Mice getting into vehicle CABIN

spike5150 · 03-17-2021, 03:13 PM

Just moved into a new (construction) home and mice are getting into the CABIN of my 2020 M50i. Yes, all the windows are closed. They seem to be after paper. My wife's F15 sitting right next to mine in the garage (which has a lot more "mouse bait") remains unmolested.

Anyone having trouble with mice in the cabin? Thoughts on where they might be getting in? They (their droppings, anyway) seem to be mostly in the front - i.e. floor, seats and cupholders.

I have heard horror stories about mice and other rodents eating wiring harnesses, but never had an issue with mice in the cabin of any of my past 4 X vehicles.

Paladin1 · 03-17-2021, 03:27 PM

Mice can get into almost anything, and they may have already made an "entrance." More in the Winter with cold weather; time for a pest control service....

edtreo · 03-17-2021, 04:16 PM

Moth balls

denaliman · 03-17-2021, 04:19 PM

A friend of mine has a new Mazda CX-9 and mice or a rat chewed the main wiring harness and other wires. This just happened 3 weeks ago. $7000 to have the repair and new harness. 3 days later after she got back her car another wire was chewed luckily it could be repaired for another $500. Get yourself some peppermint oil,mix with some water and spray your under carriage and inside the hood area. Just do not spray any areas that would get too hot, engine block or manifold. They also make a gadget called mouseblocker a little box you can install under hood that emits ultrasonic sound to keep them varmits away.

MystroX5 · 03-17-2021, 05:13 PM

Take this very seriously and put traps all around and under your car each night until until you get them all.

Stoshu · 03-17-2021, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Take this very seriously and put traps all around and under your car each night until until you get them all.

Also are you storing and dog food, bird seed, food, etc. in the garage? If you are remove it now or ensure it’s in a sealed container. I remember about 15 years ago we brought our mini van in for service and there was a bunch of dog food in the air filter box. Mice were storing it there for some reason. We removed the food and set traps until the problem went away.

Paladin1 · 03-17-2021, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MystroX5

Take this very seriously and put traps all around and under your car each night until until you get them all.

^^^^^^ This. And this:

https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Multi-...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

spike5150 · 03-17-2021, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paladin1

Mice can get into almost anything, and they may have already made an "entrance." More in the Winter with cold weather; time for a pest control service....

Have a pest control service. Got them stopped for a few weeks but this latest massive snowstorm brought them back.

spike5150 · 03-17-2021, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoshu

Also are you storing and dog food, bird seed, food, etc. in the garage? If you are remove it now or ensure it’s in a sealed container. I remember about 15 years ago we brought our mini van in for service and there was a bunch of dog food in the air filter box. Mice were storing it there for some reason. We removed the food and set traps until the problem went away.

Nope! Learned that lesson at the last new house 14 years ago.

Spencer518 · 03-18-2021, 08:28 AM

How are the mice even getting into the garage? Didn't your builder install rubber seals all around the garage doors?

mitch57 · 03-18-2021, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer518

How are the mice even getting into the garage? Didn't your builder install rubber seals all around the garage doors?

Depending on the age of the stripping they do shrink over time leaving a small gap at each side of the garage door.

A mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a nickel.

spike5150 · 03-18-2021, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer518

How are the mice even getting into the garage? Didn't your builder install rubber seals all around the garage doors?

Stripping is probably 6 months old at this point. Good idea to check that, though. They have no issues getting into the garage...

Ninefourteener · 03-18-2021, 11:42 AM

In Europe, they have "Martyrs"..... which are like wild ferrets I guess. They crawl up under your engine bay where it's warm and eat your hoodliner.

I've had 2 hoodliners eaten so far...

Then they CHEWED THROUGH MY PRE-CAT 02 SENSOR!

That..... was when I had a hardwired noise device installed to scare them away. Maybe they make something similar for mice?

Paladin1 · 03-18-2021, 12:22 PM

Lots of videos, same subject. One solution that seems to consistently work is diluted peppermint oil. Ultrasonic repellers have variable success depending on the determination of the rodents, and cayenne-infused tape prevents chewing (critters seem to be attracted to the newer soy-based coating used on wiring by many manufacturers), but only where you wrap it. Best solution is to keep mice out, or get rid of mice that are in - easier said than done.

codex57 · 03-18-2021, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spencer518

How are the mice even getting into the garage? Didn't your builder install rubber seals all around the garage doors?

My "luxury" toll builder doesn't seal the garage as much as us homeowners would like them to. Just not very impressed with Toll Brothers. Pretty much every neighbor subscribes to a pest control service. Those that don't just DIY with various mouse traps EVERYWHERE. We also have issues with ground squirrels. Rodents are just a major pain.

luckylingy · 03-18-2021, 07:22 PM

In addition to moth balls, try scented dryer sheets. Whenever I’d store a car over the winter, I’d liberally arrange 6-10 sheets in the engine bay, in the interior, and several more in the trunk (especially near the battery cables). No rodent issues, even though mice visited the garage.

stockli81 · 03-19-2021, 10:00 AM

I had a Rat lay a few turds on top of my engine on a 2 week old M50i... Caught the sucker and as it turned out was just a lone rogue rat... Chewed through the rubber seal on bottom of garage door and then chewed through cement steps leading to basement from the garage to make a home. SOB dug a ton of sand out. Luckily no damage to car or anything else apart from the sand. Fixed the seal and been spraying a peppermint oil, have not seen any activity in over a month or so.

