Are Rats, Mice, Squirrels and other Rodents eating your Engine Harness Wires?

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 Get to the Main Home Page Discussion by clicking on "Rodents Love Engine Wires" at the top of this page.

Are Rats, Mice, Chipmunks, Squirrels and Rodents eating your Engine Harness, Motor Wires, Break Lines or destroying spark plug wires?

 This is such an epidemic, if the auto manufacturers are not going to assist in solving the problem. There may need to be a cost effective cheap auto insurance coverage for automobile wires and hoses. Does cheap auto insurance for your cars electrical wires and hoses sound crazy? Until you've had to dish out $3,000 in auto repair fees it may.

   So if your car hasn't been attacked, be on the lookout or you may be the next victim of Tasty Wires.

 Here's a quick view of  automobile types with some makes and models listed that have been reported to have had wire and or hose damage as a result from rodents and other furry critters finding them to be tasty.

Subaru Outback limited
Honda CRV
chevy truck
chevy tahoe
2001 Ford Taurus LX Wagon
2002 Chrysler Concorde
Lincoln Town Car
2000 Hyundai
2006 Toyota Sequoia
4wd trailblazer
Honda Pilot attacked 2x in 4 months
2006 VW GTI
2008 Honda Civic
2000 Hyundai Elantra
unknown Toyota truck
2007 Chevy Uplander
CHEVY P30 VAN
Chrysler Crossfire
Toyota Camry
Buick
2005 Mustang
Nissan
2008 Lexus IS250
'95 Ford Contour
2008 ford escape
2007 jeep

 

 

 

Comments

[Claire Dunham]

I have a 2008 Honda Civic. The squirrels got my wiring harness....to the tune of $300, plus towing. Luckily they didn't get to chew all the way thru, which would have been $1100. My neighbor (Jeep Cherokee) had his fuel line chewed through, and gas was leaking from his vehicle.
I am just furious that Honda wouldn't honor this in the warranty.

[Karen Budzik]

You can add Saturn Vue 08 to your list.
Chipmunks are enjoying my wiring and I don't have the final cost yet.It isn't covered under warrenty either.

[Rick Suddes]

Dear Karen on Chipmunks: Where do you live which state and are you in the
woods? I have a lot of customers with squirrels, rats, mice problems. No one has said
anything about chipmunks.

I am trying to find out if Chipmunks are a big problem also.
Rick Suddes from www.Rataway.com email Ratawayman@aol.com

[Steve]

Add a 2004 Acura TL & 2005 Honda Pilot. Rodent(s) apparently got in and cost me $750 labor + $30 for parts (dealer has to take apart the manifold to re-attach to oxygen sensor). Argh!

[Rick Suddes]

On the 2004 Acura TL & 2005 Pilot owner

Go to www.Rataway.com Rataway Fragrance protects
engines & wiring from chewing rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, etc.. Rataway Fragrance is a spray and is sold all over the world.

[Jane]

2006 Toyota 4-Runner...twice in eight months. First time the damage cost my insurance company $500. This time (I just got my vehicle back from the repair shop) it cost them $2900...that's right. I've always carried comprehensive coverage, so it's cost me $100 each time. I'm sure my insurance rates next cycle will reflect what it has cost them. And,I digress,the repair shop Northshore Toyota in Covington,La., disabled my vehicle (it was still safe to drive) before the part (wiring harness) arrived at their shop, forcing me into one of their rentals. The part arrived eight days later. They GENEROUSLY charged me for only four of those days even though THEY disabled the vehicle, not the rodents. They won't see me and my credit card again. BTW, I owned a '91 4Runner until 2007 and parked it in the same spot at home for 16 years and this never happened.

[Lenelle]

2007 Honda CRV EX...squirrels, raccoons, rats etc. caused $1,122.00 of wire damage. The buggers ate through the wire harness,transmission and selenoid wires. Car insurance may cover it with $200.00 deductable. We live in the city of Seattle. Noticed the Malfunction Indicator Light on with the Drive gear light flashing and the mile range fluctuating from 336 to 309 back to 340. The vehicle was running a little rough. Took it to the dealer who told us of the wire damage from rodents. Very frustrating going to make sure new wires are not made of soy based material.

