Infested With Ants

[OBX John]

I just sprayed the bottom of our S75 with permethrin after some ants took up residence.

Problem solved.

 

[Dborn]

I ran into this issue a couple of years ago - ants were coming into the garage and getting into the car by climbing on the charging cable. As I was driving, I'd be killing small ants climbing on the dashboard and center console.

I tried several things to get rid of the ants - and after a few weeks, they were gone and haven't returned.

I bug bombed the garage, with the car inside.

I think I put cinnamon and also bug spray on a portion of the charging cable near the plug going into the car (to discourage ants from climbing up the cable).

I treated the garage with several types of insecticide, ant traps and ant goop.

And outside the garage, I used a combination of insecticide and several types of ant traps.

And, after a few weeks, the ants were gone. I kept up the interior/exterior garage treatments for a few months, to discourage them from returning and have since shifted to using a professional insect treatment service to treat the exterior of the house every 3 months.

And that did the trick.

Unfortunately, it took a few weeks to get things under control, and during that time, I would still occasionally see an ant or two inside the car. Though after going through this experience, I've stopped leaving the windows down and sunroof open when parking in the garage...

We have a marsupial called a possum that loves to live in dwellings. They look cute, are relatively harmless, but create a god awful noise in ceilings and terrible mess with excrement. Consequently, I would NEVER leave a window or sunroof open in the garage. If they get in, it could be a very expensive unpleasant exercise to recover from the problem!!

 

[David.85D]

Hope it gets straightened out.

It could be worse! This story reminds me of the greatest Car Talk episode ever. A lady called in about a car infested with baby spiders. Baby black widow spiders !!!

#1611: Heather and the Black Widows

 

[futurem3owner]

Speaking of spiders, I saw one on my windscreen today. Tried using wipers but it barely budged. Dealing with non EV owners flocking to admire the car and touching it is bad enough. Now, even bugs are attracted to Teslas and want to hitch a joyride. Just another annoyance that Tesla owners have to deal with

 

[Moshne]

I took delivery of my car last week and like the OP saw an ant or two the next day and didn't think anything of it. I'm now about a week out and it's covered in ants. My other car parked next to it doesn't have the issue and never has.

Here's hoping they will remedy it. Not looking forward to having the car in the shop already though.

Finally got responses on the ant problem. They had me bring it in for detailing today. Said they can't confirm my claims and that it must be a problem with where I'm parking it. No ants in my home at all, and we've looked.

I expect this problem to be recurring.

 

[DarrenDC]

Omg I'm having this same problem right now! Going to try treating it with some terro that I have. Really don't want to give my car up for days to the service center...

 

[pk44FG]

I did not expect to find this thread, but having the same issue. Car gets covered in ants. Spray. They leave it alone for a few weeks and back again. Ants are just attracted to tesla.. I had my prior car parked in the same place for the last 4 years and never had a problem

 

[jerry33]

I did not expect to find this thread, but having the same issue. Car gets covered in ants. Spray. They leave it alone for a few weeks and back again. Ants are just attracted to tesla.. I had my prior car parked in the same place for the last 4 years and never had a problem

Spraying the ants on the Tesla doesn't do a lot of good. You have to get rid of the nest. Usually it's not far away. If the nest is inside the Tesla, you have get rid of that. (I think that usually it's not inside). Get rid of the ant nest, not the Tesla

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

If the nest is inside the Tesla, you have get rid of that. (I think that usually it's not inside).

You know, one can interpret that advice as needing to get rid of the Tesla

 

[jerry33]

You know, one can interpret that advice as needing to get rid of the Tesla

Your right. "That" was supposed to refer to the ant nest.

 

[xanadufl]

Try using Terro ant killer. It works for me incredibly well.

Same as borax and sugar water

 

[SucreTease]

I suggest posting a sign, like the one I had at a former apartment building, that limits the number of ants allowed:

Parking for tenants only

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Had the same problem happen when I had a Volt. Ants would walk up the charger cable and onto the charge port and into the rest of the engine. For some reason, ants are very attracted to electricity or the taste/smell of the components used in the HV system. Luckily haven't had this happen to my Tesla yet … ants are a HUGE problem here in So cal .. Terro / Borax mixture is the best way to kill the nest I've found.