Does Your Car Have Soy Based Wiring? [UPDATED 2023]

162 thoughts on “Does Your Car Have Soy Based Wiring? [UPDATED 2023]”

1. What is “soy based wiring”? I order a fair bit of wire and none of the reputable electronic suppliers I’m aware of carry soy/bioplastic insulated wire. Cars generally use PVC or XLPE. How can we identify wire that’s “soy based”, would it be on the label? Can you buy it anywhere if you want a cheap, environmentally friendly option?

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   1. Hi Matt! I apologize for the delay in my response as I took a leave of absence from my post as Rat King, but I am back now and ready to fulfill my duties! I don’t know of a specific way to determine if a particular wire uses soy-based bioplastics, but all major car companies have moved in this direction. In each of the law suits filed back in 2018, none of the car manufacturers claims “to not” use the wiring and Tesla employees have responded to clients that the use of the wiring is better for the environment. All of these large car manufacturers have vowed to make efforts to be more environmentally friendly and this helps them move in that direction. And, I’m sorry I don’t have the expertise to guide you in where to buy the wiring, but I would just be cautious that there may be an added layer of risk to using this type of wiring. Best of luck to you and thanks for the questions/comment! RKD

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2. I was having problems with squirrels chewing into the lower panel of my garage doors for years. I painted them with a mixture of vinegar and crushed Ghost peppers (simmered together for a few minutes on a stove). It worked! the squirrels finally stopped chewing. I wonder if those with rodent car problems could just paint the tires with the same mixture to stop them from climbing into the car. The Ghost pepper is unbelievably hot, much hotter than a habenero pepper.

   Regarding soy based wire in cars, why is there not much content on this same problem with house wiring?

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   1. Hi Tony! I apologize for the long delay in my response. I took a leave of absence from my duties as Rat King, but I am now ready to defend the throne! Smart thinking with your Ghost pepper mixture. I have heard of multiple success stories using this type of method but moreso with Tabasco. I am certainly intrigued by this and thank you for sharing. Honda makes rodent deterrent tape that has basically hot sauce infused with it lol.

      In regards to house wiring, I am not sure if sky based wiring is used in houses. Makes me curious though. Anyways, thank you again for your comment! RKD

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3. My 2009 GMC Sierra 2500HD Duramax got chewed up really bad but my insurance foot the bill for several thousand for a complete new harness minus deductible.

   After trying a bunch of nonsense, my final solution was to feed and raise feral cats. I have quite a few now. There are no longer any mice, rats, squirrels, gophers or rabbits on my property. I buy a lot of cat food at Costco and keep the door to my garage open. In the winter I have a heater for the cats. It’s well worth the money to keep my trucks safe from being chewed up. And several of the cats have become friendly.

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   1. Hi George! Thank you for sharing your methodology and I am so sorry for the delay in my response. I took a leave from being Rat King for a few years, but now I am back!
      That is a very smart idea to just attract natural predators like cats. Feral cats know how to hunt (unlike many indoor cats) so they can certainly get the job done. Glad to hear it is working out for you and I hope that is still the case. Thank you again for sharing! RKD

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4. This list can be safely updated for KIA to include up to 2020 Kia Forte vehicles.

   Reason being I got screwed by this in the past week :/

   less than 600 miles into owning it as well

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   1. Hi XD, so sorry for the delay in my response. I took a leave of absence as Rat King for a few years but I am back now!

      Kia is certainly on the list! At this point it is pretty much every car made with the last 10 years. Sorry to hear about your incident and that is happened so soon after getting your new car. I hope that you have been implementing some prevention techniques to ensure the rodents don’t come back for more. Be sure to at least be looking under the hood often. Stay safe out there! RKD

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5. I found the answer- I put waterproof duct tape around my spark plug wires after the 4th time replacing them. Here is a link to the photos I took : https://photos.app.goo.gl/PuW96EkVQ7zDAQdr9
   It has worked 100%. I know because they are still nesting there (note the cactus spines that they use to booby trap their nests) and there is exactly 1/2 a chomp into a spark plug wire and no more….for years now.

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   1. Hi Thyrza! Wow, thanks for sharing! I’ve never heard of someone using this but great to hear it worked for you! On a separate note, please continue to keep checking under your hood. Who knows when they will come back! RKD

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6. On Nov 29 2019 I bought and brought home and new 2019 silverado 1500 truck. Watsonville chevrolet on the central coast of CA. .Had it less than 5 days. A rat ate the wiring harness and part of the ignition wiring. I had no idea and had it towed to thd dealer. The dealership called after 4 days to let me know the truck was so new there wasn’t any wiring harnesses available anywhere in the country which I kind of felt hard to believe. They informed me they were going to splice the wires. Then thru told me that the rats was still in the truck. The technician saw it. Great now its at home there. The service guy tells me he sent a guy to buy a few traps. So I call every few days. Still waiting on some connectors it won’t be long…. So today I call again service guy tells me it should be ready by end of the day. I remind him again that I’ve been advised by a reputable pest company employee to be sure to have the truck and engine compartment degreased and steam cleaned before I bring it home or they’ll just come back. He says right well do that. Can you pick it up tomorrow (Sat) by noon? Sure will I’m stoked as they’ve had my truck longer than I have and it brand new. Well that joy didn’t last long. Guy calls me back to tell me the technician found more new damage that happened at the dealership. The damn rat is still in the truck. I’m pretty pissed now. Not sure who to call or complain to. I don’t think they took my problem very seriously. So now it will be several more days. I hire a pest control company to surround our parking area with bait stations to the tune of $350. Uhg! I’d appreciate comments and would like to know if there a class action suit against chevrolet yet. If not I may start one. Thanks
   Noel in Monterey

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   1. Hi Noel! I’m so sorry for the delay in my response to you. Wow, I’ve never heard of the rodent staying in the car at the mechanic shop. I guess it would be the place in which it feels most familiar and comfortable. Good idea on asking for the shop to clean the engine compartment. In fact that gives me food for thought as that is a very important step that could prevent more rodents from coming back there after the car is fixed. A common problem is people will get their engines fixed, but there is still rodent urine and droppings left in the compartment from the mechanic, so when the car comes back to the house, the rodents will come back and notice their signed of “Safety” (urine and droppings) and make home again. Hmmmm I might need to write an article on this. And, I have not heard of a class action suit against Chevrolet. Anyways, I hope that you are no longer having any issues with rodent damage. If so, let me know! RKD

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7. my 92 f250 wiring got chewed – even thru the plug wires- mothballs taped around in the eng bay- wife’s 06 escape got eaten too – insurance paid for some of it- mothballs in a sack and a couple pine air fresheners in eng bay- my 03 civic got chewed on too – pine air fresheners and a few mothballs taped – all good now- leaving hood open a bit helps- I prop hoods open with a pop bottle – maybe open 6 inches

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   1. Hi David! Oh man I can’t believe I missed this comment some years ago. I took some time away from this site, but now I am back! Thank you for letting me know that the pine air fresheners, mothballs and leaving hood up have helped. If you are still dealing with these types of issues, I would also recommend having your engine compartment professionally cleaned and sanitized. There is a high chance that rodents will keep coming if the car has still been marked as “safe”. I know its been a few years, but if you are still having issues, please let me know. I am around now. Thank you! RKD

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8. Thanks for reminding me to spray my engine with peppermint spray (Rodent Defense). It just got cold here in Orlando (for us). I saw an email from your blog and that reminded me to get up and do it, before the squirrels got busy.

