Dead mice in Vette
Team Owner
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 20,593
Likes: 127
From: Sugarcane town Florida
I had the same problem. I thought I was going to have to remove the dash. The mom mouse got ground up in my blower motor and I removed the motor under dash on passenger side and cleaned it. Smell was still there though. But after removing the cover under the wipers I was able to see the nest inside on the drivers side.
I used the shop vac also. But I also found baby dead mice in each of the udders on drivers side. There is three of them. Might be 4, can't remember. I do remember finding 2 and thinking I was done. But the smell was still there after a few days. I looked again and found another udder, can't believe there is so many udders under there, lol. Pull those out and check that they are clean. Most of the smell was coming from the bodies in the udders.
No after effects now.
Good luck.
I used the shop vac also. But I also found baby dead mice in each of the udders on drivers side. There is three of them. Might be 4, can't remember. I do remember finding 2 and thinking I was done. But the smell was still there after a few days. I looked again and found another udder, can't believe there is so many udders under there, lol. Pull those out and check that they are clean. Most of the smell was coming from the bodies in the udders.
No after effects now.
Good luck.
Last edited by TwoSmoke; May 13, 2012 at 10:14 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
Get all the vents out - wash with soap water and bleach - then stick them in the Dishwasher for a cycle and re-install!
I am so sorry that is a huge bummer!
Thanks,Matt
I am so sorry that is a huge bummer!
Thanks,Matt
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,656
Likes: 24,661
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Good luck getting rid of the smell. Hope you don't have to dismantle the entire dash.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,095
Likes: 42
From: Pewaukee WI
Ozium is great stuff. Good luck on removing the smell and any carcesses.
I read a while back about using dryer sheets to deter mice etc. I have used this for the past 3 years, put them under the hood, under the dash, seats and trunk etc.
I had to leave the car in the garage for 6 or so months at a time when out of the country, it worked perfectly, and left the interior smelling clean and fresh!
Good luck!
I read a while back about using dryer sheets to deter mice etc. I have used this for the past 3 years, put them under the hood, under the dash, seats and trunk etc.
I had to leave the car in the garage for 6 or so months at a time when out of the country, it worked perfectly, and left the interior smelling clean and fresh!
Good luck!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 10
From: Bay Point California
One of the down sides of putting them in hibernation. We are lucky enough to drive year round where we live. Would you rather be dealing with mouse shirt or road grime? This is what happens when you let something sit for three or four months. Warm, covered, what's a mouse to do? You're lucky you didn't get frickin' rats!
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
Could you possibly share with us the entry point? If the usual entry point can be established a barrier of some sort might be devised. I once had a vole build a large nest overnight under a coil cover.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 4
From: Concord California
Me too, when I purchased my C5 in 2009, while driving home, I noticed the smell of burning hay. When i got home I removed the valve covers and what did I find, a mouse nest, and dam no mice... Now I only have 349 HP and not 350... I wanted my money back...
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
That's EXACTLY where the critters made their engine nest on my '01, right over the middle of the RH cylinder bank. Car was parked outside in a rural area of W.N.C. near the Dragon.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 4
From: Concord California
Hey TNX Zora, I think that was his cousin. The little buger even started to chew on a few rubber hoses, one heater hose, and hose to the coolent overflow tank, you can see tiny teeth marks. You know your car is cool when the mice make it a home, I guess it's true everybody loves a vette... even the critters..
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 490
Likes: 5
From: Tampa Bay Area, U.S.A. (Zombie Nation)
<<From what I can tell they crawled in someplace around the covering over the windshield wipers.>>
Do you mean the cover UNDER the wipers: the one with holes and screen? Your write-up explaining what you did is great! But it sounds like you couldn't establish the exact entry point(?). I believe in the ounce of prevention thing and this mouse-in-heater situation is reported like clockwork. btw - You mentioned 3 driver-side udders but I believe there's a total of 3 including the one behind the battery. It is possible to empty them by squeezing to open the slit and then vacuum up the trash where it falls.
Do you mean the cover UNDER the wipers: the one with holes and screen? Your write-up explaining what you did is great! But it sounds like you couldn't establish the exact entry point(?). I believe in the ounce of prevention thing and this mouse-in-heater situation is reported like clockwork. btw - You mentioned 3 driver-side udders but I believe there's a total of 3 including the one behind the battery. It is possible to empty them by squeezing to open the slit and then vacuum up the trash where it falls.
