Eda Poppy

Its just a fluke thing, why all of a sudden would the mice move into the parking area? Who knows... And I wasn't saying that you were trying to make it a warranty issue. I honestly don't think plugging holes is the answer, I think dealing with the mouse infestation in the specific area you park is. Is the car parked in a garage? I assumed both of these cars were outside but Eda alluded to having a garage. Call an exterminator...even if it is outside... A couple of outdoor cats would keep the mice away from the area immediately around your house though, and thats all that matters... Here's an interesting question, did that outdoor cat die around the same time you started getting mice in your previous RX300? Hi Everybody, Steve seems to think that the mice moved into the area after I did, but they were here long, long before any people were around here...and they still are here. The mice got into the car and I stopped them by covering the holes with duct tape a few years before my son found the cat. They could easily chew though duct tape, but they don't because they have no idea what is on the other side. When they see the holes they go inside to explore and find a good spot to nest. Then they find some material (the air filter) conveniently right there so they start pulling it to build their nest. "What's this another hole?" "Hmmm, I wonder what's back there?" Now, they're in the glove box and have run of the car. I asked for help from the dealer to screen the holes, but like Steve, the amateur lawyers in the service department seemed to fear liability instead of helping fix the problem. (I wasn't asking for warranty work; I was willing to pay them.) I figured out how they were getting in the same way I earned enough money to pay for the car solving problems for clients... I thought like a mouse! And when I think like those who dismiss and who block complaints, I can understand them, too. But as both a customer and long term investor I know that their efforts are horribly misguided. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to help solve the problem it looks like it is still there almost ten years later! That is what is frustrating to me!

My son found a kitten out in the woods once. It was really young and we have no idea how it got there so he brought it home. As it got bigger, when it started getting dark outside it would start stalking. It was great fun watching it catch and play with them... then bite their little heads off! Unfortunately, to make a dent in the population in the forest, we would need LOTS of cats. Then cats would be everywhere! (this reminds me of a children's book, "The King, the Mice, and the Cheese".) Though, for most people keeping a cat or two in the garage probably wouldn't hurt.

Cool. A better mousetrap! Maybe your body shop friend can put some sort of grating over any air intake openings. You are absolutely right about the urine. Once just one finds the hole all of their friends and family follow even after you catch the original culprit.

Hmmm... So you parked your car where there were mice and didn't have any (that you know of), but others shouldn't be able to do that? They should get the entire forest treated for mice? I'm not sure about where Josie lives, but in my case there are less than 20 people in over 100 square miles. The mice have been living in the forest longer than I have and they are part of the food chain for other critters. I have been here since the late 70's and have had many cars all parked in the exact same place... Including Dodge truck, Nissan, Audi, Supra, etc, and even a Blazer (that I hated). The RX was the ONLY car that I had where mice got INSIDE the car. I'm not saying that the problem is exclusively a Lexus / Toyota problem. It is just really frustrating to try to get such a simple matter resolved when you first have to deal with know-it-all sales types who always blame the customer first. If the complaint doesn't get past them, management will say, "We never get any complaints."!!! Your advice on the coated wire is on track, though. I am hoping to somehow remove the cover and find out what is under it so I can install the mesh so it covers any openings and is more permanent. (It was really difficult to get under the RX300 cover hence the duct tape.)

You might try using those "ultrasonic" plug-ins. They are available at most hardware or big box stores. Run an extension cord into the car and faithfully plug in one of these devices, every single night. You're trying to make your car uninviting for a rodent to live in. Just don't close the door or window on the cord and create a fire hazard and don't drive off with the cord still plugged in, etc., etc. Try plugging in some of these devices in the garage too. Just a thought, as using poison is going to result in a odor you won't want to endure whether the dead mouse ends up in your garage or your car. Hi There, After selling my Prius because it was literally over-run with mice, I'm not thrilled to hear this about the Lexus. Can someone whose dealt with the mouse issue take photos of where I need to screen so I know what I'm looking for. Thanks to all of you for the very speedy replies. Here's hoping to keep this car mouse free! Thanks, Josie This is a picture of the rx450h. I circled the area where the mice entered the rx300. The rx450h is a little different... I'm not sure yet... there might be more places for them to get into the air conditioning system. I just got the car so I'm spraying peppermint oil at night temporarily so they hopefully don't find the holes until I figure out how to block them. I'll probably have my brother who is an aviation engineer and pretty clever seal it up for me. He has the expertise, equipment and materials to do a professional job. Hopefully your friend(s) got in through the windows or something because once they find a way in their friends just follow the "markings" they left. Thanks so much for the very clear photo. I think steel wool is the best bet. It would hurt the car and the mice don't like to chew on it because it hurts their teeth. I'll keep you all posted as to how this battle turns out. I just love my car and am literally sick at heart to evidence of mice inside the car. Thanks, Josie The problem with steel wool is that it rusts. But, please keep us posted.

