Mouse invasion

Enfield

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PO of my 07 GT vert had a big new storage building, but it was not tight enough to keep out rodents. She's been here 2 months. Yesterday I took her out for the first spin in a few weeks and got that sickening odor when turning on the heat/fan. My only other vehicle that ever had mouse problems was a 1st Gen Tacoma that stayed in the barn - not the tight shop where the GT stays. Tacoma got mice in the blower cage unless you kept the vent on "recirculate".

Is there a setting on the Mustang HVAC that will keep mice from entering the system? Tomorrow I will pull the fan and fully expect to find a carcass or two. Other suggestions gladly accepted, TIA,

Enfield
 

Iceman62

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Rodents hate certain smells/odors. Put a "shit-ton" of dryer sheets in trunk, on/under seats, under hood & throw a bunch of these around/underneath too:

Fresh_Cab.jpg
 

MrBhp

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I've tried all of the above, with mixed results. The one thing that finally deterred them was leaving the hood up. We have a cat, but my idiot neighbors keep feeding him. Cats aren't nearly as good mousers on a full stomach. We feed the cat, he's healthy. He was great at keeping the shop clear of rodents. Now since the crazy bitch next door started feeding him, he just looks at mice. And now we have freekin Norwegian rats. Those bastards are smart.
 

Juice

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PO of my 07 GT vert had a big new storage building, but it was not tight enough to keep out rodents. She's been here 2 months. Yesterday I took her out for the first spin in a few weeks and got that sickening odor when turning on the heat/fan. My only other vehicle that ever had mouse problems was a 1st Gen Tacoma that stayed in the barn - not the tight shop where the GT stays. Tacoma got mice in the blower cage unless you kept the vent on "recirculate".

Is there a setting on the Mustang HVAC that will keep mice from entering the system? Tomorrow I will pull the fan and fully expect to find a carcass or two. Other suggestions gladly accepted, TIA,

Enfield
Max AC will close the fresh air door. Not sure if it actually stays closed after you turn key off.

Ps: there is no such thing as a mouse proof building. ;)
 

Aussie-Parnelli

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We used to have that problem here in Australia, mice love rubber and silicon
I was advised to put moth balls in engine bay and trunk. Rodents don't like the odour Have not had an issue since fitting them, remember to check them every few months
I use these and just hang one on a cable or wire moth balls.jpg
 

MasterofDisaster

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I found some rodent repellent spray at a home improvement store that seems to work. It's peppermint and cinnamon, so my garage smells good. It's not a bad aroma to have in your car.
 

edw794

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years ago i had a battle with a rat that lived in my garage for two months before i nailed him. before that, it was crapping all over the place and living inside the hood of my 2003 terminator when the car cooled down enough. of course when it heard me coming it was out of the engine compartment. in the meantime it started to partially chew into the wires of my 2003 mach 1. i tried what was available then which included sticky paper that actually caught him but he was able to break free and many rat traps kept at strategic points he would cross including inside the engine compartment. it was easy to follow its footsteps by following its crap that it constantly laid. finally one day i just set a trap out of frustration in the middle of the garage floor and left the house. later on i received a text from my wife telling me the rat was dead on the trap. so what worked for me was an old fashioned rat trap baited with a bit of jelly bean just left out in plain view in the middle of the garage floor.
 

406guy

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Be sure to check your air filter too. They can get in there easy and they love to chew those things up. Don't drive the car with a chewed up air filter.
 

hotrod69boss

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MrBhp is correct. I live in rural north Texas and leaving the hood up is the best deterrent. I also use 'FINAL' brand rodent blox in a 'T' trap. Otherwise I would not have any wiring remaining in any of my autos.
 

Juice

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How can I keep mice out of the house?? I have a cat, and he is a good hunter! I still hear mice scurrying in the ceiling.
Plz dont suggest "sealing" up the house, thats just ludicrous as those buggers can practically go 2 dimensional. Lmao
 

DieHarder

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Recommend reviewing youtube for some interesting mousetrap ideas. Personally, I've used old fashioned spring traps bated w/peanut butter. Works well. Another good trap are the heavy duty glue traps though the critters might still be alive when you check them. Good luck.
 

Juice

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I have cought more mice with the snap traps (tom cat?) without any bait. lol
A couple of years ago, I had mice starting to build a nest inside my bike's mufflers. Start the bike and I see what looks like snow flakes, blip throttle, cleared. The NEXT day, same thing again. I put a trap on top of the muffler right by the passenger footpeg. Next day, dead mouse. Happened twice, never since!
If I know their path of travel, I just put a trap there, no bait needed. lol
 

MasterofDisaster

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Concur w/ Juice & DieHarder. Peanut butter is easy to use and highly effective. The Tom Cat plastic traps work pretty well for me. They caught a mouse in the garage that had managed to lick the PB off the trigger of a wooden trap.

I had something like a Tom Cat years ago in Arvada, Colorado. It snapped on the mouse so violently that it sort of exploded the corpse. At least it didn't cause a lingering death....
 

Dennis Grim

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You need to buy some Irish spring soap, cut bars in half and put them all around engine bay, intake area, exhaust pipes and floor around car. This is my method along with a shitload of cheap dollar store dryer sheets. Works not only in my 08 Stang convertible but fixes my mice issues in my stored Lund boat as well! Cheap alternative. I still trap the buggers all winter but this fix sure will help you.
 

pass1over

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I've used mothballs with great success like Aussie-Parnelli suggested. I put a bag in the back seat floor board and one under the car. No more mice. Now my car smells like mothballs though
 

Enfield

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Thanks for all responses. It turned out that the reek came from the remains of a deer that a hunting buddy had field-dressed near the end of our [long] driveway. By coincidence I had just turned on the heater fan when passing the spot last time I took the 'Stang out. When I pulled the fan out just now, it looked and smelled new. Never suspected mice in my shop because a black snake has made his home in a tool drawer full of welding rods. He is most welcome there.

Keeping the hood open is cheap insurance; it also gives easy access to the trickle charger connection. The wife will never miss a few dryer sheets that will go under seats and in trunk. Mice don't seem to like K&N's, and the Flowmasters that just came off show no trace of them, either. Now if the weather would just break a little!

More possible insurance might come from leaving HVAC set to MAX A/C. Are any of the heater doors visible with fan out and glove box removed?
 

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