Anyone else ever have a rodent problem with their cooper?
I just came back from a 3 week vacation, drove my 2015 mini cooper S,
made it about 3 miles and the brakes went out. The brakes were hard, would
not push in at all, and no brakes at all. I was lucky and was able to stop without
having an accident. Had the mini towed to dealer, got home, and discovered
the evidence on the garage floor where the mini had been parked. My acura and nissan pickup were not touched by a rodent. I am still in progress of getting
it repaired. But it is major damage, have to pull the engine and go from there.

 

Well I found the beginnings of a rodent nest on top of my battery box a few weeks back. They were actually using some of the top material and some other stuff I'm not sure where it came from. This is on a car that's used 3-5 days every week. Substituted a small glue trap for the nesting material but no stuck critters to report.
Hey, at least the little b*stards have good taste in cars!!!!

 

Here's a design for a fool proof, low maintenance perpetual mouse trap perfect for garage type spaces.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/easterly110.html

 

When I worked at the dealer we had people who came in with dead or even live rodents in the cabin air filter and engine air filter areas. It was a weekly occurrence. I believe they pulled a live bunny out once. A suggestion was to put cayenne pepper around areas of the car. There is also the pure peppermint oil on cotton ***** trick. I've also heard to use moth *****?... As they tend to not like the the smell of them. Never used this method, but you could put them around the outside of the car to deter them. Check out this post here for some useful information on some of these methods.

 

Had this happen. Best way it to keep it in a garage, and some moth ***** all around. Other then that if you are n a neighbor hood with cats its keeps the rodents away , but then the cats end up on the car.

So the moth ball trick , peppermint oil trick, Dryer sheets trick " Bounce ".

 

Wow, really sorry to read this.

 

I've got a chipmunk that likes to live in my car, I've found droppings in my engine bay. Luckily I haven't noticed any destruction, I drive this car everyday.

 

So I open my hood the other day to add washer fluid and out of the corner of my eye I see something run by real fast and my Son yells ."Dad I see a rat!" Then I noticed a nice pile of chewed up nuts or whatnot on top of my battery cover area. I cleaned it up and the next morning yet again there was another pile. Since cleaning up the second pile I haven't seen anything. For its sake I hope it don't come back. The irony here is before reading this thread I've never noticed anything like this with my vehicles.

 

- that's awesome....

 

Giving rodentia an easily accessable, more attractive destination is how to prevent the damage they cause. If it is a terminal destination, all the better.

 

Try a few of those methods listed above. Last thing you want is for that little guy to start munching on the car instead of those nuts.

 

I left my MCS in the garage for several days and the mice moved into the engine bay. They chewed into the bonnet liner and made a nest. (Mini wanted $250+ for a replacement liner!) They peed and crapped all over the engine bay. What a stinky mess.

I now leave the bonnet open for extended periods. I also leave dryer sheets in the boot, glovebox (they moved in there as well, chewing up my registration) and under the seats. They smell nice, better than mouse feces.

Since I started the dryer sheet and open bonnet protocol, I have not had any issues.

HTH

 

This would work well in warm climates. In the Northeast, the water would freeze. I suppose you could fill it with -20 windshield washer fluid, but I would worry about my Chocolate Lab getting into it.

 

...or sticky tape in the bottom of the bucket. Problem solving 101. Or, explain the situation to the dog. I explained something to a dog once and I swear, by the look on his face he knew exactly what I was telling him.

 

Well, I just got permission from the dog to drown the mice, he was a bit sqeemish about letting them freeze to death stuck to the bottom of the bucket. It was a good discussion and compromise. He is a great pal.

 

I've had field mice eat the wiring for my neutral safety switch on my '06 MCS automatic and this was not covered by warranty. In fact MINI didn't know why my car wouldn't start so I had to explain some of the odd things that service people aren't aware . It seems that mice are attracted to the MINI wiring because it contains soy protein and the cute mice just love it.
ISAMIN

 

Both my events were covered under insurance, so if you have damage contact your insurance company, they covered all mine. Those dang mice love the MINI wires, must be impregnated with cheese.

 

Yes, leaving the hood open takes away the environment that they like to be in. Having a closed hood gives them a warm dark place to hide and nest so that is why leaving the hood open is recommend. Anyways, we have the engine hood insulation HERE if needed. Much cheaper than the dealership.

 

Here are just a few pictures of the rodent damage. I still do not have my car back yet.
I am hoping to get it within the next 10 days. First estimate was $5700, now
they have more to add to that after pulling the engine. Putting in wiring harness now.

 

Wow , never seen them chew all the connections and wire , they usually pick one or two wires and then chew it all up. Did this tow me twice.

 

Man! I feel for you. I had a crappy little pile of fuzz on top of my battery box, but no real damage (a little of the black fiber of the battery box). I'd get a ramp type lift and put the car up in the air every night and you'd still be dollars ahead if the rodents are doing that kind of damage.

 

What is strange about this is I have not had a rodent problem in this house for 8 years. Then when I came back from vacation I saw where a mouse had been in a potting soil bag. So I put out a trap , the next day it was tripped and flipped over. So I set it again, same thing happened , set it again, drove the mini. Then discovered the damage while driving it. Have not had evidence of a mouse since I drove the mini . I have a live trap and two mouse traps set, nothing biting. So whatever did the damage, must have still been in the Mini.

 

Yea, or returned to the car every night to chew more. Or hitching a ride. Check the cabin filter area, might be hiding out there.

 

That packrat wasn't hungry, he just doesn't like you. A Lot!

 

After looking at those photos I'd go back to my original idea and improve upon it. Let 'em freeze to death THEN drown them and then let the crows have them.