Look in the cowl at the base of the windshield. Once that's removed, you'll see some openings towards the side and the center.

Use chicken screen. Make sure it's a tight pattern so that it's more difficult for the mice to chew on.

 

First of all you should always leave the fresh/recycle lever set to recycle every time you park the car. This closes the plastic flaps to the outside. Now you can argue that mice will chew through the plastic, but I doubt that. They have no reason to put the effort in to chewing through if they don't know what's underneath.

If you really want to get to the air intake then remove the plastic cowl and you will see it above where the blower fan is. To remove the plastic cowl you need to remove the wiper arms first. They are just held on by a nut but they can be stuck on the splines, so be careful pulling them off.

 

I found the intake as you suggested. However, it's near impossible to reach to get wire mesh on the opening. I am going to try to pre-form some 1/4" hardware cloth and try to fit it over the opening.

 

You could remove the blower motor case and install it that way. A lot of work though.

The mice did get in because you didn't have it on recirculate, no? Why not just keep it set to recirculate and see if that solves the problem?

If the mice actually did chew through the circulation control flaps you could see that if you remove the glovebox. The flaps are visible from the air intake opening behind the glovebox. If they did you might want to disassemble and replace the parts anyway.

 

Good idea, I have the glove box out already when I cleaned out the blower. I felt lousy, so I did not reinstall the glove box , which is the harder part of the job. I think i will a bottom access screen install before I put the glove box back in.

 

The best way to solve the mouse problem is to put sticky boards in the area where you believe they are coming in, you can get them at any hardware store. I did pest control for a couple years and I've managed many apartment buildings, sticky boards work great, ( they attract rodents because of the peanut butter smell). They even have some that fold into a triangle tunnel. The one's for rats are the best. "Caution" try not to touch the sticky part of the board!!! There is no poison so they are safe to use without worrying about other animal's.

 

Is that a feral cat?

I notice that cats don't much like to lay on cars newer than the '70s or '80s, probably because of the aerodynamics which require sloping hoods...

Notice how the cat is laying longitudinally on the hood, and up at the top where it is more level.

 

Yes, feral, but trapped and released (spayed or neutered). She had 3 kittens in the backyard a few years ago. All trapped and released. They clip the tip of the left ear to show they've been fixed.

They usually like to go on the roof of cars where it's flat. I think the metal carries the heat away or cools down quicker than the ground on the hot summer evenings.

 

Yes, feral, but trapped and released (spayed or neutered).

I can kind of tell by the markings on her coat. I can see the clipped ear too, now that you mention it.

 

There had been a lot of white with black spots cats in the neighborhood in the last few years, but before that solid gray, solid black, a mackerel tabby cat and others.

 

Why would rodents or any animal or insect want to nest anywhere in or on a car? Cars are basically oil and gas-smelling pieces of plastic and metal. Doesn't seem real inviting.

 

They also love to tear the foam out of the seats so they can make a nest. Varmint is as varmint does... May they end up as cat food!

 

Warm and safe!

 

Yeah but if there is some loud fan in there, I would think that would scare away any rodents.

 

Sleep in the night, gone in the day.

If there's babies, you know they will be back.

 

Put traps around the front tires. I had them in my garage once in 15 years and nailed the little crappers, haven't seen any more. The stink they leave (urine) makes my throat swell up and harder to breathe. They also gnaw the insulation off your wiring harness so kill them.

 

What do mice think? "Hmm, so what about this big moving thing that the human seems to care for? Shall I invade it as well?" Can't have nothing nice.
Like a certain entity that I don't believe we are allowed to mention, but rodents come only to steal and destroy.

If you have ever seen when a cat catches a mouse, it is entertaining. No human fight comes close to being as violent.
Good kitty.

 

Mice are more of a problem in cars which have sat for an extended period of time, especially if they are parked off of the pavement and near either a field or a building which has a mice problem.

They tear up upholstery and foam, they chew up wires, and they piss and crap everywhere which causes more rust.

Hate them meeces to pieces...

 

Pete, the most entertaining way to catch mice is with glue traps. Not sure how that would help in a car but in any building it's great. Just make sure your four-legged friends (cats dogs or whatever) cannot get to them.

 

I've heard that an open container of baking soda in the car is a decent repellent.

 

PB ball on a glue traps works.

Though it will be a sticky situation in the blower motor.