[NITA]

2008 FORD EXPLORER YES I JUST FOUND OUT THAT RATS CHEWED UP MY WIRING IN MY CAR SO FAR LABOR HAS BEEN A FEW HRS & IM SURE MY BILL WILL BE PAST THE $500 MARK. THIS IS ABSOLUTLY RIDICULOUS. I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THE DEALER SHIP I GOT MY CAR FROM WASNT JERKING ME BUT THEY INSISTED ON ME SEEING IT WITH MY OWN EYES. HOLY CRAP I CANT AFFORD THIS. THESE CAR MAKERS BETTER THINK OF A SOLUTION ASAP. OR ILL BECOME A HITCHHIKER!!!

[Stefanie]

I have a 2003 Infiniti G35 and rodents just ate my engine wire harness to the tune of $125 for towing and $800-$2000 for (repair or replacement of the wire harness...still waiting to hear which one....) I was able to claim it on my insurance, but I was very shocked to leanr that a rodent caused this misfortune.

[Rick Suddes]

This is Rick from Rataway.com.
With the Rataway Fargrance sales the damage between the squirrels & rats it is about 50/50
for damage in cars. add a few mice once in a while. Some times I think the Squirrels have the edge. Lot of Squirrel sales in the North East,East Coast, North West (Seattle) South East Georgia, Texas,IL,Penn,Ohio etc...When it snows
the car is a good place to nest & hide

[Nancy]

In one week I had to have both my cars repaired
for rodent damage. Add 2006 Mercedes CLK500
and 2006 Lexus 470 to your list.

[Rick Suddes]

From Rick Suddes at Rataway.com go to Google
type in massive rat Boing Boing. This rat is very big. 6 pounds. This big boy could eat the car.

[Patty]

2002 GMC Envoy was repaired due to field mice chewing through the wires. This feast costs me $440.

[katie]

2007 Dodge Caliber. the squirrel used the piece of insulation attached to the hood to make a nest. it then tried to chew thru the hard plastic casing my battery is in, and chewed threw the mesh that protects my wires. i happened to notice as i was re-filling the washer fluid. it is happening at my work as mine is the third vehicle these little buggers have gotten in the last month.
thank god all i have to replace is the insulation....

[Eleazar]

I just got my 2008 toyota tundra back from the dealership, I had rodents eat my engine wiring harnest, two days of down time and 1800 dollars total cost.

[W.Armstrong]

About 2 months ago, I was having problems with my 2007 Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer. It was taken to the dealership and they patched the wire harness. Then Tuesday of this week, I drove to work, had no problems. My office complex has alot of trees and alot of squirrels.I leave work at 5:00pm to go home.The smell of gasoline is really strong.I thought this was because the lawn guys had did the lawn. I get in my ford suv and start the engine, the odor is over whelming, i back out, call my husband and he says to park the truck and get out of the vehicle. I did what he said and looked underneath my suv, right behind the engine and gasoline is pouring out all over the parking lot. Needless to say the squirrels not only punctured my gas line but they chewed the wire harness again. Statefarm has coverage for this and I didn't know I had this coverage. I have to pay the deductible, $500.00. I think we should send all our complaints to our new President so he can take careof this since he used tax payer dollars to bail ot some of these automobile makers. And we need to get in touch with every CEO and complain. Right now the cost is $1500.00 but the adjuster wants the wire harness repaired and not fixed.I had towing, I have rental car coverage. So I guess I have been lucky but it's getting ridiculous.

[Rick Suddes]

I had a customer have 3 rat nests in two volvo's
and an Audi. So add these cars to the list.

Spray Rataway Fragrance from Rataway.com and save on repair bills.

Rick Suddes from Rataway.com

[Cathy Donohue]

My 2001 Impala required a wiring repair in March of this year due to chewed wires to the tune of $203. Now in June I have had to spend $250 to replace the wiring harness for the anti-lock braking system which also had been chewed. Today, I turned on my car's engine, and guess what I saw run across the grass beside me? A chipmunk! Guess that is what has been feasting on my wiring. Add my Chevrolet Impala to your list.

[ZOILA MALDONADO]

I HAVE A 2005 UPLANDER AND I'M NOT SURE IF MY SITUATION IS THE SAME BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WHEN THE WIRES ARE EATEN BY THESE TYPES OF RODENTS, WHAT DO THE WIRES LOOK LIKE WHEN BITTEN. ARE THEY BITTEN IN MANY PLACES AND CHEWED OFF SO IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE, DOES IT LOOK CHOPPED AT THE ENDS OF THE WIRE ONCE BITTEN BY TINY TEETH, DO THEY TAKE A BIG BITE THROUGH IT, OR WHEN THEY DO BITE, IS IT BITTEN SO CLEAN OFF AT THE END OF THE WIRE. CAN ANYONE SEND ME A PICTURE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR.

