Community Chat

[september]

Have heard this story many times.  We had some similar, minor damage done to one of our cars at one time. It was still operable, but a lot of the insulating materials were torn out by an animal that wanted them for its nest. 

[phoenixbrd]

@bonnielu Congratulations on your newly cleaned out garage....must feel good!

[phoenixbrd]

@croemer 

[ciao_bella]

Have a friend who lives in rural Massachusetts in a senior housing community.  He leased a new Toyota Rav and had the same problem with mice.  He was told the wiring was soy based and mice and other rodents love it.  It got so bad the insurance company had to total the car due to the rodents eating the wiring and getting into the inside of the vehicle.  His car was not the only one in the community that had the problem either.  

[silkyk]

The wiring harness (that's what DH said) in our truck was totally chewed up by those rodents! Really bad this year. Do all you can to discourage them!

[lovesrecess]

No problem here with mice....just squirrels. They ruined our our brand new a/c unit outside by chewing right through the metal mesh on the outside. The a/c guy showed me a fried squirrel laying right on top on the big unit where he chewed through a wire. $2100. They like to get under the hood of the car where it is warmer during the winter. I make a lot of noise before I get in the car...even more before starting it...and usually Incan hear them scurrying out of the garage.....ewww!

[lovesrecess]

What’s in the Fresh cab? I don’t want to be breathing in toxic stuff while driving.

[sidsmom]

Growing up on a farm in the Midwest, this isn’t a surprise.

Worst case...when the live cats would hunker down up in the chassis.

[Venezia]

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@lovesrecess wrote:
What’s in the Fresh cab? I don’t want to be breathing in toxic stuff while driving.

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@lovesrecess  - I looked it up; it's all non-toxic, natural.  A woman developed it because she had pets and children and a mouse problem on her farm.  Google it and you'll find the information to tell you specifically what's in it.

[Venezia]

The issue with the new soy-based wiring insulation actually atttracting rodents is very real.  And the car manufacturers, of course, want nothing to do with putting it right.

I've read the only thing you can do to prevent this kind of damage is to find a mechanic who knows how to wrap the wiring in a capsaicin-infused tape of some kind.

There are several class-action lawsuits currently against various automakers because of this issue.