How common is rodent wire damage?

[BGTCLE]

Hey -- so my dash lights up out of the blue (Steer Assist Service, Hill Assist Service, AdvanceTrac Service). I call the dealer and get it towed. I call this dealer twice, talk to different people On the phone, dealer is already saying "rodent damage isn't covered" before they see the car.

Amazingly it turns out to be rodent damage. I know this happens, but does this always happen? I haven't had this issue with any of my other new (2010 model and up) cars.

Anyone else having this problem? Is it so common that this is the standard answer when service lights come on? This is the standard answer for any wire problem?

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[NorthernProducer]

Hey -- so my dash lights up out of the blue (Steer Assist Service, Hill Assist Service, AdvanceTrac Service). I call the dealer and get it towed. I call this dealer twice, talk to different people On the phone, dealer is already saying "rodent damage isn't covered" before they see the car.

Amazingly it turns out to be rodent damage. I know this happens, but does this always happen? I haven't had this issue with any of my other new (2010 model and up) cars.

Anyone else having this problem? Is it so common that this is the standard answer when service lights come on? This is the standard answer for any wire problem?

The rodents love the soy based wiring insulation that Ford (and others?) are using in their harnesses. I had a similar experience with my 2014 F150 where rodents ate through a wiring harness which tripped the check engine light. Looks like this will be a continuing problem...especially for those vehicles parked outside.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

The rodents love the soy based wiring insulation that Ford (and others?) are using in their harnesses. I had a similar experience with my 2014 F150 where rodents ate through a wiring harness which tripped the check engine light. Looks like this will be a continuing problem...especially for those vehicles parked outside.

I've got vehicles that sit outside for months....years....and don't have this issue. I'll get wasps nests in the doors, and spider webs in the interior on the ones that sit for that long, but no chewed wires...

 

[Bikeman315]

But they look so cute.

 

[Armageddon Turbo]

Never seen it myself, but I have reard of it happening.

 

[BGTCLE]

I've got vehicles that sit outside for months....years....and don't have this issue. I'll get wasps nests in the doors, and spider webs in the interior on the ones that sit for that long, but no chewed wires...

That's why I'm so skeptical -- I have other late model year cars that have been outside for years without any issues. And I love this car, it is as clean as I can make it, so it's not like I'm attracting them with food.

 

[givemeadollar]

Not ford but Evos get that real bad, its the insulation they use in those cars that happens to be rodent heaven.

 

[Cobra Jet]

The fix:

Pour into spray bottle, spray at every detailing interval - wa-la, no more rodent problem...

 

[Crayon]

It happened to me at my apartment complex two summers ago. It was a huge pain. It was mostly due to neighbors who left trash out but it happened twice within a month. And, my HOA refused to pay for the repair or help me in any way until I complained to the board. With insurance it cost me $1200 for both repairs.

 

[Rapid Red]

But they look so cute.

I think he is looking for some tomato sauce to put on the spaghetti sitting right there.

 

[BGTCLE]

But they look so cute.

Like everything else, they use the cute models in the pictures but real life falls short.

The fix:

Pour into spray bottle, spray at every detailing interval - wa-la, no more rodent problem...

That is both funny and genius. Does it actually work or are you pulling my leg? My next question was how to stop it really is rodent damage.

I really can't tell because "voila" = "here it is!" or "check it out!" en francais, and "wa-la" is the perfect way to mangle it.

 

[Balr14]

For some reason, the rodents around here seem to like to gnaw on my TV cable. But, never had problem with one gnawing on the car wiring, even though my cars sit for a long time.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Like everything else, they use the cute models in the pictures but real life falls short.


That is both funny and genius. Does it actually work or are you pulling my leg? My next question was how to stop it really is rodent damage.

I really can't tell because "voila" = "here it is!" or "check it out!" en francais, and "wa-la" is the perfect way to mangle it.

Haha... I was merely kidding about the Hot Sauce!

Would it work - possibly for those rodents that are scavengers and eat anything... don’t know if chewed wires or the resulting rodent shit squirts around the wires from eating Hot Sauce would be a better outcome...

 

[Frank]

Hey -- so my dash lights up out of the blue (Steer Assist Service, Hill Assist Service, AdvanceTrac Service). I call the dealer and get it towed. I call this dealer twice, talk to different people On the phone, dealer is already saying "rodent damage isn't covered" before they see the car.

Amazingly it turns out to be rodent damage. I know this happens, but does this always happen? I haven't had this issue with any of my other new (2010 model and up) cars.

Anyone else having this problem? Is it so common that this is the standard answer when service lights come on? This is the standard answer for any wire problem?

Unfortunately this is no an uncommon problem, I worked in Fleet for the US gov and we had a fleet of over 250000 vehicles all makes and models and none were exempt from rodent damage. I have seen instances where the same vehicle got damaged over and over again. But like I said its just not uncommon.

 

[BGTCLE]

Haha... I was merely kidding about the Hot Sauce!

Would it work - possibly for those rodents that are scavengers and eat anything... don’t know if chewed wires or the resulting rodent shit squirts around the wires from eating Hot Sauce would be a better outcome...

Haha... I was merely kidding about the Hot Sauce!

Would it work - possibly for those rodents that are scavengers and eat anything... don’t know if chewed wires or the resulting rodent shit squirts around the wires from eating Hot Sauce would be a better outcome...

Mechanic sent the pic here, says that's rodent damage. Me being an idiot I asked him if pepper sauce would work and he said yes, possibly just humoring a customer. also that there's some high pitch device that he's used.

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