OT: F’ing Rats

[joosttx]

Around 5:15 this morning I turn on my car and the check engine light is on. Take it to the dealer and it turns out rodents have chewed up my wires. Luckily I have insurance. I park my car outside. Anyway of preventing this from happening in the future?

[djg21]

Around 5:15 this morning I turn on my car and the check engine light is on. Take it to the dealer and it turns out rodents have chewed up my wires. Luckily I have insurance. I park my car outside. Anyway of preventing this from happening in the future?

I had this happen a few years back. The wiring harness from my brand new Tacoma had to be replaced. Insurance? I didn’t even think of making a claim, but the cost was only a couple hundred over my deductible.

[Blue Jays]

Rodents like the flavor and/or the consistency of the soft wiring.
They also chew underground irrigation to access water to drink.
The best solution is to find a well-sealed indoor place to park.

[joosttx]

I had this happen a few years back. The wiring harness from my brand new Tacoma had to be replaced. Insurance? I didn’t even think of making a claim, but the cost was only a couple hundred over my deductible.

$5000 -$12000 is what I was told. My deductible is $500.

[djg21]

I think my wiring harness cost about $600 plus labor.


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[Peter P.]

The wiring insulation is now being made with compounds rodents perceive as food worthy.

One has to wonder whether the manufacturers care to solve the problem, or hope the wiring will survive until the warranty expires (assuming this problem is covered under warranty).

[bigbill]

We put cayenne pepper on the wiring and all the flat spots in the engine compartment. After the first harness.

[joosttx]

We put cayenne pepper on the wiring and all the flat spots in the engine compartment. After the first harness.

That doesn’t get into the car?

[gemship]

I've had problems with mice eating the wiring harness's of both a scooter and motorcycle that I own. I had luck placing mothballs and Irish Spring soap in and around the machines but they stay parked most of the time so it's not too much of a bother. I have seen an auto mechanic helping a customer with this problem by taking a bar of Irish Spring soap and snapping it in half and putting each piece on the shock towers under a car hood. It's messy and I'm not sure it works or will stay put but that soap has a strong scent that mice don't like. It's also been suggested to me to try spraying wiring with WD40 but that's messy too.

[gemship]

I also have a pet cat that likes to be outside and hunt. I wanna say he keeps the mice at bay but sometimes I wonder if he may have cornered the mice into my bikes? Either way it seems like he does a good job of keeping mice away in theory. It's funny because my folks and I both park cars outside and I've never really had a problem with mice getting into mine but they have had numerous mice making nests in theirs. Sometimes I wonder if it has something to to with whatever it is in the area that would attract the mice to even get into the car and take refuge. Where I live there are plenty of trees and stone walls for them to make nests. I imagine lots of food and wet lands nearby so really the car isn't exactly a goto place...but I don't know what would make a car attractive initially except to say it's probably warm and dry and nearby.

[glepore]

Rodents here chewed up my pex in multiple spots in the attic over the 2 days before christmas. Lots of joy doing plumbing repair and drywall just before holiday.

[pinkshogun]

peppermint spray also helps. i get mine at the local hardware store

[soulspinner]

Dad put mothballs in the Porsche when he stored it after rodents ate the ignition wires. he said he didn't have any more problems but when I would drive it after storage I could smell it...………...

[avalonracing]

Mice got into my friend's cars and motorcycles and the damage was well into the five-figures.

[ultraman6970]

Moth balls are a good solution but the smell can stay there for a very very very very long time. Sucks.

I do not know if it works but they sell those ultra sound critter thingys to make them run? so they stay away.



Dad put mothballs in the Porsche when he stored it after rodents ate the ignition wires. he said he didn't have any more problems but when I would drive it after storage I could smell it...………...

[Matthew]

5 to 12k to repair the wiring?! That is insane!

[parris]

When I was in high school we had a combine burn up due to mice chewing through the wiring. THAT was an expensive bill.

[soulspinner]

When I was in high school we had a combine burn up due to mice chewing through the wiring. THAT was an expensive bill.

:eek:

[XXtwindad]

I absolutely loathe rats. They're the most vile creatures on the planet. Just disgusting.

[Seramount]

rats chewed the wiring on my ex-GF's brand new HVAC system...cost her a bundle to have it fixed.

personally, I hate squirrels more...but they're just basically rats with a nice coat. so, same same.

little bastards frequently come out of nowhere and try to jump into my front wheel...have almost gone down trying to avoid their stupid kamikaze moves...

rodenticide is a good thing.

