What Happens When Mice And Rodents Get Into Your Car

Owning a car comes with some challenges you may just be getting to grips with. One of such is having rodents in your car. This can be frustrating for car owners, especially if you don’t know how to manage the issue. This makes it essential for you to know what happens when mice get into your car.

No one wants to incur extra expenses on a rodent-related issue. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable. You may think you’re locking your car adequately but yet these rodents still find their way into your car. If this is you, it’s time to stop complaining and start finding solutions to the issue.

The effects of rodents in your car can lead to damage that costs thousands of dollars to fix. As such, it’s best to find ways to get rodents out of your car. And do it fast too.

Here, we will discuss in detail what happens when mice get into your car and all relevant things to know. We will also explore how to keep rodents out of your car. Let’s get into it!

What Happens When Mice Get Into Your Car

Seeing a rat in your car is an unpleasant surprise. Mostly, the sight will leave you displeased and somewhat irritated. This is when you begin wondering how you can remove rodents in the car.

The likelihood of rodents getting into your car is at an all-time high. The Year 2020 came with fruits and nuts growing abundantly, as well as a pandemic that changed eating habits. This has spurred most of these rodents into more intense action.

So, due to this increased population, you should prepare that you may have to deal with mice in your car soon. But firstly, how do you know when mice are in your car?

Signs of rodents in your car

When you have rodents in your car, certain indicators will point you to it. The first thing you likely will note is the sight of urine and droppings. This will cause your car to smell bad. When you begin to perceive such smells and frequently see droppings, you likely have rodents in your car.

Another indication you have rodents in your car is when strange sounds come from your car. If your fan or heater begins to make strange noises or vibrate weirdly, it may mean there’s a nest of rodents somewhere in the engine.

You may also spot food leftovers or objects like dog food or acorns, which these rodents feed on. Seeing these things littered in your car is an indication you have rodents who call your car home.

Lastly, you may even see the rodents getting out of your car. It may also be the case that you can spot rats in the surrounding area. When you notice these activities, you should inspect your car for mice.

How rodents damage your car

Rodents can cause damage to your car in different ways. Depending on the intensity of their activity, you may need car interior detailing or a mechanic to reverse the damage.

The three primary ways the damage takes place are as follows:

Nesting

If rats live in your car, they will create nests to shelter themselves. These nests can be a source of different issues in your car. For starters, the mice will harvest the nesting materials from your car.

Often, they will get the materials from interior upholstery, carpet insulation, and hood liner insulation. Tampering of this nature can lead to damage that costs thousands of dollars to fix. This is what happens when rodents get into your car.

Also, the location of these nests matters. Often, mice and other rodents may build nests anywhere in the trunk, behind plastic panelling, air conditioner ducts, or the centre console, among others.

In doing so, rodents may damage different components of your vehicles. Consequently, this will affect your car’s function. Imagine having to drive while cold because your car’s heater is being disturbed by a nest of rats.

Chewing

One major characteristic of rodents is their chewing ability and needs. They constantly need to chew on objects to sharpen and trim their teeth. Most rodents have a tooth-sharpening incisor, especially for that purpose.

This is why you may find it difficult to make sense of why rodents chew certain things. Now that you know this, you can appreciate the gravity of what can happen when mice and rodents get into your car.

These rodents will chew anything they come in contact with. Your upholstery isn’t safe. Papers and important documents in your car aren’t safe. Worse, wiring in your car isn’t safe.

If rodents chew wires in your car, they may break down or start to malfunction. Rodents can strip your wiring. If this happens, two different wires may touch each other and spark. This is what happens when mice get into your car.

Already, wiring issues can be a tough job for mechanics. However, when rodents add to it, the problem intensifies. Most rodents often chew things closer to their nest. This makes it difficult to reach the affected places, as these places are likely in tight spots.

Defective wiring is a dangerous condition. Your car may malfunction while you’re in motion or at high speed. As such, preventing it from happening is the best approach.

Similarly, your plastic panels, hose, and power steering lines aren’t safe. Since they are made from flexible materials, they are often the easy targets for rodents in your car. When rodents chew these components or damage them, you’ll incite extra repair costs.

Waste

The waste caused by rodents can be a real source of worry. Asides from the unpleasant smell of urine and droppings, there are associated health risks.

Rats and other rodents can cause the spread of salmonellosis and hantavirus to humans. This virus is present in many rodents across various species. It also comes with conditions like muscle aches, fever, and fatigue.

This makes it a problem when mice defecate around your air conditioner or heat blower. It means when you put on your car air conditioner, the air you breathe in will contain the excretal elements, which are bad for your health. So, you must make the necessary attempts to avoid this situation.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Car?

If your question at the start of this article is whether it’s safe to have rats and rodents in your car, you now have your answer. So, how can you reduce the mice population in your car?

Remove food particles

For car owners parking in the garage, you will need to ensure you remove food from the immediate environment. Food particles on the ground are like calling rodents to action. Therefore, you have to ensure you seal all bird seeds and pet food in the area. Also, make sure you don’t leave food in the car, as this may attract rodents.

Move your care frequently

Your car should not become a log of wood. Before rodents start living in a car, they must have attained a certain comfort level in the immediate environment.

This happens when your car is on the ground and there are no activities taking place in it. Therefore, it’s best to start your car regularly even when you are not using it. When you start your car frequently, it upsets the rodents’ settlement and reduces the likelihood of their living in your car.

Safeguard your wiring and any opening

You can do this by getting experts to create metal mesh around your wires and hoses. It’s a safeguard that will protect the wires and increase their durability in case you get rodents in your car.

Also, a mesh is a viable option to cover any openings in your car. Remember rodents can only get into your car if there are openings. So, once you seal these openings with mesh metal, your vehicle should be safe from rodents.

Interior detailing

Say rodents are already in your car, you can remove them and then implement the above strategies. After that, you’ll need interior detailing for the rodent damage that may have happened.

Quality detailing will include a thorough cleaning of your carpets, upholstery and inner corners of your car. Remember, rodents can pass urine and defecate in the car. To get your car back to the best conditions, you will need to deal with this smell and other forms of rodent damage.

Use deterrents

Furthermore, depending on your car type, you can get mice deterrent tape to prevent rodents from entering your car. These tapes contain capsaicin, which repels rodents significantly and causes them to stay away.

Final Thoughts

Considerable damage is a major part of what happens when mice get into your car. At the least, it may simply be a bad smell from urine and droppings. However, the problem can nosedive into defective wiring, panelling, and hoses, all of which may affect your car greatly.

The best way to address the issue is by preventing it. Ensure you constantly inspect your car to be certain it’s in good condition. Check the corners for droppings and also pay attention to the smell in the car.

These little things will matter greatly in preventing your car from suffering rodent damage. And if you have to deal with mice damage, we can be your partner.

Here at AutoBoss Vaughan, we offer car services to reverse the effects of mice and other rodent damage. Contact us to book an appointment with any of our car care experts today!