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   1. Hahah, glad I could be of assistance! Hope this helped solve the issue! RKD

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9. A chipmunk got into my 2007 Toyota Tunda hood and chewed up the wires. I don’t know if they are soy based wires. The dealer was able to repair the wiring harness which cost me a “reasonable” $600. A new one would have cost me $1800. They suggested that I put some moth balls in an orange/nectarine netting-type bag and secure with a band tie near the top of the hood where it won’t interfere with the mechanical parts of the motor. The critters can’t take the smell. Haven’t had them reenter so far.

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   1. Hi Carol, Eeek..sorry to hear that. 2007 was a little early (as far as i’m aware) for soy based wiring. That’s a very interesting suggestion from your mechanic and I’m really happy to hear you are seeing no more damage. I would say if it works, don’t fix it! I would be cognizant to keep checking under the hood often especially as the weather cools down. Squirrels, rats, mice, etc., will be looking for alternative shelter once the weather cools down in winter and cars are especially prone to this. Hope this helps! RKD

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10. My car is currently in the dealership getting the wire harness replaced. I’ve parked my car on the street since I got it less than 2 years ago and this is the first I’ve had wires chewed through by a rodent! I’m surprised I was even able to drive it to the dealership. The car barely started and had all it’s maintenance alerts on…I thought it was a battery problem and annoyed that my newish car was having so many issues but lo and behold…this issue was even worse. The repair cost is estimated to be $3k, not to mention that I need a rental so have some of those expenses that my insurance isn’t covering plus the deductible. I will try all the measures – spraying cayenne pepper, peppermint oil, setting traps, and look for brighter areas.

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    1. Hi Janet, yeah unfortunately rodents chewing up cars is more common than you would think. Your deductible should $500 plus any rental car fees. Certainly take all the preventative measures listed above and above all else keep an eye under your hood. Since the weather is cooling down it is super likely to have rodents coming back again looking for alternative shelter. Hope this helps! RKD

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       1. State Farm said the rodents can not chew through metal wires, the 4th cylinder wire of my Nissan Versa Note is gone, who do I believe?

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          1. Hi Nancy, Rodents can through copper. This is a pretty well known fact. They can’t chew through steel, but the wiring in your car is not made of steel. Rodents chew up car wires all the time so sounds like you maybe be working with a shady agent from State Farm. I would ask to speak to a supervisor. Hope this helps. RKD

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    2. This exact situation just happened to me, exactly, every word of your story. I have a 2016 Nissan Versa Note. Bothell WA. My insurance said it was not rodents, the dealership said it was. I needed a new wire harness, Over 2,000

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       1. Hi Nancy, I’m surprised that there is a dispute between the insurance company and your dealership/repair shop. Usually someone from the insurance company would come and inspect if there is doubt to the cause of the damages. Did someone from the insurance company go see the car?? Rodent damage to cars is actually pretty common. RKD

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11. Dave: so blessed to find your website. I have a minor story and a main entree for you. A few months ago my aunts cabin filter in her Lexus ES 330 (2006) was chewed up by mice and she needed to get that replaced. It seems like the wires were not made of soy or else the damage would have been far more extensive. Now for the really bad news. I have a 2019 Subaru Impreza. Last week I got a Check Engine Light after 10 months and about 18,000 miles. The dealership had a hard time diagnosing it at first. We thought it might have just needed a new O2 sensor. They dropped the heat shield and low and behold they found an empty mice nest. There was massive damage to the wiring harness and it needs to be completely replaced. I am looking at $2100 in labor (13 hours) + about $400 for the harness + tax = approximately $2700. Fortunately Geico will probably cover it less my $500 deductible. I was thinking of asking them to wrap the harness in capsaicin tape. What else should I do once I get the car back? I live in a cold weather state.

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    1. Hi Kevin, Sorry to hear about both of these issues. Mice love to nest in the cabin filters of cars. They shred up the filter, pee all over it, and make a bedding out of it.. eew. Your aunt is super lucky there was no wire damage. I suspect the rodents weren’t there for long before the nest was found.

       Now in regards to your Subaro…ugh. Unfortunately the heat shield provide some nice cover for the rodents to hang out. Keeps the heat in. Not surprised that Geico will cover as since you have a newer car you probably have comprehensive coverage which typically has $500 deductible. Not a bad idea at all to do the tape. I would say go for it. Once you get the car back also be sure to leave the hood up at night for a while. This will take away the shelter and warmth that the rodents were seeking and they will avoid the engine compartment as a place to go at night. Most importantly, you could also get a peppermint spray and spray the inside of the engine compartment to help cover up the smells that the prior rodents were leaving. Most importantly you need to be peaking under the hood every day. Keep an eye on things and keep looking out for dropping or chew marks. At the first sign of anything, place rat traps as the bases of the front two tires and on top of the front two tires. The rodents will climb up the tread to get into the engine. Hope this helps. If you have any more questions, please ask away. Thank you! RKD

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12. Hello, I have a brand new 2018 Honda Civic Hatchback. I have had my wires chewed twice now within a very short period of time costing me hundreds of dollars to fix each time. Now I can take the preventative steps to cross my fingers and hope this never happens again. But I want to know the correct way to go about this with Honda… I see the list of cars up above and those are for older models. Not 2018’s… my concern is, if Honda knows that this is something that is happening. WHY ARE THEY NOT CHANGING THE WAY THEY CREATE THE WIRES.WHY ARE THEY STILL USING SOY? I understand that it’s more eco friendly, but they need to figure something else out. This is very frustrating, I have not had my car even a year. I love my hatchback but this whole wire thing is NOT ok. Especially if Honda knows that this is a thing.

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    1. Hi Koryn, So sorry for the delay in my response. oh man TWICE…ugh! Correct the list above was just as of the date I was wrote the original article (though you give me a good idea that I should update the list for newer models…hmm). I can tell you though that the car manufacturers have not entailed that they would stop using these wires at all, especially considering that the lawsuits were all dismissed. The worst part is not only do the car manufacturers know this is a problem but Honda is even selling a spicy tape that you can wrap your wires in to prevent rats from eating them. The car dealers certainly profit from this because most of the money in car dealerships is made from the repair shops and when people buy their new cars, they think whatever is going wrong would be covered under warranty, so they are more likely to just bring it back to the dealership. At that point once the car is diagnosed with “expensive to repair” rodent damage they are already over the $500 deductible so it makes sense to just keep the car at the dealership for repairs.

       Anyways, please follow the prevention steps and be sure to keep an eye under the hood often. With the weather cooling down I am certainly stepping up my defenses and I think all of us here should do the same. Hope this info is helpful to you. Thanks for the comment. RKD

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13. I have a 2018 Subaru Forester. The eye sight and power steering quit functioning. Took it to a mechanic, found out that rodents had eaten through the soy based wiring leaving bare copper wires that had shorted out the electrical systems.

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    1. Ugh Loyd! Lame that it’s like a newer car too! Please be sure to follow the prevention steps in this article. Now that your car has been hit once, you are more likely to get attacked again. Other rodents will sniff that your car was a legit place to go at one point and then follow suit. Hope the information here helps you. If you have any questions at all, please let me know. Thanks! RKD

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14. Such great info. Am going to try all the suggestions. Just happened with my brand new 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

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    1. Thanks Heather!! Appreciate your comment, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! We are in this war together! RKD

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       1. I have a 2010 Lexus ES350, on one winter morning last year, I went to start my car & it didn’t. I got a local mechanic to look at it & he as well as others said it was my fuel injection. So me being cheap, (never again)I got him to replace my fuel injection pump. Well it worked one day and didn’t the next, took it back to him & thats when he discovered it was rodents chewing my wires. After that I got it towed to the Lexus dealership & they confirmed it after I was out of $ for getting the fuel pump fixed which I didn’t need. Thankfully, my insurance company paid for the wires, all I had to pay was my $100 deductible. Several months later, my fuel injection pump went up because it wasn’t installed properly. Well that cost me $1400 out of pocket at the Lexus dealership. Fast forward yesterday morning, my car wouldn’t start again (winter is here). Got it towed to the dealership again and they just called and told me that rodents chewed the wires AGAIN. Thankfully my insurance is covering it and I just have to pay the $100 deductible. So people, please call your insurance company because they may pay for it under comprehensive coverage. My question is what can I do to keep them out. My fry told me to put cayenne pepper on the wires, which I put on the ground every night when I park. He told me to sprinkle it on the wiring. I’m asking, do you think it’s same to sprinkle it on the wiring??? I’m scared it may cause corrosion or something. What else can be done. I love on a city street. Is it safe to put the pepper on the wires??