[Rpoole8537]

Rodents here chewed up my pex in multiple spots in the attic over the 2 days before christmas. Lots of joy doing plumbing repair and drywall just before holiday.

Rodents will eat Pex. I was getting ready to replace my plumbing with Pex, the new miracle solution! Options? I have more squirrels than rats.mice. I have a few large black snakes that seem to keep the rodents down.

[Idris Icabod]

You can buy a light that connects to the battery and flashes every few seconds. Rats apparently don't like the light as they are destroying your car. Pack rats are a huge problem in AZ. They chewed out AC wires and I know of many friends and neighbors that have had costly car repairs.

[Hellgate]

About 10 minutes ago...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/7b5e8dfccde994fa3d9c079db54e4a1d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/9a2dbc4982d55e74ba664140591bb37a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/0f62a9d0917c01933bef508abe953e90.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/3054f5e53651649e5e42fb1dd4c5688a.jpg

[XXtwindad]

About 10 minutes ago...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/7b5e8dfccde994fa3d9c079db54e4a1d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/9a2dbc4982d55e74ba664140591bb37a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/0f62a9d0917c01933bef508abe953e90.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/3054f5e53651649e5e42fb1dd4c5688a.jpg

Well, you're a better man than me, Pete. I think I'd rather come down Mt. Diablo in the rain on rim brakes :)

[Hellgate]

Well, you're a better man than me, Pete. I think I'd rather come down Mt. Diablo in the rain on rim brakes :)All my bikes have rim brakes.

My college freshman son came home with one Beta fish, two rats, two lizards, four tattoos, one pieced nose, and a very serious girl friend.

The rats are fun! [emoji16]

[colker]

I am having a problem here with.... monkees. They invade apartments to steal food and may leave a mess behind. Last week a small dog tried to catch a monkey but fell off the sixth floor. Owner cried for days.
I´ve had three encounters already. i just shouted and the animal fled but a honey jar and a melon were stolen. My walls are signed w/ their handprint.
No one knows where they hide or what to do.

[XXtwindad]

All my bikes have rim brakes.

My college freshman son came home with one Beta fish, two rats, two lizards, four tattoos, one pieced nose, and a very serious girl friend.

The rats are fun! [emoji16]

Dude! ***! You LOOK like a college freshman! Did you have your kid at 12?

[Hellgate]

Dude! ***! You LOOK like a college freshman! Did you have your kid at 12?I wish...he arrived at age 36. Oh, I have a 6 YO daughter too. And I'm 55...and aging.

[joosttx]

I am having a problem here with.... monkees. They invade apartments to steal food and may leave a mess behind. Last week a small dog tried to catch a monkey but fell off the sixth floor. Owner cried for days.
I´ve had three encounters already. i just shouted and the animal fled but a honey jar and a melon were stolen. My walls are signed w/ their handprint.
No one knows where they hide or what to do.

I feel like I’m reading the germ of a pandemic.

[Hellgate]

The fish... He actually responds when I enter the room.

And one of the lizards...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/7a5cd60c0cc07a7b2a3f516b7222de2d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/d80291b3a043800c2348932e8970ff8c.jpg

[XXtwindad]

I wish...he arrived at age 36. Oh, I have a 6 YO daughter too. And I'm 55...and aging.

Wow. Kudos. You look great. Maybe I should look into getting some rats. Or maybe it's the rim brake bikes.
Or maybe it's having kids at almost 50. Wait, I did that...

[Hellgate]

Wow. Kudos. You look great. Maybe I should look into getting some rats. (Or maybe it's the rim brake bikes :)Thanks man. Simple dumb luck. Both of my parents are in their late '80's and look, and think great. My dad works 8 hours a day at 89. They'll haunt me until they are 100.

Son and GF. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191227/8e09fbcca7d20ff846f0e8a5b5e4f3fe.jpg

[jimcav]

5 to 12k to repair the wiring?! That is insane!

wiring harness repair required pulling the motor, very expensive production (independent German service)--mechanic was the one who suggested I file a claim and USAA covered it. For me it was parking on edge of the lot at work, near a river and trees--squirrels. I changed where I parked, never had another issue.

