OT: F’ing Rats

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by Mikej

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 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

[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]

Originally Posted by 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 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]

Originally Posted by parallelfish

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]

Originally Posted by joosttx

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—