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          1. Hi CG! I’m so sorry for the delay in my response. Wow, sounds like there is a rodent that has been coming back to your car. Hopefully this is no longer an issue for you. Cayenne Pepper is a somewhat popular way to detract rodents. I’ve seen videos where people will create a hot sauce spray that they will spray the engine compartment with and then Honda has a rodent tape that has essentially capsaicin (the agent that makes peppers hot) built into it. Now whether spraying hot cause will cause corrosion or sprinkling cayenne pepper, I have no idea. This is a tough situation since you are on a city street, but utilmately, you can spray a pepper mint spray, or try other scented solutions: such as tobacco or bounce sheets in the engine compartment. I’ve heard Tobacco is a popular deterrent for rodents in the Far East. Last resort you can place snap traps at the bases of your two front tires. Technically, the traps should work. Anyways I hope this helps! Thanks for the comment! If you are still having issues let me know. RKD

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15. Thanks Dave,

    For those that have a squirrel problem, don’t bother with snap traps. They don’t work. Get this electronic trap.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VVD2R8H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    After I trapped about 3 of the more bold squirrels that hung in my open carport, and used the Rodent Defense on the front tires and in the engine compartment, I have not had any issues at all. We have dozens of squirrels (and possums, and raccoons, etc) in our wooded yard, but no sign in the engine. I’m fortunate that I live in Florida, so it rarely gets cold enough that they would seek shelter in the engine compartment. During the colder season, I do spray more often, but I have not needed to use the trap again. No signs of any intrusion into the engine compartment. My neighbor feeds the squirrels, so I guess they don’t need the extra food.
    — Martin

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16. 2011 GMC 2500HD Duramax Crew Cab
    The lil’ terrorist bastards have cost me almost $9K in the past 10 months. Field (Kangaroo) mice and at least one rat. Set up motion sensor game cameras to identify the targets.
    I live out in the country (desert), never had an issue for 6 years, the all of a sudden about 12 months ago, the dreaded Check Engine Light. 4 incidents later, last bill was $3700. But this time I had all of the affected wiring harnesses and (soy bean tasting) sensors wrapped in Capsaicin tape.

    Bottomline is rodents constantly piss and dump wherever they go. They always follow the smell to the source of “food”. I own a pressure washing company, got the truck engine compartment steam cleaned then put it up on a neighbor’s lift and had one of my guys do the undercarriage. Sprayed every exterior surface with Pine Oil.

    Hoping these combined efforts work this time. If not, Daddy need a new truck.

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    1. Hi James! Wow $9k eek.. It’s interesting how you went 6 years with out a hit and now you can’t keep them away. Totally agree with your bottom line. Rodents will pee and poo places to indicate that it’s a safe place and other rodents will detect that and follow suit. The Capsaicin tape should certainly help and Good call on the pressure washing as that should eliminate the scent that the rodents are picking up on. Please let me know if you are still having issues after this combined effort. Thank you! RKD

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17. How do you know if it’s squirrels or rats?

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    1. Hi Louis! You can tell by the droppings. Here is an article that explain what Rat poop looks like. Rat Poop and squirrel poop look very similar, but if you have a squirrel getting into your engine compartment, you will also find the squirrel’s stash of nuts, pine cones, etc. So if you see a bunch of other things in the engine compartment in addition to shredded material, it would be a squirrel, if not and all you see is the droppings (for the most part), it would be a rat. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!! RKD

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18. You can add volkswagen to the list I own 5 cars all parked in the same place. I recently purchased 2 new 2018 volkswagen Tiguans. At the same time they both had nests in the engines. I’ve owned over 20 brands of automobiles, in 50 years. Park them in the same place for 50 years. This is the first time this has ever happened, and to just these two identical new cars.
    I was going to replace the two engine headliners, but I would like to stop the problem firs, then repair the damage. I think they will do the same thing again.Do you have any suggestions?

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    1. Hi Louis! Eeek, that’s very interesting that only the Volkswagon cars are getting hit, but I would keep a super close eye on the engine compartments of your other cars. Be sure to be looking under the hoods of all cars almost every day. In order to fix the current situation, I would highly suggest following the Steps at the bottom of this article (Leave your hood up, place snap traps at the tops and bases of the front two tires, spray with Rodent Defense at the specified frequencies..3-4 times a week to start, shine a bright light into the engine compartment, fake owl). There is explanation of why these steps are recommended on the Home page. I hope this help! If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you!! RKD

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19. This could never happen to me because grey squirrels don’t hang around
    very long in our neighborhood.

    https://hackaday.com/2018/01/15/theyre-putting-soy-in-your-wires-man/
    THEY’RE PUTTING SOY IN YOUR WIRES, MAN
    109 Comments by: Tom Nardi
    January 15, 2018

    The easiest way to protect bird feeders, homes, power lines and car wires is to
    trap grey squirrels with a Havahart model 1083 and then put them in a fish
    tank for about 10 minutes. I’ve sent more than 200 grey squirrels to squirrel
    heaven in less than 4 years. The 1083 is much more effective than the
    old fashioned Havahart traps. It can be set with one hand in less than
    10 seconds.

    Local governments and/or power companies should be paying people a
    bounty to trap grey squirrels. Most people are too lazy and/or too
    stupid to do this without some financial incentive

    In the last century humans in North America hunted squirrel predators
    like hawks, foxes, coyotes etc nearly to extinction and since humans
    have created this current grey squirrel crisis it is now our job to fix it.
    Some states have extended their squirrel hunting seasons in recent
    years for this explicit reason but that is not going to have any impact on
    urban and suburban squirrel populations.

    When you use google to find news stories for “squirrels” it very
    seldom involves good news.
    Most frequently squirrels are mentioned in stories about house fires,
    eating car wire casing or some other type of catastrophe, stories about
    some bizarre incident, or stories about some crazy person who thinks a grey
    squirrel is his or her friend.

    The news story below tells you all you need to know about the problems
    grey squirrels are causing all across this country. If Muslims were
    causing 3,456 power outages EVERY YEAR ! it would be considered a
    national emergency, and the news media would be dedicating entire
    shows to tell us about it.

    WRZ

    https://buffalonews.com/2018/11/18/more-than-12500-without-power-in-erie-county/
    Squirrel knocks out power for more than 12,500 in Erie County
    By Keith McShea | Published November 18, 2018
    “Squirrels are a leading cause of power outages. In 2016, a survey by
    the American Public Power Association said that wildlife, notably
    squirrels, were the leading cause of power outages, followed by
    failure of overhead equipment, weather and vegetation.