You might try using those "ultrasonic" plug-ins. They are available at most hardware or big box stores. Run an extension cord into the car and faithfully plug in one of these devices, every single night. You're trying to make your car uninviting for a rodent to live in. Just don't close the door or window on the cord and create a fire hazard and don't drive off with the cord still plugged in, etc., etc. Try plugging in some of these devices in the garage too. Just a thought, as using poison is going to result in a odor you won't want to endure whether the dead mouse ends up in your garage or your car. Hi There, After selling my Prius because it was literally over-run with mice, I'm not thrilled to hear this about the Lexus. Can someone whose dealt with the mouse issue take photos of where I need to screen so I know what I'm looking for. Thanks to all of you for the very speedy replies. Here's hoping to keep this car mouse free! Thanks, Josie This is a picture of the rx450h. I circled the area where the mice entered the rx300. The rx450h is a little different... I'm not sure yet... there might be more places for them to get into the air conditioning system. I just got the car so I'm spraying peppermint oil at night temporarily so they hopefully don't find the holes until I figure out how to block them. I'll probably have my brother who is an aviation engineer and pretty clever seal it up for me. He has the expertise, equipment and materials to do a professional job. Hopefully your friend(s) got in through the windows or something because once they find a way in their friends just follow the "markings" they left.

I sell houses, I don't build them but again read what I said. Mice make their own openings. Thats not an issue limited to Lexus. Rodent damage is very common in all cars...ask an insurance adjuster. ALL is a pretty big set of automobiles. I've had MANY cars in the past 40+ years and the ONLY one with mice problems INSIDE the car was the RX300. It was also my favorite car. The new RX450h is my new favorite. It is true that animal damage is common outside the car and under hood. I wouldn't complain about that. Heck, I've had bears scratch up a car, but I wouldn't blame the manufacturer for that. What I'm talking about is mice getting INSIDE THE CAR through holes that look (to a mouse) like they are made just for them. It is true that leaving the windows or sunroof open will let them in especially at night. But, in my case, that wasn't it. I could reproduce the problem and fix it by blocking the entry points with duct tape. I used glue traps (the cardboard kind where you peel the film) inside to catch the critters... poison is bad news especially if they drag the poison into the air conditioning system and you breath the dust. Also, you might poison their predators. I'm really tired of hearing lame excuses about this problem where sales types blame the customer instead of the product or saying we can't fix it because everybody has the problem... instead of just fixing it! All they have to do is add a little grating around the air conditioning intakes.

I'm in the housing business and I can tell you with authority...nothing is rodent proof. A house cannot be made rodent proof because rodents claw and chew their way into places they want to get to. If there is no hole...they will make a hole. Same is true of a car, there might be a space thats half an inch big, a rodent gets at it knawing on it and its big enough for them to enter. This can be under the car, under the hood...in places you don't see. Nothing a carmaker can do about that. Maybe the rodent came in when a door or window was left open in the garage...maybe for 5 minutes. They're fast. If you are in the business, hopefully you seal the areas where there are ducts, pipes, etc. entering from the outside and not just make it look like it is sealed up. I have seen some pretty shoddy work, though. The problem with mice in the RX isn't limited to the RX450h. I reported it to Lexus in 2001. Back then, the mice would find the little drain trough by the hood hinges which probably looks like a little sidewalk to a mouse. At the end, there is a turn, then a hole the perfect size. The mice would easily get past the air filter and into the car. Indeed they do make a mess especially in the glove box. After catching lots of mice INSIDE THE CAR, I was able to finally eliminate the problem by duct taping the area around the hinge. Sure mice can chew through, but without a hole for them, they have no idea what's on the other side. Cleaning around the entry points with ammonia then peppermint oil helps remove the tracks their friends and family might follow. I haven't figured out how to patch up the RX450h (or RX350) yet. The hole is bigger and more awkward to duct tape in the new model. I wish Lexus would just put a screen between that area and the air intake. For now, every night, I'm spraying peppermint oil on the tires and under the windshield and praying they don't find the holes.

When mice get into your house, do you complain to your home builder? Mice are very destructive, and they can get into just about whereever they want to get to. Lexus won't do anything to repair damage by rodents...nor should they. Thats like asking Lexus to fix the damage done when a tree falls on your car. Yes! I would absolutely expect a builder to make a house rodent proof. Even dryer vents have flaps so rodents can't enter. It doesn't take much; just don't leave a hole tempting them to come in. There is absolutely no excuse for not sealing the area behind the hood hinges so mice can't enter!

I suspect the mice go exploring during the night and find a small hole below the windshield wipers then find the larger holes where the joints to the hood are. They can get into the car through the air conditioning system. Finding a place safe from predators they start dragging stuff in to build a nest. I wonder if some of Toyota's sudden acceleration problems could be related to urine or debris on sensors or computer components. Unfortunately, Lexus won't do anything. Maybe it will help if enough people complain. Plugging the holes somehow then using glue traps inside the car is probably best. (If you release them, they'll just return now that they know the way in.) Mice don't like peppermint oil and it doesn’t smell too bad to humans so that helps some. You can get peppermint oil from a heath food store. Put a little in a spray bottle with water.