From what I can tell they crawled in someplace around the covering over the windshield wipers. After you take the covering off you will find an opening under the passenger wiper that leads to the heater fan assembly. That is where the little bastards built the nest. Lucky for me it seems mine was pretty minor compared to others. I found two baby skeletons along with some nesting in the wiper opening. I then found two more in the passenger side udder. The nest itself, which was in the fan, was only part of a purple rag. This is what I had to do to get rid of nest and smell:
Took the wipers and wiper cowl off. Pretty simple, each wiper is held on with a 13mm nut. The covering has a half dozen or so screws and push pins.
Took the fan out. The fan is located on passenger side behind glove box. You have to take off the panel covering the fan, it is held on with 4 or 5 screws also. The fan itself has 3 torque screws. Before you take the screws out unplug the fan and then unhook the hose that is attached to housing. The hose is held onto the housing with a rubber band molded into the hose. Try to keep fan upright when you remove it or you will dump the nest out onto the floorboard.
I took the access panels off the wheel wells right behind the front tires. The access panels have about 6-7 screws holding each side on. The udders I was talking about are located behind them. The passenger side has 1 udder and there are three on the drivers side. The udders have a slit at the bottom and are known to collect garbage like leaves and twigs and such. While you are in there just make sure they are cleaned out. I didn't have to take the 3 on drivers side off, they were all clear. To remove the passenger side udder you also need to remove the battery. The passenger side udder is a thin molded rubber hose about 1 1/2" in diameter and 15-18" long. It just pops into the bottom of the heater housing.
I took the glove box assembly out however you don't need to unless you decide to take out the entire heater assembly out which from I understand is a REAL PITA!!
After I got the fan out I sprayed it and the passenger side udder with bleach.
Today I borrowed a ozone machine from a buddy who works at a local auto body shop. It is about the size of a battery charger and can sit on your console. My buddy had me run the AC on high with the outside air vent open for about 20-30 minutes. Then he said to shut the car off and run it for another hour. I just finished and must say I couldn't believe it. THE SMELL IS GONE!! And it stunk like you wouldn't believe the first time I started the car after I discovered the mouse nest.
Thanks to SCOTTVETTE1989 for his help and emails. Scott had this same misfortune earlier this year.
Take care,
Shooter
Took the wipers and wiper cowl off. Pretty simple, each wiper is held on with a 13mm nut. The covering has a half dozen or so screws and push pins.
Took the fan out. The fan is located on passenger side behind glove box. You have to take off the panel covering the fan, it is held on with 4 or 5 screws also. The fan itself has 3 torque screws. Before you take the screws out unplug the fan and then unhook the hose that is attached to housing. The hose is held onto the housing with a rubber band molded into the hose. Try to keep fan upright when you remove it or you will dump the nest out onto the floorboard.
I took the access panels off the wheel wells right behind the front tires. The access panels have about 6-7 screws holding each side on. The udders I was talking about are located behind them. The passenger side has 1 udder and there are three on the drivers side. The udders have a slit at the bottom and are known to collect garbage like leaves and twigs and such. While you are in there just make sure they are cleaned out. I didn't have to take the 3 on drivers side off, they were all clear. To remove the passenger side udder you also need to remove the battery. The passenger side udder is a thin molded rubber hose about 1 1/2" in diameter and 15-18" long. It just pops into the bottom of the heater housing.
I took the glove box assembly out however you don't need to unless you decide to take out the entire heater assembly out which from I understand is a REAL PITA!!
After I got the fan out I sprayed it and the passenger side udder with bleach.
Today I borrowed a ozone machine from a buddy who works at a local auto body shop. It is about the size of a battery charger and can sit on your console. My buddy had me run the AC on high with the outside air vent open for about 20-30 minutes. Then he said to shut the car off and run it for another hour. I just finished and must say I couldn't believe it. THE SMELL IS GONE!! And it stunk like you wouldn't believe the first time I started the car after I discovered the mouse nest.
Thanks to SCOTTVETTE1989 for his help and emails. Scott had this same misfortune earlier this year.
Take care,
Shooter