    The APPA reported that in 2016, utilities reported 3,456 outages
    “caused by the ubiquitous rodents” that cut off power to more than
    193,873 customers.”

    unquote

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    1. Hi Bill! Wow!! I knew squirrels were destructive but didn’t realize they were causing upwards of 10 power outages a day. Yikes! Interesting that there is mention of the Havarhart traps as I continue to hear that those are very effective to trapping squirrels. Those traps are meant to keep the squirrel alive so that you can release them, but that ultimately is going to exacerbate the problem. As cruel as it sounds drowning is probably the most effective way of sending these rodents on their way once trapped. Thanks for sharing your comment! RKD

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20. I noted above that the soy based stuff wasn’t used until about 10 years ago. I have a 1996 Mazda that had the gas line chewed through by a mouse or (probably) a squirrel. What would account for the animal’s attraction to my gas line if it isn’t soy based? Since replacing it at $500 plus, I have used the peppermint spray and haven’t noted any more trouble.

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    1. Hi David! Thanks for your comment. Mice teeth grow their entire lives, so they constantly need to be chewing on things to trim their teeth. Wires are perfect for this. The main reason that mice go into the engine compartment though is for shelter and engine compartments of cars provide warmth, safety and things to chew on. I’m glad to hear that the peppermint oil is working for you! I would certainly keep checking under the hood often to ensure the deterrent is still working. Since you have had damage once they are more likely to come back. If any other questions pop up, please let me know. Thank you! RKD

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21. Has anyone ever heard of this before the 1990’s. I never heard of this before and I grew up in New England in the 1950’s. Now my 2004 Lexus RX is almost useless with bare sensor wires lighting up the dash and windshield wipers that no longer work in any position at any time. I used to fix and service my own cars but I can not even get to these wires around a front or all wheel drive vehicles with transverse engines laying against the fire wall.
    It seems like someone needs to create a better wiring coating soon. Or did the car manufacturers design wires like this to keep the dealers busy repairing this problem like mine that usually consists of 20% parts and 80% labor costs, very profitable don’t you think.
    Since the courts have ruled against us, “Toyota wins dismissal of suit over rodent-damaged soy-based wiring.” Automotive News July 2018. I will be looking for older cars like my first automobile, a 51 Ford Flathead V8.

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    1. Hi Ron! Cars didn’t start using the soy based wiring on a mass production scale until about 10 years ago. It’s certainly possible that your 2004 Lexus has soy based wiring, but it might just be that the rodent was seeking out shelter and then found all of these wires to chew on. Rodents have been getting in cars for years before the car manufacturers started using soy based wiring. It’s a bummer that nothing came out of the class action lawsuits, but this is just resulting in higher insurance costs (since they are paying the bills on rodent damage) and higher profit going to the car dealerships (totally agree with what you are saying!). Even if you go for an older car, it will still be subject to rodent damage, so be sure to at least check under the hood once a week or so to ensure there aren’t any droppings. This is especially the case during the winter months because that is when the rodents really look for alternate shelter. If you decide to fix your Lexus and have any questions about ensuring no more rodent damage to that car, please let me know! Thanks for the comment!! RKD

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22. Get a high temperature, low odor, non conductive utility shop grease from Auto Zone or similar and lightly coat every seen wire, shroud, insulator, and tube in the engine compartment and under the vehicle. It is usually a mid brown in color. Ask the retailer, they have the product. Any smell will soon dissipate except to animals, and they don’t like this heavy oily grease. Be thorough, thick coverage not required, but hit every target. Recoating is usually not needed. Wear disposable gloves or a wooden stick to apply. Keep your hood open at night, and illuminate the area. Lithium grease can be otherwise sprayed where you can’t reach. Get some outdoor cats from the local shelter, and take them on mouse hunting hikes for group training. Then house them outside near your vehicles or in the garage. Any feed or poison should not be left around the area, you won’t need poison with operational cats. Don’t leave food debris in or around the vehicles. $300 in cat foods year is way cheaper than most deductibles. Grease, light, cats. Engage. [Your mileage may vary.]

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    1. Hi Adios Mickey! Wow, thanks for your advice and I concur with everything you have stated! Well done! Thank you! RKD

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23. I got the impression from your wording that you believe the reason for biodegradable wiring insulation in automobiles is some kind of cost-saving conspiracy within the auto manufacturing industry. It is not. It was first required under federal regulations for all imported cars, then some time later for domestics. If there was a conspiracy or favoritism in play, it was the federal regulators hitting imports before domestics because of heavy lobbying efforts on behalf of GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Also, bio insulation for wiring came at greater cost than traditional materials for a number of reasons. Firstly, the initial engineering and testing was expensive and demonstrated the shortcomings of the material in the hot environment of an engine compartment, in addition to premature deterioration resulting from exposure to certain oils and solvents. Both Mercedes Benz and BMW were early adopters working with Robert Bosch Gmbl. and their cars suffered from engine harness failures for a few years beginning in ’93-’94. Retroactive Remedial efforts were quite costly also. The costs were passed on to the consumers as they should be. After all, it was the consumers and their elected representatives that wanted the “kinder-to-the-environment” materials. Manufacturers more or less perfected the chemistry with time. Do you have any idea how many cars are recycles per year in the US? Or how difficult the old wiring and it’s inherent impurities were to separate from other materials during industrial processing? It is a real eye opener. Regulations dictated many other changes as well, including the use of water-based paints – another nightmare for both automakers and consumers.
    Kind Regards,
    P. Gaspard
    Retired MasterTech

    Reply

    1. Hi P.! Thanks so much for the insight here. Sounds like I may need to make some updates to the article above. Appreciate you sharing! RKD

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24. 2018 Honda Civic, 2000 miles we purchased for my son. He’s a new driver. Most likely mice chewed through his electronic power steering wires. He lost power steering on the way to school. Thank God he didn’t get in a bad accident. We’re selling the vehicle and will take a massive loss, however, our son’s safety means more to us. Is there any manufacturer not using soy-based wiring?? If there is, that’s the vehicle we will be purchasing.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dennis! Oh man that is super scary. Yikes. In regards to any vehicles that do not use soy based wiring, I am not aware of any off the top of my head, but dealers may be required to disclose this information (depending on your state) due to the Lemon Law. The Lemon Law is different for each state but any car sales person is required to disclose any information that the purchaser of that vehicle deems as material. I would just ask the dealership or car salesperson and they would most likely disclose this information. I hope this helps and really glad to hear that your son was not in an accident due to this. Please let me know if any more questions pop up. Thank you!

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25. David Campbell, I never caught a squirrel in a snap trap, but the electronic ones are deadly. I haven’t set it for over a year now. I think it was just a few bold ones. I also use the Rodent Defense peppermint spray when it gets cold, but since I’m in Central Florida, that;s not too often.

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26. I bought a brand new top of the line Hyundai Sonata Hybrid last year, and the next morning after I drove it home, it would barely run. I took it back to the dealer in Winter Park, FL, and they replaced it with a brand new one that was identical. We do have lots of squirrels in our woodsy yard, but the dealer did not even question it, Since then, when the weather is cold, I use peppermint spray in the engine and the wheel wells. i also put out an electronic trap for a few weeks, and the bold ones were eliminated. Since then, no more problems. I did park in front of the house for a couple of weeks, but since then in the carport in the back.

    Reply

    1. Hi Martin! I am now seeing that I never responded to this and I’m so sorry for the delay! The car that we had massive damage to was also a Sonata Hybrid, but for us it was rats. That’s great that the dealer actually took ownership and honestly is a pretty rare thing from what I’ve heard and from what my experience has been. I hope that you are continuing to experience no rodent damage to your vehicle. Certainly be sure to at least take a peak under the hood every once in a while to catch any signs of damage early on. Take care! RKD

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27. I think my problem is with squirrels also. I’ve seen them running around the driveway. I’ve been spraying Rodent Defense and have set mouse traps. One pf the traps was sprung and dragged 8 feet from the truck. On 2 other occasions the peanut butter had been licked from the traps without setting off the traps. Only squirrels are smart enough to do that. I’m wondering if I need to set the big wooden rat traps?

