PSA: Watch for vermin. Rats - Mice - Squirrels

Maquis

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Threads
30
Messages
4,403
Reaction score
6,093
Location
Illinois
Vehicles
2021 Mach E4X, 2023 Lightning Lariat ER
Country flag
I've had similar issues with ICE vehicles. The more 'rural' your location, the greater the risk. Rodents love to chew on electrical insulation. Many thermoplastics contain soy oil. Some theorize the soy content tends to attract such vermin.
Sponsored

 

Maquis

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dave
Joined
Dec 21, 2020
Threads
30
Messages
4,403
Reaction score
6,093
Location
Illinois
Vehicles
2021 Mach E4X, 2023 Lightning Lariat ER
Country flag
You can also install an electronic ultrasonic rodent repellent in the car (battery or 12v operated) or garage/carport.
I used one of these in a mobile home I had on my farm. The mice chewed the cord on the repeller almost bare before it shorted and tripped a breaker. It did kill one of the bastards, though! ?
 

Fat Mach

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Threads
12
Messages
499
Reaction score
632
Location
Nor Cal
Vehicles
2013 GT350
Country flag
I had a mouse get into the HVAC system behind the radio controls on my 2018 Focus Electric. Stunk pretty bad until I had the dealer rip it apart and clean it all out. The solution is being vigilant with mouse traps. Cats actually help if they will hunt. I've got a bobcats hanging around. They're pretty useful. Also, the rattlesnakes are pretty useful, but I kill them on sight just on principle.

2019_noon_d38495517c30745b9a2f65dc77601720bdf120f2.jpg


l_27_2018_8fa601fe55e6aaea222a06f91fac6d2111235e7b.jpg
 

MerryBrown

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mary
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
809
Location
Northern, CA
Vehicles
2018 Ford Escape, Red Ford Mach-E on order
Occupation
Finance
Country flag
You can also install an electronic ultrasonic rodent repellent in the car (battery or 12v operated) or garage/carport.
it won't drain the battery If you use one of those? Also where would you put it?
 

MerryBrown

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mary
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
809
Location
Northern, CA
Vehicles
2018 Ford Escape, Red Ford Mach-E on order
Occupation
Finance
Country flag
Now that there are many of you that have a BEV for the first time, you should research this problem.

I just saw another person fell victim to a mouse causing $2800 in damage.
Ford Mustang Mach-E PSA: Watch for vermin. Rats - Mice - Squirrels l_27_2018_8fa601fe55e6aaea222a06f91fac6d2111235e7b


This guy put a TRAP under the hood after $1500 in damage!
Ford Mustang Mach-E PSA: Watch for vermin. Rats - Mice - Squirrels l_27_2018_8fa601fe55e6aaea222a06f91fac6d2111235e7b


Nice nest.
Ford Mustang Mach-E PSA: Watch for vermin. Rats - Mice - Squirrels l_27_2018_8fa601fe55e6aaea222a06f91fac6d2111235e7b


This is my biggest complaint about all the plastic covering under the hood. There's no way to see if you have a freeloading stowaway until something breaks or the smell saturates the air filter. I keep a peppermint oil scented pouch under the hood of both BEVs, but it's not 100% effective. Every time I wash the car, I wash under the hood and check for evidence of squatters.
So where would you place these Peppermint bags in the Mach-E? I am not much of a mechanic and I am not very "handy."
 


ChasingCoral

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Threads
376
Messages
12,403
Reaction score
24,517
Location
Maryland
Vehicles
GB E4X FE, Leaf, Tacoma, F-150 Lightning ordered
Occupation
Retired oceanographer
Country flag
it won't drain the battery If you use one of those? Also where would you put it?
Electronic
If you have a garage/carport, you can plug it into an outlet and let the ultrasonic noise repel them from the entire space.
If you are placing it in the car and connecting to 12v, then you would need to connect to the 12v battery. It should be a very small drain and the car should keep the LVB level up using the DC-DC inverter -- assuming that has all been fixed now. You would want to place it under the Rear Luggage Compartment Cover (beauty panel). If you use a battery operated one, you might be able to place it in the Frunk and hopefully it is loud enough. However, I don't know if it would be. Since these are ultrasonic it's hard to judge without sophisticated equipment or a selectable-frequency sound meter app for your phone.

Scented
With the Frunk being air-tight, I don't know if enough air would circulate from the Frunk into the space below it with electronics. I'd encourage you to put it under the Rear Luggage Compartment Cover (beauty panel). Hopefully it will protect wiring throughout the undercarriage as well.
 