[gasman]

rats chewed the wiring on my ex-GF's brand new HVAC system...cost her a bundle to have it fixed.

personally, I hate squirrels more...but they're just basically rats with a nice coat. so, same same.

little bastards frequently come out of nowhere and try to jump into my front wheel...have almost gone down trying to avoid their stupid kamikaze moves...

rodenticide is a good thing.

I hate squirrels also. Years ago I took care of a rider in his 70's who had a the rodent get stuck in his front wheel-he went over the bars and became quadriplegic immediately.

Please consider something other than rodenticide as birds of prey often consume said dead rodents and then they also poisoned and die.

[Blue Jays]

"...Years ago I took care of a rider in his 70's who had a the rodent get stuck in his front wheel-he went over the bars and became quadriplegic immediately..."
Oh my goodness, that is such a completely tragic and unfortunate story. :-(
It emphasizes the importance of managing the animal population in our midst.

[colker]

I feel like I’m reading the germ of a pandemic.


It could well be.

[Bob Ross]

I haven't used these (full disclosure: I haven't owned a car in 7 or 8 years) but I'm told these braided metal cable sleeves are chew-proof:
https://www.techflex.com/metal-shielding/flexo-stainless-steel-xc

(not sure if that's the exact product that was recommended, but it was something from the TechFlex company)

[dddd]

I had been hearing noises at night overhead, and thought I had roof rats in my attic (the horror).

After going into the attic late at night and not being able to see anything because of the piled-up insulation, I became suspicious as to the location and went out on the back deck in the middle of the night to check up around the roof.
Turns out that a large woodpecker nightly arrives and clings to the attic vent mesh all night, makes slight noises that sound like rats in the attic.
The woodpecker is a pain as it is noisy during the day, but it's a timid protected bird that I will tolerate until I can figure out a long-term deterrent strategy.

Nothing worse than smell being the first indication of a rat infestation, or of not being able to figure out their ingress/egress and pathways through a structure.

When it comes to rats/mice, my best advice is to act quickly using plenty of glue and bait traps.

[Mikej]

Wait, I thought by Rats you meant the dealer. Were you able to drive it to the dealership? No other electrical troubles on the way? Did you google it? What vehicle? Check engine light is generally your vehicles emission system warning, a lot of vehicles that are a bit older would likely have a check engine light for the gas cap not being tight enough. Seems...I smell a rat...

[joosttx]

Wait, I thought by Rats you meant the dealer. Were you able to drive it to the dealership? No other electrical troubles on the way? Did you google it? What vehicle? Check engine light is generally your vehicles emission system warning, a lot of vehicles that are a bit older would likely have a check engine light for the gas cap not being tight enough. Seems...I smell a rat...

Yes.
Nope.
2019 4Runner with 14K miles.
Gas cap was on tight. (first thing I checked).

The insurance adjuster will be checking it on Tuesday. Sadly, this is a common problem out here. And I am sure the insurance adjuster will make sure the dealership claims are legit since they are paying to fix it.

[GScot]

When I was in high school we had a combine burn up due to mice chewing through the wiring. THAT was an expensive bill.

I also grew up farming and had to fight rodents in the combines. We kept them inside a shed and that helped at attracting rodents into the building for sure. Always a bit of grain or straw hiding somewhere. One of our neighbors who also stored combines indoors said a cat had kittens in one of them and that it never had mice for a couple years.

[rwsaunders]

There’s a class action suit against Toyota for using soy based wiring insulation, which allegedly attracts rats. Not sure if the lawsuit has any basis, but I’ve read about under the hood mounted ultrasonic devices, which supposedly deter rodents.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/578398002

[joosttx]

There’s a class action suit against Toyota for using soy based wiring insulation, which allegedly attracts rats. Not sure if the lawsuit has any basis, but I’ve read about under the hood mounted ultrasonic devices, which supposedly deter rodents.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/578398002

thank you for the article and tip

[zambenini]

Good thing they got through enough to keep you from going anywhere. I had a Jeep Cherokee XJ with a ... similar problem. Fired it up and drove off after a backpacking trip in the DBNF in Eastern Kentucky, only to get down the highway and the thing started to smoke and act like it was on fire. I managed to get it pulled over, but the thing was seconds from burning to the ground in a blaze of glory.