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    1. Hi David! Ugh, squirrels are tough to defend against. There are also laws in certain states over whether you can kill squirrels (I would suggest looking into that to help determine the proper method of defense). Not sure if you saw this article I wrote on Squirrels, but there are a few suggested solutions in there including the Havahart traps. The problem with the Havavart traps is that they don’t kill the squirrels and if you let the squirrel go anywhere in a 5 mile radius it will find it’s way back. So you’d be best off drowning the beast once in the trap (sorry if this sounds harsh!). I think the squirrel will be able to get out of the wooden traps so I wouldn’t think those would be too effective. I would also consider predator urine. Squirrels are smart so if they smell the urine of a predator around your car they will put 2 and 2 together. I hope this helps! Please keep us updated on your battle. Thank you! RKD

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28. Pingback: You Dirtier Rat! – Traditional Iconoclast

    1. Thank you for including this article on your new post! Everyone check it out here!

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29. I have a brand new Subaru Outback 2019, never filled the tank with gas– less than 350 miles, bumper to bumper warranty– never had a car with a computer like this– safety features started going off and on within a day or 2 of leaving the dealer– but car ran— then my car thought the engine was on (and it wasn’t) so the doors wouldn’t lock. I took it into the dealer for the lux treatment and told the guy he said ‘oh you just need to talk to the person who will teach you about the computer part of the car.’ I emailed that person and told him the car was possessed because of all these things– thank goodness my email saves sent emails. On Sunday my car wouldn’t start and had to be towed! $3000 fix, rat nest etc.. They want us to pay for it– we are fighting it– Subaru won’t, but they have another side ‘the forgiveness side.’ They can’t guarantee this didn’t happen on the lot- they are saying it happened at my house– my husband use to work for GM and he pushed back and said just because the wiring is chewed didn’t mean that they separated right away— and that the computer was having problems before the car wouldn’t start. My husband is fit to be tied that a car this new would have a problem. The sales guy then told us that a car on the lot next door had the same issue a year ago.

    and now reading all this… this is BS.

    Reply

    1. Hi Irenne! Ugh… can’t believe it happened only a day or two after you got the car. Since it’s a newer car, you most likely have comprehensive insurance so the deductible should be $500 to fix any damage. You could take a walk around the dealership lot and see if you can find any rodent droppings on the ground and then ask to have the hood popped on any cars that are close by. Though still might be difficult to prove where the rodents came from that chewed your particular car. dang… Just once you get the car back after it is fixed, be sure to be consistently checking under the hood to make sure there are no new signs of damage. And not a bad idea to start setting traps and start spraying the engine compartment with a peppermint spray (steps above). I hope that the car company comes around for you and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Thank you! RKD

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30. 2015 Subaru Forester – repair bill of nearly $1400 for a transmission wiring harness. Geico insurance covered it (minus deductible), warranty service was denied. The insurance adjuster said he was not surprised one bit, and receives a ton of similar cases in the Fall especially. This is a know defect (as evidenced by manufacturers issuing related TSBs, and numerous owner reports) that should be covered. These sorts of problems were extremely rare before soy-based wires – you might find nests on exhaust manifolds and in ducts but rarely were wires chewed.
    And the $1400 bill does not include the inconvenience to my family or potentially increased insurance premiums. Very disappointing, as I had thought Subaru might actually care a little bit.

    Reply

    1. Hi Sean! Thanks for sharing and bummed to hear about your situation. I’m surprised that the insurance companies aren’t fighting this battle for us. My insurance company alone paid over $10k for my cars to get fixed. I agree that this is a seasonal issue. Once the weather gets colder, Rodents are more likely to leave their burrows to find alternative shelter (i.e. the engine compartments of cars). Once you get your car fixed, please be sure to keep an eye on things and put up some defenses (e.g. steps above). Your car is more likely to get hit again by the same rodents since they most likely urinated in the engine compartment and can detect this next time they start sniffing around. If you have any questions that pop up, please let me know. Thank you! RKD

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31. We have a 2015 Honda Accord and were told today $1794.20 to replace the major fuel line out of the gas tank due to rodent damage. When trying to start last Saturday morning, we discovered fuel pouring out back by the gas tank! Had the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership. Not very pleased to read all this information around similar issues.

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    1. Hi Spencer! Oh man, thankfully this didn’t cause a fire and that you noticed it right away! Once you get your car fixed, be sure to follow the steps in the article to prevent this from happening again. Hope this information helps you! RKD

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32. I did get the Rodent Defense and have sprayed under the hood, the wheel wells, and between the cab and bed. Also place traps on top of the front wheels. I did find an insulation-built nest in under the hood which I quickly removed. Hoping for the best.

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33. I just had an episode of some critter (mice, squirrels? Something with chewing teeth) chewing through my plastic gas line which is a pressurized line. This resulted in gasoline pouring out from under the cab when the engine was engaged. VERY dangerous situation. I was fortunate to have been in front of my mechanic’s shop when we discovered it. The vehicle is an older one, a 1996 Mazda B3000 pickup. The plastic gas lines are not carried by any after market supplier that I could find, so I had to go to Mazda to get it. That was $220 just for the line. Then the line is on top of the gas tank and under the cab, which meant either dropping the gas tank or raising the pickup bed. That was $270 for installation. About what the truck is worth, but a lot less than truck payments. Now I am concerned that it might happen again. Just wondering if the Rodent spray sprayed on top of the gas tank would keep them away from that area?

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    1. Hi David! WOW! Great to hear that nothing terrible happened from this incident. So, the product I recommend (and use) is called Rodent Defense and it is specifically made to be sprayed into the engine compartments of cars. I don’t believe there would be any issue with spraying it on top of the gas tank. Its function is to introduce a foreign smell that will make the rodent feel uncomfortable so it is important to spray into any aree where they have been frequenting. Please feel free to follow up and let us know how it goes. Thanks for the comment! RKD

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34. Just opened the hood on my 2016 RAV4 and the engine and battery were covered in dead snails and slime. This is the second time I’ve had a rodent infestation, the first time it was just paper pieces and insulation material and a gnawed thru windshield wiper fluid tube. I only hope something comes out of the class action lawsuits and they are forced to fix this horrible problem!!

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    1. Hi Sharon! Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. You should be stoked that is the only damage you have had so far. It’s important to be sure to put up some defenses now that your car has been marked by the rodents. Please be sure to follow the steps in this article to keep your car protected! And I agree with your comment on the lawsuits. I’m surprised that the insurance companies aren’t up in arms about this since they are covering the majority of these massive bills! Thanks for the comment! RKD

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35. Thank you for the response. All my issues have been under the truck, O2 sensor wires and back up camera wiring. I would be spraying only the under carriage.

    Reply

    1. Got it. Might want to check with a mechanic to ensure no issues there. You could try posing the question on a mechanic sub reddit. I have had some good success in the past getting questions answered from mechanics on there. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any more questions! RKD

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36. Howdy Dave,
    I have spent close to $900 on my 2018 Silverado due to chewed wiring.
    What’s your opinion on using a can of spray undercoating to cover the wiring and mask the scent?

