to close that air intake door makes sense. It would be nice if manufacturers had the system default to closing this door when the vehicle is shut down, but then you'd likely have consumers complaining that the car didn't "remember" what they selected when they shut it down etc. etc.