Hood was too hot to go near ... get it towed to a mechanic and he goes: "You've been f***ed by a squirrel! Look there's a nut." Sure enough there was a bloody charred acorn in there. They had got my wiring harness and something else. Tree rats. Hate 'em.

[Mikej]

There’s a class action suit against Toyota for using soy based wiring insulation, which allegedly attracts rats. Not sure if the lawsuit has any basis, but I’ve read about under the hood mounted ultrasonic devices, which supposedly deter rodents.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.freep.com/amp/578398002

European auto manufacturers are now required to use recyclable plastics in the assembly of their autos. Mercedes has looong been know to have deteriorating plastic on their wiring harnesses. Loooong.....also, it takes a few trips to reset the gas cap check engine light. I really like 4Runners btw, my mom has an FJ, last year they made them, only gets 15-16 mpg- I’ll stick to my accord for the mileage I do - but the 2020 4Runners do it 4 me!

Oh, my dad swore by dryer sheets to keep away mice.

[joosttx]

European auto manufacturers are now required to use recyclable plastics in the assembly of their autos. Mercedes has looong been know to have deteriorating plastic on their wiring harnesses. Loooong.....also, it takes a few trips to reset the gas cap check engine light. I really like 4Runners btw, my mom has an FJ, last year they made them, only gets 15-16 mpg- I’ll stick to my accord for the mileage I do - but the 2020 4Runners do it 4 me!

Oh, my dad swore by dryer sheets to keep away mice.

4Runners get about the same in gas mileage. They are overpriced and are featureless. But if rats dont get into them they should last forever which is my hope. Just order this

https://mouseblocker.com/product/mouse-blocker-pro/

for the truck

[mhespenheide]

I had this same problem in central CA for mice or squirrels chewing out the wiring of a Toyota Sienna minivan. Toyota uses a soy-based plastic to coat the wires, then compounded the problem by making the wiring a single unit, which you have to pull the engine to replace/repair.

My repair cost from the Santa Barbara dealer was over $4000, but thankfully insurance paid all but the $500 deductible.

I don't park under those trees anymore.

[merlinmurph]

Friend of mine had a groundhog under the hood of his Subie, and the little rodent did not want to leave.

Marmots are a big problem (https://www.adventure-journal.com/2017/11/beware-car-eating-rodents/)where they're found. Backpackers return from a few days in the mountains and find their car destroyed.

[gasman]

I've never seen a car wrapped up in a tarp to marmot proof it !!!

Rodents:butt:

[htwoopup]

From Quartz today... Germany’s car industry has declared a war on weasels. Last year drivers in Germany filed nearly 200,000 auto insurance claims for weasel-inflicted damage, a 42% increase since 2005. The culprit is the stone marten species, which is enraged by auto parts and invades engines to find and destroy them. In the Wall Street Journal, William Boston describes the deterrents being deployed against the critter, whose population is exploding in Germany


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[parallelfish]

Friend of mine had a groundhog under the hood of his Subie, and the little rodent did not want to leave.

Marmots are a big problem (https://www.adventure-journal.com/2017/11/beware-car-eating-rodents/)where they're found. Backpackers return from a few days in the mountains and find their car destroyed.

Yep - I have hiked many times out of Mineral King and have seen cars at the trail head disabled by marmots. That and cars disassembled by bears when the owners locked their coolers inside the car. They just hook into the top of the doors and peel them down like sardine cans.

[joosttx]

Yep - I have hiked many times out of Mineral King and have seen cars at the trail head disabled by marmots. That and cars disassembled by bears when the owners locked their coolers inside the car. They just hook into the top of the doors and peel them down like sardine cans.

I was once in Colorado at a corporate retreat, a colleague left a Burger King bag in the back set of the SUV we had rented. The next morning one of the stuff say a bear had gotten into the SUV. That SUV interior stank like nasty wet dog and was totally muddy. I made the guy who left the Burger King bag in the SUV sit in the muddy backseats .

[choke]

I remember reading a story several years ago about a remote trail in Canada. There was chicken wire at the trailhead so the hikers could wrap their tires with it - if they didn't porcupines would eat the tires. Apparently there is salt in tires and porcupines love it.

[jtakeda]

thank you for the article and tip

I didn’t read the article but I’m fairly certain Toyota stopped using soy wiring harnesses in 2016 so maybe check the date code on your door, I’m not sure a 2019 could have a 2016 wiring harness but it’s possible

Either way that sucks—