    Reply

    1. Hi David! So, to your point, the only benefit of that would be to mask the scent, but I would be concerned with the safety of spraying that inside an engine compartment. The purpose of spraying rodent defense (I.e. the peppermint spray) into the engine compartment is to cover the scent as well so it accomplishes the same thing. Did peppermint spray not work for you? Remember, you need to at least leave the hood up at night as well. You can’t rely on just one solution. Thank you! RKD

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37. We just had to take our 2016 Nissan Frontier in. The check engine light came on first and then a week later, we had no working tail lights or break lights. They said it was from mice chewing the wires and have to replace the entire wire harness. Even though it’s under the manufacturer warranty, this isn’t covered. I’m so angry right now. They say it’s going to cost me $800 for something that is faulty in their design. If the wiring attracts rodents, it shouldn’t be used and consumers shouldn’t be responsible for the repairs. I’m going to contact local media. This is ridiculous and it makes me even more mad when I read all of these other stories. I had no idea. I have a 2009 Nissan Altima that I have had no issues with. Actually used to park it in the exact same place in the garage until my husband got his truck. We also have a 1995 Honda Civic that has never been touched.

    Reply

    1. Hi Rebecca, thanks for sharing and I also share your anger. Seems crazy that the insurance companies aren’t fighting this battle for us. They are taking massive hits consistently. As mentioned in other comments please be sure to follow the prevention steps above even after your car gets fixed. Hope this helps! RKD

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38. Hi I am having lots of problems with mice and have found a product called Boxkat online. It is a barrier system you put around your car. So far it has worked. I also have problems with the occasional packrat. I purchased a Rid A Rat flashing light that hooks onto your battery as they don’t like the flashing light under the hood. . It doesn’t keep mice out but that is why I got the Boxkat barrier. It cost about $200 but worth keeping them out. I also purchased a Ultra Rat zapper from Victor and have killed at least 6 packrats with it. I plan on getting a newer car (I currently have a 2009 CRV and they haven’t chewed the wires but crap all over my battery and have gotten in my car and shredded paper products, and I had to remove cabin filter as it was a great place for them to hang out.) Hope this may help some of you I am about ready to become a city slicker to get away from the rodents as they get into my fifth wheel as well. The maker of the boxkat said the city mice are even smarter so just got to get smarter than the little pains in the a**!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Laura! This is the first I’ve heard of Boxkat and it actually looks pretty legit and would be a solid solution if rodents really can’t climb up it. Rodents are very good climbers, but I believe it may be a solid solution. The Rid a Rat I’ve heard mixed reviews but rodents are scared of bright lights. I wouldn’t rely solely on the Rid a Rat but would be a solid part of a defense lineup. The electronic zappers are great, but the most important element to success with those is placement. Be sure to place it flush against a wall. Rats and mice always like to run along a vertical surface to be sure it is placed right up against a wall so as they are running against the wall they will walk right in. Also it is important to try and identify the rodent’s normal walking path, so take a look for rodent droppings and chew marks to try and determine what the normal walking path is so that you can place the trap accordingly. Hope this helps! RKD

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39. Just read all the unfortunate situations. All these car companies heads should be chewed off. Power is in numbers ie Me Too.
    Many TV networks have consumer advocates, here in Canada we have shows like MarketPlace
    I do not have any issue with a car , but came across this site since we are looking to purchase a new
    vehichle.
    I will share a solution that I used with squirrels and raccoons and should work with any animal.
    My story involves a deck that was restored where the origianal cedar boards on the walls were kept. I did not want to paint or stain them because of ongoing future maintenance. We became aware of milk paint which could be used and not suffer from peeling, flaking etc.
    After the project was finished and milk painted I noticed that the boards were being gnawed and chewed at(apparently the milk paint was tasty). I quickly went online for a natural solution and it was a solution of cayenne(capsacian) pepper added to water , boiled and strained and put in a sprayer. I sprayed it once (garden sprayer) and never had an issue again and it has been several years it also got rid of the raccoons from coming around.My neighbour had some rats around her shed bordering my property and I sprayed the boundry as well. It really works!! Be mind ful with pets. Also a good way to protect vegetable garden from critters.
    Hope this helps!!
    Consumers have power , use it , social media , 60 minutes, this is not acceptable!

    Reply

    1. Hi Ron! Thanks so much for sharing your story and solution that was working for you with squirrels, raccoons, and your neighbor’s rats! The community here has shared a few stories with raccoons being destructive so good to hear that you have found something that has worked for raccoons and I hope that someone can benefit. I agree that the issues people are facing here certainly deserves some media attention. Don’t be afraid to take action peeps! Thanks again for the comment! RKD

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40. 2016 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 cost almost 40 grand…..Now has only 8000 miles on it and is in shop for 3 weeks , with 3000 dollars rodent damage. Toyota wont cover under warranty, and I had 1000 dollar deductible … some people at dealership told me that LOTS of cars and trucks are having same issue……Even if only 1or 2 small wires are stripped or chewed, They will NOT splice wires …You must replace entire wire harness or else Toyota will void warranty…..So a possible 50 dollar fix becomes a 3 thousand dollar repair bill for all Toyota dealerships….Seems very good for business , with no incentive to correct problem…….Its sick and corrupt business practice , in my opinion

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    1. Dude! eff Toyota! I can’t help but completely agree. These shady car companies. Here is some more info along those same lines. Thank you for the comment. RKD

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41. I have discovered rabbits are laying on my engine and eating my wires. of my 2010 Dodge Challenger! Just spent $300.00 to replace a few things that were eaten. My husband has opened the hood to have a rabbit fly out ! So how do i stop that?

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    1. Hi Miriam! EEK! To be honest, a rabbit popped out of my hood a few months ago as well. Scared the crap out of me haha.

       Rabbits are tricky, but I got lucky as my wife owned a pet rabbit when she was in college, so I have unique experience interacting with them. The best thing to do is to get a metal gate and literally wrap it around the perimeter of your car. Here is an article which references this gate (i.e. physical barrier). I hope this helps! Please keep us posted on progress. Thank you!! RKD

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42. My 2016 Toyota Rav4 is at the dealership right now. They called me this morning to say a rodent chewed through a transmission wire and it will cost me $381 to fix it. This is my 3rd Rav4 and I never had an issue til now. I will try spraying the wires and around the car but I park my car in a lot in the back of my building. I don’t feel comfortable leaving my hood at night.

    Reply

    1. Hi Irene! Thanks for sharing your sitch! The issue you are going to deal with now is repeat damage on your existing car. The rodents are more likely to come back now. I hope the spraying by itself works, but it is a low probability solution to the problem only by itself. I would highly suggest also setting some traps on the tread of your tires at night and bait with peanut butter. I hope this helps. Please keep us posted on progress! Thank you!! RKD

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43. Last year I had the rodent problem with my Nissan Versa Note. I fixed it by using my insurance but it happened again this year. I have contacted Nissan but they are not willing to do anything. Please let your friends and family know to avoid buying Nissan.

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    1. Hi Nasser! Thanks for sharing. We certainly can’t rely on these car manufacturers to take responsibility here especially because they are making money off of the situation. Please see this article here. It isn’t just Nissan though that this is a problem with. It is very widespread and pretty much every newer car comes with this wiring. You could start asking dealerships if there are certain makes and models that don’t have the wiring. The best thing to do is to implement some preventative measures. Here is another article that will help! Thank you! RKD

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44. Well our Ford dealer recommended Kritter Ridder (don’t know if they have stock in the company). So far it seems to be working. But you should check you Comprehensive, Fire, Theft policy. State Farm cover much of our very expensive outlay.

