My F56 Mini got booted from the garage on Mar 27 to outside on the driveway to make room for my Camaro which was stored in my sister-in-law's garage for the winter. Given the crazy times with Stay at Home rules, I haven't driven either car much at all in the last month. Once a week or so just to keep the battery charged and the fluids flowing.

On Apr 10 I popped the hood of the Mini to check for mice and sure enough, there was a nest on top of the battery cover. Cleaned it up and then didn't see anything else for over a week.

On Apr 20 I checked and there was another nest in the same place, and this time he chewed a couple small holes in the fabric on the cover. Took pictures, vacuumed the nest, and this time set a trap with peanut butter in the engine bay.

Apr 22 I popped the hood and saw the trap was triggered, the peanut butter gone, and no mouse. I think it triggered when I shut the hood because I put it in a bad place. But this time he destroyed the battery cover by chewing a huge hole in the fabric. No more messing around. Cleaned it up, reset the trap and put it where it wouldn't trigger from the hood closing.

Apr 23 no activity.

Today Apr 24 I got him.

Going forward, I guess I have to leave a trap in the engine bay and check it every couple days?

And I also need a new battery cover. I think the part number is 51-71-7-317-737 but not sure.

Is anyone else having this problem with their car sitting outside for days at a time?


Apr 20 - second nest

Two minor holes chewed in fabric

Apr 22 - third nest and major damage

Apr 24 - suspect captured for good

 

With as many cars and bikes I've had over the years I've been fortunate to avoid mice and insects getting into stuff, always a mess.

 

Had it happen twice to my R52 in spring setting outside overnight. They chewed on my spark plug wires ad insulation in one night. Now its in the garage every night.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...r/51717317737/

Thats the part, looks like they removed the insulation

 

Thanks for the reply and posting the link to the part. That's interesting. The part no longer has the insulation as part of a design update, and the insulation is not available separately either. So maybe this means the newer F56 battery covers do not have the insulation on them? Can someone with a 2019 or 2020 F56 check to see? The insulation seems to be the same material as under the hood - so maybe it's fireproof, but not sure.

 

you have a rodent problem ... not a car problem

You might try spreading moth ***** around ..... this is an effective repellent for many critters.

 

Yep, update to the part. We had someone else ask about it. Guess easy place for mice to hand out?

 

Not sure if you saw the other recent post about an F56 with a mouse problem under the engine cover. You might want to check under yours. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4531114

I got lucky a few years ago when I was checking my oil and belt after the commute back from work and a mouse dropped out of the engine compartment by my feet . I think the heat and fumes from the drive got to it so it wasn’t moving too much and I was able to get it out of the garage before it could run off and disappear.

 

Ooohhh. No, I did not read that post until now, but thanks for the heads up. I'm going to check under that cover tomorrow once I figure out how it comes off. I did reset the trap and leave it in the engine bay, and no action yet since I caught the mouse the other day - so hopefully I'm clean now.

 

Yep, that post they did way more damage. Like I said, mine chewed through and into the wires, went to start the car and no start. They even chewed the main wire going to the coil, last time their was so much damage i claimed it on my insurance and they covered it.

 

A rat got into the engine compartment on my wife's VW, when she started the car it went through the serpentine belt. The alternator light came on, I opened the hood to investigate, found the serpentine belt off and pieces of rat _everywhere_.

 

Had the same problem a couple of years ago. Replaced cover, same result. They chewed through a top sensor wire and had to repair it. New covers have no insulation. Just tear, cut away padding as it is now like the new part. WalMart has mothballs (lavender) in small paper wrapped pouches, 2 per. Placed around compartment, tucking between cool areas. Got a mouse spray too. No problems. No more mice.
The MINI (BMW) wire covers are now made from soybean derived plastic, its a EU thing and lawsuits are pending from US.

 

Much empathy. I just cleaned our four different mouse nests from my newly acquired R53 JCW. Had one in the air box, one in the cabin filter, one under the rear seat, and one in the little compartment in the boot.

 

I have indoor/outdoor cats, and no rodent problem.

Wife has to be careful digging around in the flower beds though...

 

I had a mouse problem a 18 months ago. I fixed it with TomCat poison. I got a couple of "feeders" (also by TomCat) that allow mice in but keep pets and other larger animals out. Haven't had a mouse problem since and no need for putting anything under the hood.