Big trouble! Is mouse-proofing the Prime / Gen 4? different?

I've finally joined the Mickey Mouse club. My Prime went dead while I was pumping up bike tires via a plug-in pump. A relay was clicking endlessly, and I got the "low 12V battery" message telling me to use the emergency brake.

Maybe it's just an old battery (car is only 2.5 years old), or maybe it's that I barely drive now. But I checked under the hood, and oh joy. Mouse crap everywhere. Acorns on top of 12V battery. Disgusting and dangerous (Hello coronavirus! Meet hantavirus!). I assume I have to act fast or I'll be spending massive money I don't have on new wiring.

I mouse-proofed my Gen 2 before the Prime, and never had a moment's issue with the buggers. But the Prime is heavily infested. I hope the electrical issues aren't from chewing, but I somehow figure they are. So far, no infestation on the inside, but I long ago used Carista to make sure the valve leading to the cabin filter stays shut when the car isn't running.

Adding to the joy, my new house is completely un-infested except for the garage, which is a disaster zone full of mouse crap. So I've parked outside to avoid those mice, and instead, apparently just been hanging out with them before they enter the garage.

So I have two questions. First is as-advertised -- is there a guide to the Prime and Gen 4 for mouse-proofing, or is it the same as for earlier gens?

Second -- any input on what the hell to do now is appreciated. I need to get rid of whoever is living in the engine compartment, and prevent wire-chewing immediately. I need to make sure nobody else moves in. And I have to clear out and mouseproof a massively infested garage (working on that), so I can put the car there and hopefully avoid further problems.

Talk about a club I never wanted to join!

 

Wow! Thank you. I hadn't thought of that at all. I did in fact spring for comprehensive for this car. First time I've ever done that. Guess that worked out!

 

That depends -- pardon my unfamiliarity with the exact terminology here, but I had it in "ignition mode." I hit the switch twice so it wouldn't be in accessory, but I didn't hit the brake.

 

Though I'm chagrined to not know I did that, I'm relieved. That does seem to significantly lessen the chances that it's mice-chewed wiring.

Yesterday I left the hood open in bright sunlight, then while I was inside working, I didn't notice that it clouded up. My engine got a pummeling from rain for a few minutes, and now almost all the mouse presents are gone. At least I'll get a clean slate to see if they return.

I've looked into chemical and sound repellents, and it seems that most don't really do much, or don't work for long if at all. It's discouraging, to say the least. Maybe one of the strobe-light contraptions would help? I live in rural New England, and to live here is to constantly battle these nasty critters.

 

Oh, and does anyone know if mouse-proofing a Prime is going to be pretty much the same as what I did with an '04?

I'm going to give it a try. Obviously that won't keep them out of the engine, but I will lose my mind if they get inside the car!

 

My dog would not approve! She's already half-crazy with all the rabbits around here!

The chemical stuff, well, I don't suppose it can hurt to try, despite what I posted above about few of them seeming to work. Can't hurt to try when you're desperate!

 

Thanks! Very glad to know that. It does raise the question of why they bothered with whatever that other mode is -- if it drains the battery, it seems to be the "okay, now you can actually lower the windows" super-duper accessory mode!

 

Yeah, I think I'm going this kind of route, though I am also going to cover some car entry points up. I think I've found their main entry into my garage. The big infestation is inside the wooden steps leading from garage to house. I have to seal that up, somehow. I can't get to the part of my house beneath the back porch, though. It's utterly impossible, and a probable route in.

There's almost nothing in the garage, thankfully. And I just got 24 snap traps.

I don't have a lot of things I used to, unfortunately including my shop vac and pressure washer. (Moved quickly because of divorce.) But I've got a mop and bleach! I'm probably overly careful because of hantavirus, but there are ways, even without the best tools.

 

Yep! Just got 24 of those traps. I had 12, and I think I've caught 5 mice with those. And I have a shovel and an N95 mask and goggles. I may look like a hazmat LARPer, but I'm gonna win this battle.

 

Thanks! That's exactly what I was hoping to find out, and specifically if it's the same for the Prime. So far, no mice inside the car. I want to keep it that way. I did the full screen treatment on my '04. I'm ready to repeat.