GREENPUS · 03-19-2021, 10:55 AM

oh no, say it isn't so.... Toyota has a serious issue with mice entering the passenger compartment. I was hoping this wouldn't be an issue with BMW. I used to leave live traps with peanut butter in the passenger cabin. I was afraid to use anything that would kill the mouse thinking it would get injured and crawl in a hole in the car, die and stink up the car ventilation. On the Toyota I would leave the AC on and make sure the Recirculation button was on before turning the engine off. This would close all the vents so nothing on the outside could crawl into the passenger cabin. Not sure if the same thing can be done on BMW.
A wild squirrel got into the engine compartment and chewed up the wiring in the harness to my AC and killed the AC. Plus he chewed up the mat that was mounted to the top of the engine compartment. I read some where that the plastic coating on wires are now made from soybean and the reason for squirrels trying to eat the wires. Not sure if that is true or not.

mjr24 · 03-20-2021, 02:13 AM

On a new house (which I assume isn't a shack if you have a $80k car), there should be absolutely no holes big enough for a mouse to get in (especially in the garage). The builder needs to get out there and fix whatever they didn't correctly seal.

Paladin1 · 03-21-2021, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjr24

On a new house (which I assume isn't a shack if you have a $80k car), there should be absolutely no holes big enough for a mouse to get in (especially in the garage). The builder needs to get out there and fix whatever they didn't correctly seal.

If you have a garage door, there is enough space for a mouse to get in just because of required clearances. There are multiple ways for mice to get in a residence, new or old, unless you have a hermetically-sealed house - vents, pipe cutouts, drains. They don't need much space, and rubber seals are ineffective deterents because mice, well, chew through them.

neomahauck · 03-07-2024, 01:36 PM

Have you checked for any small openings or gaps around the doors or vents? Sometimes those can be entry points. Regarding your concern about wiring harnesses, it's definitely something to keep an eye on. Mice can cause serious damage if they start chewing on those. If you're still looking for solutions, I've got an idea you might want to consider. Have you thought about trying flea pest control methods? I know it might sound a bit unconventional, but sometimes those methods can work surprisingly well against mice too.