OP
OP
ajmartineau

ajmartineau

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Threads
31
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,951
Location
Washington
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E
Country flag

ChasingCoral

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Threads
376
Messages
12,403
Reaction score
24,517
Location
Maryland
Vehicles
GB E4X FE, Leaf, Tacoma, F-150 Lightning ordered
Occupation
Retired oceanographer
Country flag
Electronic
If you have a garage/carport, you can plug it into an outlet and let the ultrasonic noise repel them from the entire space.
If you are placing it in the car and connecting to 12v, then you would need to connect to the 12v battery. It should be a very small drain and the car should keep the LVB level up using the DC-DC inverter -- assuming that has all been fixed now. You would want to place it under the Rear Luggage Compartment Cover (beauty panel). If you use a battery operated one, you might be able to place it in the Frunk and hopefully it is loud enough. However, I don't know if it would be. Since these are ultrasonic it's hard to judge without sophisticated equipment or a selectable-frequency sound meter app for your phone.
You can use a simple smartphone app (I use Decibel X for iOS) to make sure these are really "squealing" but it will only work at close range. However, they are not very useful to see how far the sound is going.
 

Daniel M

Well-Known Member
First Name
Daniel
Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Threads
3
Messages
155
Reaction score
326
Location
Southern CA
Vehicles
21 Mustang Mach E, 2020 Ford Edge
Country flag
Anyone else get an ad at the bottom of this thread for pest control?! I find it spooky that the subject of the thread is keeping out pests and low and behold an ad for the same topic. :oops:

Edit to add actual photo of ad.

Screen Shot 2021-02-26 at 9.34.13 AM.png
 

MerryBrown

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mary
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Threads
20
Messages
416
Reaction score
809
Location
Northern, CA
Vehicles
2018 Ford Escape, Red Ford Mach-E on order
Occupation
Finance
Country flag
Thank you all for the heads up. I had worried about this, but didn't know how to address it. I live on the edge of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. It's lovely to hike in, but it's been murder on my Fords. I have had One Escape totaled by the little bastards. My current Escape is in the shop now because they chewed it up. I have one of the electronic repellers in the garage right now, but we obviously need to figure out why it's not working. We have been plugging every hole in the garage we can find and researching rat proofing companies. I just fired the last pest control company that was supposed to handle this stuff.
All suggestions are welcome!
 

RockDaphne98296

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
164
Reaction score
260
Location
Snohomish, WA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach E FE, 2016 F-350 Super Duty XLT
Occupation
Commercial Aerospace Interiors
Country flag
OMG - I just searched mouse in the forum because I believe I have a friend in my Mach E!!! Or not so much of a friend!! Calling Dealer now... X@$D^S&F!!!
 
OP
OP
ajmartineau

ajmartineau

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Threads
31
Messages
1,358
Reaction score
1,951
Location
Washington
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E
Country flag
Get some peppermint asap.
 

RockDaphne98296

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
164
Reaction score
260
Location
Snohomish, WA
Vehicles
2021 Mustang Mach E FE, 2016 F-350 Super Duty XLT
Occupation
Commercial Aerospace Interiors
Country flag
Get some peppermint asap.
That was the first thing I did? I soaked peppermint tea bags in peppermint essential oils and put that in a dish in the frunk, I think the little bugger is right up under the dash. I have also let the car sit in the sun, this is Washington though - so we are just hitting the 70s here. and it wont last... I test the solution by sitting quietly in the car and I heard it again this morning... Dealership says they are booked until May - I may have to start taking off the Frunk covers myself... I have the kit - I removed the dividers and have the beauty button kit... I am thinking about getting one of those sonic rodent repellers, but I am not sure if they work or not... all kinds of mouse traps in the garage just waiting for him to come out - but no joy so far...
 

Echostorm

Active Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Threads
4
Messages
34
Reaction score
30
Location
Desk
Vehicles
Black Prem MME x4
Occupation
Code Monkey
Country flag
I wouldn't ask anyone to take my word for it but the FTC has warned the companies that make ultrasonic rodent and mosquito devices about making claims they can't back up with science.

I might also wonder why there are still exterminators or competing products at all if something as simple and convenient as the ultrasonic emitters worked as well as they claim.

Amazon has lots of great traps
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08CN6B6DX/
 

GoGoGadgetMachE

Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Jan 23, 2020
Threads
153
Messages
5,614
Reaction score
12,654
Location
Ohio
Vehicles
2021 Mach-E 1st Ed., 2022 Lightning Platinum
Occupation
Professional forum cheerleader and fanboy
Country flag
That was the first thing I did? I soaked peppermint tea bags in peppermint essential oils and put that in a dish in the frunk, I think the little bugger is right up under the dash. I have also let the car sit in the sun, this is Washington though - so we are just hitting the 70s here. and it wont last... I test the solution by sitting quietly in the car and I heard it again this morning... Dealership says they are booked until May - I may have to start taking off the Frunk covers myself... I have the kit - I removed the dividers and have the beauty button kit... I am thinking about getting one of those sonic rodent repellers, but I am not sure if they work or not... all kinds of mouse traps in the garage just waiting for him to come out - but no joy so far...
you might be able just to drive to the dealer and get them to fit you in under the circumstances. if they have a "Quick Lane" even better.
Sponsored

 
  • Like
Reactions: UW2
 




Top