Car wiring damage from animals

[ScreamingPotato]

Somewhat related, how do you get the mouse piss smell out? I bought a used SxS and it absolutely wreaks of mouse piss. Got all the wiring fixed I think but worried the smell will attract mice and snakes.

 

[Davyalabama]

I've done the hood up, light under it thing, sure works.

Cover it well, get a few cats.

 

[Weldor]

Repells is a spray Home depot tractor supply sells. It irratates their sinus and respitory system. Works, just spray engine compartment and wheels and tires . Music works if it is in a garage. I live in the high desert and mountains no issues in 15 plus years, the neighbors on the other hand have had their vehicles trashed multiple times.

 

[dribeerfeht]

Chicken wire the underside and lower wheel wells. This used to be SOP for cars arriving in GTMO. Banana Rats (Hutia) would eat wires and hoses. Iguanas would climb up in the engines during cool nights. When I shipped my van from GTMO to Germany, the inspector looked at it and said they do the same thing in S Germany to keep the Marmot out.

 

[Danomite]

I just dealt with this about a month ago. I live in an area with a lot of pack rats and trap them year around (small have-a-heart works best for me). They’d never bothered the vehicles until causing $2500 in damage to my Tundra during a cold snap. I installed the strobe/high pitched noise thing and a couple days later noticed a little fuse on the ground under where I park. Little bastards had disabled the strobe thing. I rewired it, sprayed a ton of peppermint spray, zip tied some peppermint pouches around, and spread a mixture of peanut butter and baking soda under and near my truck. I haven’t had any problems since.

 

[AKSandman]

I’ve used pine sol in a spray bottle to effectively protect wiring from getting chewed on by squirrels. Spray on 1-2x per year

 

[Boarmaster]

Back when I was a Parts and Service director one of my service writers came into my office to let me know there was a guy out in the service port raising cane about his brand new car. I don't remember the exact issue he was having but he was hopping azz mad. I went out and calmed him down and assured him we would expedite the repair.

Diagnosis took my tech about two minutes.

I called up the owner and asked him how he liked his new puppy. He said pretty good but how did you know I had a puppy? I then told him he has some wiring chewed to heck under the vehicle that was causing his issue. He came in and took a look then changed his tune.

Fortunately we had a wire harness from a previous warranty job that was the same and we spiced the damaged portion in.
Otherwise he would have had an expensive new wire harness and install repair. I charged him for some labor and got him back on the road.
Its hard to believe that was more than 26 to 30 years ago.

 

[Phaseolus]

My Wife’s 4Runner is in the shop as I type, it had lost power. Apparently rodents made a nest under the intake manifold and chewed at least one injector wire. I’ll be on an anti rodent campaign now.

 

[Boarmaster]

Rats ate my wiring on my 2007 Polaris a few years ago. It needed a new harness and the short burned up the connection on the fan and a few other things. Cost of the repair was more than the old atv was worth so I gave it away to get rid of it and bought new Ranger 1000. I was ready for a SXS anyway but would have been nice to be able to sell or get a couple bucks for my old one. I keep that stuff 9 hours away at my hunting lease and just really wanted to get rid of the old one. It had newer tires and a one year old winch. I just don't have the time or space to have been able to part it out and junk it.

 

[Uncle Goonie]

I park my truck at work for a couple days at a time in a downtown area with a lot of restaurants and bums, which means a lot of rats. Dryer sheets and various scented sprays didn't work, I put the hood up now and leave a light on (fenced/secure yard). One of my coworkers had wiring chewed up on his brand new F150, another on a 4runner. At home we have a couple of barn cats that keep the rodents in check.