03-17-2021, 03:13 PM	#1
spike5150 Captain 423 Rep 984 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 M50i Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Denver Area iTrader: (0)	Mice getting into vehicle CABIN Just moved into a new (construction) home and mice are getting into the CABIN of my 2020 M50i. Yes, all the windows are closed. They seem to be after paper. My wife's F15 sitting right next to mine in the garage (which has a lot more "mouse bait") remains unmolested. Anyone having trouble with mice in the cabin? Thoughts on where they might be getting in? They (their droppings, anyway) seem to be mostly in the front - i.e. floor, seats and cupholders. I have heard horror stories about mice and other rodents eating wiring harnesses, but never had an issue with mice in the cabin of any of my past 4 X vehicles.
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03-17-2021, 03:27 PM	#2
Paladin1 Brigadier General 5645 Rep 4,540 Posts Drives: 2022 iX xDrive50, DGM Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Midwest iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 iX xDrive M60 [0.00] 2022 iX xDrive50 [9.00]	Mice can get into almost anything, and they may have already made an "entrance." More in the Winter with cold weather; time for a pest control service....
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03-17-2021, 04:16 PM	#3
edtreo Second Lieutenant 89 Rep 289 Posts Drives: 2019 X5 40i MSport Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Moth balls
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03-17-2021, 04:19 PM	#4
denaliman Major 480 Rep 1,301 Posts Drives: 2021 BMW X6M Competition Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 X6M [0.00]	A friend of mine has a new Mazda CX-9 and mice or a rat chewed the main wiring harness and other wires. This just happened 3 weeks ago. $7000 to have the repair and new harness. 3 days later after she got back her car another wire was chewed luckily it could be repaired for another $500. Get yourself some peppermint oil,mix with some water and spray your under carriage and inside the hood area. Just do not spray any areas that would get too hot, engine block or manifold. They also make a gadget called mouseblocker a little box you can install under hood that emits ultrasonic sound to keep them varmits away. __________________ _____________________________________ 2021 X6M Competition, 2021 Audi SQ5 Technik, 2013 Audi S4
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03-17-2021, 05:13 PM	#5
MystroX5 Major General 6324 Rep 5,357 Posts Drives: 2020 X7 M50i/ 911 Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Central Pa. iTrader: (0)	Take this very seriously and put traps all around and under your car each night until until you get them all.
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03-18-2021, 08:28 AM	#10
Spencer518 First Lieutenant 200 Rep 353 Posts Drives: 2021 X5 45e Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Albany, NY iTrader: (0)	How are the mice even getting into the garage? Didn't your builder install rubber seals all around the garage doors?
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03-18-2021, 11:42 AM	#13
Ninefourteener Major 1365 Rep 1,256 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 M50i, 2020 Alfa 4C Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: American in Belgium iTrader: (0)	In Europe, they have "Martyrs"..... which are like wild ferrets I guess. They crawl up under your engine bay where it's warm and eat your hoodliner. I've had 2 hoodliners eaten so far... Then they CHEWED THROUGH MY PRE-CAT 02 SENSOR! That..... was when I had a hardwired noise device installed to scare them away. Maybe they make something similar for mice?
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03-18-2021, 12:22 PM	#14
Paladin1 Brigadier General 5645 Rep 4,540 Posts Drives: 2022 iX xDrive50, DGM Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Midwest iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 iX xDrive M60 [0.00] 2022 iX xDrive50 [9.00]	Lots of videos, same subject. One solution that seems to consistently work is diluted peppermint oil. Ultrasonic repellers have variable success depending on the determination of the rodents, and cayenne-infused tape prevents chewing (critters seem to be attracted to the newer soy-based coating used on wiring by many manufacturers), but only where you wrap it. Best solution is to keep mice out, or get rid of mice that are in - easier said than done.
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03-18-2021, 07:22 PM	#16
luckylingy Lieutenant Colonel 3245 Rep 1,661 Posts Drives: X3M Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Up North iTrader: (0)	In addition to moth balls, try scented dryer sheets. Whenever I’d store a car over the winter, I’d liberally arrange 6-10 sheets in the engine bay, in the interior, and several more in the trunk (especially near the battery cables). No rodent issues, even though mice visited the garage.
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03-19-2021, 10:00 AM	#17
stockli81 Private First Class 54 Rep 173 Posts Drives: 2021 X5 M50i Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: N/A iTrader: (0)	I had a Rat lay a few turds on top of my engine on a 2 week old M50i... Caught the sucker and as it turned out was just a lone rogue rat... Chewed through the rubber seal on bottom of garage door and then chewed through cement steps leading to basement from the garage to make a home. SOB dug a ton of sand out. Luckily no damage to car or anything else apart from the sand. Fixed the seal and been spraying a peppermint oil, have not seen any activity in over a month or so. Attached Images
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03-19-2021, 10:55 AM	#18
GREENPUS Second Lieutenant 138 Rep 267 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW M5C Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: St. Louis, Missouri iTrader: (0)	oh no, say it isn't so.... Toyota has a serious issue with mice entering the passenger compartment. I was hoping this wouldn't be an issue with BMW. I used to leave live traps with peanut butter in the passenger cabin. I was afraid to use anything that would kill the mouse thinking it would get injured and crawl in a hole in the car, die and stink up the car ventilation. On the Toyota I would leave the AC on and make sure the Recirculation button was on before turning the engine off. This would close all the vents so nothing on the outside could crawl into the passenger cabin. Not sure if the same thing can be done on BMW. A wild squirrel got into the engine compartment and chewed up the wiring in the harness to my AC and killed the AC. Plus he chewed up the mat that was mounted to the top of the engine compartment. I read some where that the plastic coating on wires are now made from soybean and the reason for squirrels trying to eat the wires. Not sure if that is true or not. __________________ 2019 M5 Competition 2021 X6 xDrive40i M Sport 2018 Toyota RAV4 AWD Last edited by GREENPUS; 03-19-2021 at 12:10 PM..
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03-20-2021, 02:13 AM	#19
mjr24 Colonel 1659 Rep 2,406 Posts Drives: M8 Comp GC, X7, AMG GT53 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wisconsin iTrader: (0)	On a new house (which I assume isn't a shack if you have a $80k car), there should be absolutely no holes big enough for a mouse to get in (especially in the garage). The builder needs to get out there and fix whatever they didn't correctly seal. __________________ 2022 M8 Comp GC, 2021 AMG GT53, 2022 X5M Competition, 2021 X7 40i, 2019 M5, 2018 M550I, 2017 Audi Q7, 2014 M6 GC, 2013 Mercedes CLS550, 2011 750LI, 2008 M6 Cabrio, 2008 Porsche Cayenne S, 2004 Mercedes SL55 AMG, 2003 Mercedes SL500, 2000 Mercedes CL500, 1993 Lexus SC400, 1989 525i, 1985 318i
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03-07-2024, 01:36 PM	#21
neomahauck New Member 0 Rep 6 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Have you checked for any small openings or gaps around the doors or vents? Sometimes those can be entry points. Regarding your concern about wiring harnesses, it's definitely something to keep an eye on. Mice can cause serious damage if they start chewing on those. If you're still looking for solutions, I've got an idea you might want to consider. Have you thought about trying flea pest control methods? I know it might sound a bit unconventional, but sometimes those methods can work surprisingly well against mice too. Last edited by neomahauck; 03-11-2024 at 08:01 AM..
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