Mice vs BRZ

[bobka7914]

Had the same problem on BOTH of our Subarus last January. Our garaged 2013 Outback went to the dealer for an oil change. A tech came out to me in the waiting room and said there is something that I had to see. He showed me the hood insulation- it was pock marked with 2-3" diameter holes, maybe 10 or so of them. Mice were hungry. They he pointed down to the firewall insulation- this time those nasty critters ate/took almost the whole left side of the firewall insulation off, basically completely stripped! He said that the insulation was soy based and they eating it and/or using it as nesting material. The car was traded for a '15 Outback a few months later with nothing said!!!


After that unpleasant experience, I figured I better check my BRZ that is left in the driveway when I got home. Yes, the mice started eating the hood insulation off of my baby too! Thankfully, not nearly as bad as the Outback. I check the fluid level every 2 weeks, so all of this damage must have taken place in a matter of a week or two last January. Yes, the Outback (my wife's) is garaged, not my BRZ. For those of you who are married know that a Happy wife = a Happy life!

I did some research and found that peppermint oil extract will keep the mice away. So I soaked a couple of my wife's make-up cotton balls with a little mint extract and placed them in the inside of the BRZs hood holes. Works like a charm. No mice. We also use this method in our garage and basement. Smells good, no mice there either!

[Sisko's_Baseball]

Originally Posted by bobka7914

Had the same problem on BOTH of our Subarus last January. Our garaged 2013 Outback went to the dealer for an oil change. A tech came out to me in the waiting room and said there is something that I had to see. He showed me the hood insulation- it was pock marked with 2-3" diameter holes, maybe 10 or so of them. Mice were hungry. They he pointed down to the firewall insulation- this time those nasty critters ate/took almost the whole left side of the firewall insulation off, basically completely stripped! He said that the insulation was soy based and they eating it and/or using it as nesting material. The car was traded for a '15 Outback a few months later with nothing said!!!


After that unpleasant experience, I figured I better check my BRZ that is left in the driveway when I got home. Yes, the mice started eating the hood insulation off of my baby too! Thankfully, not nearly as bad as the Outback. I check the fluid level every 2 weeks, so all of this damage must have taken place in a matter of a week or two last January. Yes, the Outback (my wife's) is garaged, not my BRZ. For those of you who are married know that a Happy wife = a Happy life!

I did some research and found that peppermint oil extract will keep the mice away. So I soaked a couple of my wife's make-up cotton balls with a little mint extract and placed them in the inside of the BRZs hood holes. Works like a charm. No mice. We also use this method in our garage and basement. Smells good, no mice there either!

Willing to try this, because the little effers got into my trunk and my back seat. Not sure how, because I keep the car closed and locked (ditto for windows), but they pulled the Kleenex out of a tissue box I keep in the trunk and made a big fluffy nest out of it. Why these little guys go to the toilet where they sleep is beyond me. On my way to the dealer now for a closer inspection of where they’re getting in and whether anything else got chewed up.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Sisko's_Baseball

where they’re getting in

I'd check two places - in the spare wheel well there are a few holes to the ground covered with semi-reusable stickers (useful to drain the trunk if you got water in it); behind the trunk side carpeting (held on by several plastic clips) there are the air vent panels which lead to the area between the wheel well liner and rear bumper.

Also, Halloween was almost a month ago, but great necromancy on this thread.

[DarkPira7e]

I think where the transmission enters the car interior is also a convenient place for them to enter. And the firewall holes, cabin air filter.

The easier thing to do is leave the car where there are less likely to be mice, if that's possible

[Lantanafrs2]

I had one chew a hole in my rear seat. I also found knaw marks on my ac vents.