I just took a non-AC underdash heater box apart and there was a huge mouse nest inside. It was made-up of seat stuffing, under dash pad etc. Lucky it was vacant. You would think there would be better places for them to go. For the life of me I could never figure out how in the hell they got in there but I noticed they could fit in the plastic floor heater outlet at the bottom. They would have to launch themselves into the holes from the carpet below and the plastic is pretty slippery. If they miss they would crack their head. Pretty funny thought. The waste from the little buggers causes rust inside the box and a big clean-up. I have seen the same problem on many other cars. What is the attraction? Maybe they drink the anti-freeze from a leaking heater core. You would think it would kill them before they made the nest.
They can also make it inside thru the fresh-air duct in the pass side cowl section....seen the same thing here in FL. The ethylene glycol in anti-freeze will poison them.
You know it is funny you bring this up... those little rascals have taken my beautiful California car into a spotted leopard. My car was completely when I checked it out... rockers were as solid as my 2001 alero, the GS hood on it was way more solid than my 2001 alero... trunk did have some holes from a leaky rear window seal (typical). So I bought the car thinking wow what a solid car. I spent a month or so getting the car stripped and placed onto a rotisserie... had it soda and light glass blated and here is what I found. I did not know the mice nests under the rear seat, front cowl (both sides), both doors, would have caused rotting. But after they bead blasted the car I had little holes in all of those areas. The guy who blasted my car was liek this is amazing... your fenders hood all of the areas that are usually bad are superb!!!! but the darn mice rotted those small areas... Ok I feel better! Thanks for bringing it up :blast:
Sean, tough luck with those spots. That mouse piss is nasty stuff I guess. George, never though about that one on the vent. Defrost ducts would be blocked because of the grate.
They love air cleaners as well. You would think the gas smell would keep them out. I love the thought of the surprise they get when the car is started in any of the areas. Ever been in a car wiht bad smells coming from the ducts? Cooked mouse I bet.
That's why I'm zipping my car up into a car pocket this winter. I still have to clean out the heater box from last winter. I'm just avoiding it.
get 100% pure peppermint oil and put it on cotton balls and place them throughout the car, they don't like the smell.
Plus they get to exercise by running in the blower cage when it's too cold outside to leave the nest!
Dwayne, that is funny....Buick Rat. If you find a cat that can fit in the heater ducts let me know and I will call Guiness. I always had cats as a kid and they kept the house rodent free. Would work in Garage as well. I litter box around cat will never piss in house.
Mice destroyed the rockers and rear trunk brace on my 58. Huge piles of seat cushion material and other...things stuffed in there.
I could tear it like paper, it was so thin. I had to completely fabricate a new rear trunk brace/body mount area.
Back to the mouse nest in the heater box.....check out this baby I found in a 67 Eldorado. Sure am glad the heater core was bad or I would have been breathing this crap. :eek2: This isn't the first one I have found in a heater box but it might be the biggest.
