Mouse entry points

[tinbird]

Hi guys, the little buggers have waged war with the wife's 2004 Liberty. Are there any known or common locations specific to these vehicles that are favourite entry points?
We're doing the minty smelling soap and dryer sheet tactics as a defensive measure at this point, but it'd be nice if there were specific spots to block entry altogether.

Thanks,

Tb

 

[Conundrum2006]

Oh lord. They can eat though anything if they are in the mind to.
I've had trouble with vermin in a vehicle I let sit too long. Tough to track down.
I'd start with the firewall the plugs (empty) and wiring. Some cars have perforated spots where wiring can be pushed through for added options. My next guess would be the Center console, depends if there a open plate down there but I'm no expert on the KJ.



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[teeje]

Oh lord. They can eat though anything if they are in the mind to.
I've had trouble with vermin in a vehicle I let sit too long. Tough to track down.
I'd start with the firewall the plugs (empty) and wiring. Some cars have perforated spots where wiring can be pushed through for added options. My next guess would be the Center console, depends if there a open plate down there but I'm no expert on the KJ.



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No open plate underneath the center console. But they like to hide in the intake, underneath the air box because it's warmer and behind the engine towards the firewall. Really no places in the kj that a mouse can squeeze through. They're pretty tight. If they're small enough they can get into the AC weep hole


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[BorincanoKJ]

In that case just to make sure put 2 stick traps in side the front floor with a little bait in the middle of the trap to catch him.

 

[Conundrum2006]

No open plate underneath the center console. But they like to hide in the intake, underneath the air box because it's warmer and behind the engine towards the firewall. Really no places in the kj that a mouse can squeeze through. They're pretty tight. If they're small enough they can get into the AC weep hole


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Yeah, when I was doing maintenance on the 3.7 when we first got it there was some sort of nest under the intake. Long gone by then had to be mice or worse chipmunks. Christmas items were part of the mess.

Thing I leaned about mice is they can be tenacious, actually chew through metal if motivated. Some chew through the soft rubber that seal the wiring around the firewall, (this was a 90s car where a thick mess of wires went to a computer behind the glove box)

Good to know the KJ is pretty tight far as entry points go.

The other place that comes to mind is where the fresh air intake is for the air is. Not sure how well that is placed in the KJ. Other than the obvious rust spots ,if any,can let them in as well. I'd rather the source be something like a open window at the wrong time. BTW none of the women in my family would be happy about driving a car a mouse somehow got in, probably ever again.


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[turblediesel]

In that case just to make sure put 2 stick traps in side the front floor with a little bait in the middle of the trap to catch him.

What's a "stick trap"?

Peanut butter makes good bait.

Had a smart mouse steal cheese from a spring trap a few times... got him with two traps set back to back.

 

[CactusJacked]

An adult mouse can squeeze through a 3/8" diameter hole, young ones a hole the size of a pencil. So you want to search everywhere for small openings, missing plugs/grommets/weatherstripping etc. I always keep traps set in the garage, since the fall I've caught 16 of them pesky varmints (yes I keep a score sheet, lol).

 

[teeje]

They can get in the rocker panels if you have large amounts of rust there but I've never seen anyone on this forum let the rockers rot out. They usually take care of them right away


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[BorincanoKJ]

Are the one that have some kind of glue.
It could be peanut butter or some kind of meat like ham or bacon. Just a tiny bit.
That the smart mouse can not steal it.