    Reply

    1. Hi Wayne! Glad to hear the Critter Ridder is working! I have never used it so can’t really comment on it. Yeah for the most part all Comprehensive Coverages are the same, but I have heard of a few Comprehensive Coverages policies that don’t cover Rodent/wild life damage. To be sure, certainly check with your insurance carrier. Thank you!! RKD

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45. After three trips to the service department, and about $2900 in repair bills, we seem to have solved the problem for our 2017 Expedition. The third time that we took it in, we had them wrap every bit of wiring that they could reach with capsaicin impregnated tape. The squirrels, who were the culprits, have left it alone now for over 3 months. This isn’t something that the service department will offer up as a solution unless they are really pushed to not just repair the damage but actually fix the problem. It cost us about $1500 to get this done, but so far it seems to be a good investment.

    Reply

    1. Hi Owen! Wow, so you had to go for Honda’s rodent tape and I’m super stoked it is working for you! Yeah that tape is expensive to install because the process of installation is super labor intensive. Please keep us posted on status! Thank you!! RKD

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46. 2 Fords here, rabbits the culprits, 2015 F150 truck, three times, first $1500 two was in shop, third time included brake lines almost through. 2016 Escape fuel line chewed, wiring to harness severed, panel under front all chewed up trying to get to motor. Someone is going to get killed by severed brake or fuel lines! I am 67 and never had this issue before. Peppermint doesn’t work. Driving every day doesn’t deter either.

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    1. Hi Dlane! As referenced in response to your other comment, please be sure to review the article on rabbits. I hope that the suggestions on there can help your situation! RE: Peppermint, it is really hit or miss which is why you want to use a combination of solutions. Please keep us posted on progress! RKD

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47. My 2016 Volvo CX90 is back at the shop because rats keep eating the wires. First trip was about $250, second trip over $2,000 and now I’m waiting for the next report. The dealership did not know they were using soy wiring, but I was able to get it confirmed by Volvo. I’m looking for another car but so far Audi, Mazda, and Toyota have all confirmed they use this too. Everyone needs to file a report with the attorney generals office, the national highway & safety department and the federal trade commission. Once they get enough complaints, the manufacturers will have to change this.

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    1. Hi Laura! Ugh. I’m sorry to hear about the ongoing issue you have been dealing with. Your car has been marked and the rodent will continue to come back until you start leaving the hood up, shining bright lights, spraying with peppermint spray, etc.

       That’s very interesting that Volvo confirmed it and great to know! I agree, let’s get those complaints filed! We need to take action!! RKD

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48. As far as I can determine, this is not an industry standard used by all manufacturers. Be nice if someone would tell me I’m wrong. My Ford dealer recommend a Kritter Ridder spray under the hood every month or so.

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49. I am in the market for a new car. Which manufacturer does not use soy based wiring? I have a chipmunks, as well as mice, living in my garage and I wonder about their attraction to soy. Thank you for your time and consideration on my behalf.

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    1. Hi Carol! I apologize for just responding now! TO be honest, I don’t know of any cars that don’t use soy based wiring. Every large car manufacturer uses this wiring. The best thing you can do is ask the car dealership or car sales person you are working with to purchase the new car. Depending on the state you live in, they may be required to disclose this by law (i.e. the Lemon Law). It is important to understand that rodents have been known to chew on wires for many many years before soy based wiring started being used in cars. So, just because you may be purchasing a car that doesn’t have soy based wiring, doesn’t mean you are safe. The best thing to do is to implement some preventative measures. Please review the 5 minute check article and let me know if you have any questions! Thank you!! RKD

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50. We’ve also had many hundreds of dollars on our Ford Cmax, so I’d surely support a class action suit against Ford. Count me in!

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    1. Hi Wayne! Sorry for the late reply here and sorry to hear about the damage to your car! I’m sure there will be a class action against Ford at some point and I’ll post a link to more info once the word is out!

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51. Over $2,200 worth of squirrel damage to my brand new 2017 Lexus ES. Just had it repaired and noticed a second round of damage this weekend. The squirrels are eating the body of my car. In several areas they ate completely through the body of the car. The front and rear ground effects (all plastic parts) and front and back bumpers are the areas they prefer. Its obviously frustrating and very shocking. We live on a very wooded property with squirrels everywhere so its not a matter of removing them, and you just can’t keep your car in the garage 100% of the time. So I will try a few remedies – peppermint spray, etc. I have to believe there is something that is attracting these squirrels to eat plastic. My gut is telling me that Lexus has switched their polymers to a soy-based product and the squirrels can smell it. I have reached out to Lexus and plan to follow-up again just to inform them of this issue. Luckily most of the damage was covered but the issue isnt over, they are clearly still enjoying my Lexus.

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    1. Oh man, I am bummed to hear this! I wouldn’t be surprised if Lexus has started using more bioplastics in their cars. All the major car manufacturers are making a shift away from petroleum based plastics to bioplastics. I hope that these remedies work for you. Squirrels are tough to defend against! Please keep me posted on progress. RKD

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52. My 2015 Mustang had a rodent chew through a wire to my speed output sensor, causing the car to accelerate almost uncontrollably, thank god I have a stick shift car, or I could have been killed because of the soy based wiring. $351 to repair the damage, and they told me it was the “cheapest” repair they’ve seen for this damage.

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    1. Anyone know of a law firm that is pursuing a class action against Ford Motor Company for this issue??? Several car manufacturers are already being sued. But so far, I haven’t heard of anything going on with Ford Motor Company. We’ve already had to pay for repairs twice and need to take our Expedition in this week for the third time. In my opinion: Once is bad luck. Twice is a design defect. Three times is gross negligence.

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       1. Hi Owen! Eek, going on a third round of damage. Dang. I agree 3 times is completely
          unacceptable.

          I have not heard of a class action lawsuit against Ford. I took a quick look on the web and didn’t see anything that entailed there was a lawsuit. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me though if we see one soon.

          Since the rodents keep coming back, please be sure to take some preventative action. Since the car companies are not taking any responsibility, we need to take matters into our own hands. Please follow the steps at the end of the article and let me know if you have any questions! RKD

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    2. WOW Dan! That’s crazy!! Dodged a bullet here. Oh man.. yeah $351 is pretty cheap but please be sure to put up some defenses once you get your car back. The rodents will certainly come back for more (and these Vermin certainly deserve to be sent to the next place!). Please let me know if you have any questions! RKD

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53. I just had $15,000. worth of mice damage to my 2015 Highlander. I believe the mice were in the car when I bought it. I showed some electrical months after I bought it and Toyota just kept telling there was nothing wrong ! The garage said they had never seen so much damage ever !

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    1. Wow, Maria! That’s one of the highest amounts of damage to a single car I think I’ve ever heard! There must have been multiple nests in there. Please note that you should certainly take some preventative action even when you get the car back! Follow the steps at the bottoms of this article! RKD

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54. Hi, I am in the market for a new minivan. 2018 Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica, Kia Sedona, or Dodge Grand Caravan. Which car is safe to buy and no longer uses soy-based wiring? I have a 2007 Sienna now and never had a problem, even after letting it sit outside sometimes for a month at a time.

    Reply

    1. Hi Stephanie! The best way to find out is to actually ask the car sales person. The Lemon Law requires that any facts that could be considered material to the potential buyer of a vehicle must be disclosed by the sales person. The Lemon Law differs from state to state but remind the sales person that they are required by the Lemon Law to disclose this if you ask. Hope this helps! RKD

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55. Thanks for the information compiled in this article…..I’m at my wit’s end with what I’m sure is rat’s eating the wires on my 2017 Toyota Tundra and most recently my wife’s 2015 Lexus NX200.

    FWIW, I have a Chevy work truck that has never been touched and the BMW X4 I had previous to the Tundra had never been touched. However, within 2 months of purchasing my Tundra in September 2016, the check engine light and traction control lights were on. Over $1600 worth of damaged wires and insulation along with a huge stash of acorns.

