Reading a different EV forum with yet another report of problems with mice chewing through insulation on wiring has me wondering: has anyone experienced a comparable problem with their SE? Apparently the issue arises due to the plant (soy) based origins of the insulation, so perhaps the SE is immune? (Another passing thought: when our car interiors are made entirely of renewable vegan materials, are we going to have to worry about rodents going to town on them?)
The 2000-2004 Honda Insight had soy-based insulation on its wiring. Mice totaled my friend's Insight--it would have been too expensive to repair. Fortunately, my 2000 Insight's wires survived until I got my 2006 Insight--Honda ditched the soy-based insulation after 2004. I doubt MINI started using soy-insulated wiring when they created the SE.
No mice problems here, Neighbor’s cats in my backyard, Paw prints on my car. (I got halfway through this, realized I was writing a haiku and just went with it) Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
Thanks. It makes you wonder why Chevy does. Cost? To be environmentally friendly? Feel for the starving mice?
I've had issues with mice and rodents for all the cars I've owned since moving into my house. My Fiesta had a nest in the insulation pad on the inside of the hood of the car. My wife's CR-V had them eating/storing nuts inside the ventilation system, which caused the fan to stop working. They also ate some blankets my wife left in the car. My LEAF hasn't been destroyed yet, but I definitely heard little feet running INSIDE the headliner of the vehicle as I was driving once. The only thing that has worked has been a lot of poison out for the mice to eat in my garage. I'm sorry that I have to do it, but the repairs became too expensive.
There's a thread on the Inside EVs Honda Clarity forum called "What's in your cabin filter?" that has some very disturbing photos. Hmmm, now that I write that I realize I haven't checked our Clarity's cabin filter in a few months.
I had a mouse get ground up by the ventilation fan, which destroyed the fan. The decomposition smell was horrible and it took a lot of effort to get rid of. One thing that might help keep mice away is peppermint oil. A friend used it around their camper van in the winter time to keep mice out and she said it worked.