[Michael]

Add 2008 Dodge caliber, though they favored the screen to the air inlet first, then the air filter. $850 to date and I have not finished checking the wiring yet, but I suspect they are after it,too.

Dodge/CHrysler no help...'you have a mouse problem'. No, I do not, I have a car that mice like. The last one got in while parked at the Mall in town. There is a jeep grand cherokee parked next to the caliber either in the garage or in front of the house.. no mice in it.

[Bob Gregg]

September 29,09

My 1996 Jaguar & 2006 Porsche have both been attacked by rats. Both cars have nests made out of our roof insulation and acorns. I've seen rats in both cars and they were not that afraid of me. I wanted to shoot him although I would have probably blown the car up. I won't put rat poison in the engine compartment as my dog sleeps in the garage and I'm afraid the rat would push the poison onto the floor. I can't have that as my dog would eat it as he does most things that look like food. What to do? I live in Los Altos, Ca.

[Vincent G.]

http://www.weisslurie.com/contact/

They tried a class action suit about 2 years ago based on the Jaguar issue but lost.

I called them and they are looking into it again as it seems this is a growing problem.

I too was a victim of a Squirrel eating the harness which caused engine problems.

After contacting the Honda Company who claims their engineers can not be responsible to know what Rodents like or dislike I am pushing for a class action suit.
I find this incredible to hear as they are telling us we have to worry about animals attacking our cars and they don't care about it or will even think about changing the wires or tubing they use!!!

And all the dealer can say is put moth balls in and around the engine!!!

If this law firm does not take this case I will find one that will.

Who wants to join?

[Thomas Van Zuiden]

Do you have any hard facts that the sheathing products and wire insulation do in fact contain soy based oil or products??

I am interested and will post my situation on this site if the car manufacturer doesn't pay for the damages!

[Rick Suddes]

I would spray Rataway Fragrance on my car engine, truck, motorhome,Pex Waterlines, TV cables,
It works on rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, woodpeckers, dogs, cats, etc...
Rataway Fragrance is safe around children and pets. The soy based insulation is in a lot of products. Not just cars wiring & hoses.
a herf="http://www.Rataway.com">www.Rataway.com

[Jim Hastings]

Was on a flight that had to make an emergency landing after someone onboard thought she saw a mouse.Frikin' everybody but the marine corp. was at the gate.Can a mouse bring down a large passenger jet? Can you say "Fly by wire", I'll betcha' can.

[Van K.]

I just took my car to the ford dealership (2008 Mustang) . They diagnosed it as overheating damage and wanted to replace everything. I said screw you and took it to my mechanic. He instantly looked at it and said it was mice. He even showed me the droppings they left behind. Luckily I caught it early and very little damage was done. Still gonna cost me a few hundred. Mechanic recommended I put electric shocking mouse traps under the hood at night. Freaking brand new car and there still had to be some sort of problem. jeeez!

[Laurie]

Add 09 Chevy HHR. Waiting @ the dealership to get picked up because my car has to stay for 2 days thanks to the little buggers.

[Kellee]

My resident wood rat loves my 2000 Passat wiring!

[Mike]

2008 Toyota RAV4 taken in for normal service and was told that rodents had eaten the insulation on the underside of the engine cover, made a nest and were snacking on the wire coverings. Had to replace some wiring and connectors - only $50 this time. Still, this should be addressed as it poses fire, performance and safety hazards.

[Donna]

Add a 2008 Toyota Camary XLE to your list. Rats (or whatever!)have gotten to my wiring for the 3rd time since late October. Car had to be towed to the dealership all 3 times...out over $1,000. so far! Soy wires.....perhaps this explains why they are in love with my car!

[Don]

2005 Saturn VUE $60 Towing and $200 for Repair...

[Joe Sullivan]

2007 Toyota Camry - wire harness chewed, most probably by squirrels, though we have many other kinds of rodents too here in rural Mass. $380. I found this site while the car was in the shop, and asked the repair coordinator about the soy-based plastic issue when I went to pick it up. He said he'd never heard of it, but acknowledged that they've seen a lot of chewed wires in this area. We also have a 2001 Toyota Echo, but not had this problem with it. Now I'm putting fox urine granules around the driveway and in the engine well of both cars, hoping it will help. I agree the manufacturers need to take responsibility for this.