    After this I started spraying the anti-rodent sprays and using the sonic devises inside the engine compartment. This seemed to work until November 2017 when I had the exact same lights come on. Back to the shop….more rodent damage. Got the truck back and within two weeks was hit again. The expense, frustration and inconvenience is beyond description.

    So, we rearranged the garage to allow me to park the Tundra inside the garage and parked the NX200 in the driveway, while still spraying it along with putting out 10 rat traps around the driveway. Within two weeks she now has a park assist sensor light on and I see where they are stashing acorns under her engine block.

    I will try arranging the traps as you advised and leaving the hood up, though I have to wonder if rain would be harmful to the engine.?.

    Reply

    1. Hi Trace! Ugh, crazy how the rodents didn’t touch your other vehicles, but it could have just been that September was when the weather started to cool down and the rodent population in your area had probably increased a bit. If there were acorns, it sounds like it may be squirrels. Do you have squirrels in your area? Leaving the hood up will help because it takes away the engine compartment as a “winter-type” drey or nest (see the squirrel article!). For your question, rain will not hurt your engine. The engines are petty much built to be pretty water resistance, but leaving the hood up for extended periods of time outside during the day could lead to UV damage on the rubber parts and seals. So just something to keep in mind. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks!! RKD

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56. One more thing – How does one find out which cars don’t have food wiring? My husband asked me which cars were not on the list in this article.

    I said, “Well, Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Lamborghini, Ferrari, DeLorean, and Maserati aren’t listed, but all that means is that the problem hasn’t yet been reported in them.”

    It would be cheaper to build a wooden frame with a doorway and door, cover everything including the wood in hardware cloth (small holes, since mice can get through a 1/4″ crack) and make sure the door fits very tightly, and never park your car outside of that wire cage. This won’t help you when you park it away from home, though, and I’m hearing more and more cars chewed up in town, on dealership parking lots and at nursing homes, for instance. Why would my grocery store be safe?

    Reply

    1. In some states the Lemon Law has a provision in it that will protect the consumer by requiring any car sales company to disclose any facts that would be considered material to the buyer of that vehicle. So, you can just ask the car dealership and if they refuse to disclose, remind them that these types of facts are required by law through the Lemon Law. Hopefully this will get you some info. Please let me if you have any more questions! RKD

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57. My 2005 Toyota Gen II Prius had $8,000 damage due to chewed wiring last year (2017). We got that fixed and just a few weeks later (right after I had had a new hybrid battery installed, naturally), another $6,500 wiring damage was done.

    Before this car I had an Infiniti sedan that was chewed up over and over again – it would have been a 2002 or 2003.

    It is inexcusable that we are told by the car dealer that we have to run a slaughterhouse for small animals, plus put every noxious smelling substance (even including URINE, for God’s sake) known to man in and around our cars DAILY because car makers are making cars out of FOOD, and withholding that information from potential buyers.

    What a deceitful, fraudulent RIPOFF!

    I’ve called my insurance company and pointed out that this is at least verging on insurance fraud (if it isn’t actual insurance fraud) – secretly fitting cars with wiring made of food that causes tens of thousands of dollars of damage a year, which the insurance companies pay for, over and over again. My insurance company was not aware of the problem – but they are now!

    If anyone thinks their insurance premiums are getting high, this is probably a big part of the reason.

    There isn’t a class action suit for Toyotas the age of mine, so I’m going to watch the class action suits, and if the plaintiffs prevail, I may sue on my own.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jeanette! I completely agree. The car manufacturers have stumped to a real low here and it’s time that they get a taste of the vengeance they are putting their customers through. I can feel the rage build up in me as I read through your story haha. For the time being, the car manufacturers aren’t going to do crap to prevent this so please be sure to follow the steps here try and prevent this problem from happening again. Please keep me posted on progress and especially if you file a suit! RKD

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58. I own a 2015 Toyota 4 Runner. Last year the day before I left for vacation, my car started & idled funny. Rats in my car!! It chewed all of my wiring and cost me $5000! Luckily my insurance covered it. Toyota NEVER mentioned they have soy wiring
    We use peppermint spray. Lighting, & sound, set traps, etc Our garage is clean & organized. Here it is a year later and I have a rat in my engine right now that won’t come out.
    I am at my wits end! I will NEVER buy another Toyota. I am so frustrated!!!! I don’t know what else to do!

    Reply

    1. Hi Rebecca! Jeez! Every winter we need to watch out. That’s when the rodents start looking for new shelter and every year they come back stronger because they have most likely multiplied. Have you been leaving the hood up? If not I would suggest implementing that as well. Try leaving the hood up combined with shining a shop light into the engine compartment. Also it would really help if you could
       Locate the nest. It might be in the glove compartment or the air filter. Hope this helps! Keep me posted on progress! RKD

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59. 4 yrs ago, my 2007 Kia Sportage that I had purchased 6 mths prior from Lexus started smelling not so nice. Got in one morn to start and it was deader than a doornail. While waiting for AAA, opened my hood and it was full of nesting material on top of engine and huge chewed up areas in rubber under hood. Opened side passenger door and the glove compartment had been chewed up as well! AAA came and towed it to dealership. One mth later, vehicle fixed, wiring replaced, as it was all chewed up by rats as well as glove compartment, fixed to the tune of almost $5,000 (ins paid for damage but not all rental).
    Fast forward 4 yrs later, today, 2 rats in my suv!! One dropped out from under glove compartment when I turned on heater—I almost lost it driving. Friend came to the rescue, opened up spare tire well inside back of SUV and 2 big rats in there having a field day. Were able to get one out, but the other escaped and is hiding inside 🙁 Have 2 rat traps now inside suv. Checked under glove compartment and you can see where they’ve started chewing on the tape/? wrapped around the wires. Under hood on engine, full of rat poop! Tampa Bay Area FL Here!

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    1. Wow PK! That’s crazy that the rat popped out while driving!! I couldn’t imagine, I would most certainly crash. Good job on keeping it together! I would suggest following the steps at the bottom of this article to remedy and prevent these issues. Leaving the hood up will help he engine compartment and taking the cover off of your spare tire well and shining some lights and peppermint spray in there should take care of that part. Please let me know if you have any questions! RKD

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60. Squirrels have eaten through my 2014 Range Rover gas tank twice. My husbands
    2017 Range Rover twice and our 2015 Chev Truck gas tank once.
    We have tired placing pure liquid mint on engine, but the gas tanks are to hard to reach.
    Have you ever heard that pepper spray is a deterrent for this problem ?

    Reply

    1. Hi Cindy! I mentioned this in a few other comments that I will be updating my site to reflect that I don’t have any personal experience with squirrels and I am hesitant to give any guidance on these types of rodents. If I had an issue with squirrels, I would use a predator urine around the car and haveaheart traps. Though for the traps, you need to check with your state laws to ensure it is legal to trap and kill squirrels. It is not a good idea to trap and let go. Unfortunately you need to finish the deed if caught because they will just come right back unless you drive 15-20+ miles before you release. Pepper spray I think is a good idea theoretically but I don’t know what the success rates are. Sorry I can’t be more helpful here! Appreciate the comment! RKD

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61. I do not see any mention of dryer sheets. Have you ever used them and do they work in your opinion?

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    1. Hi John, in my opinion, not really! It’s really hit or miss. You would be much better off following the steps explained at the bottom of the article above than just relying on dryer sheets. Hope this helps! RKD

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62. Well we are joining this problem as our 2017 Rav4 sits at the dealership as we speak…..we leased this vehicle at the end of October in syracuse, N.Y….we have had toyota products since 2003 and love them….but not this time,especially since toyota and many other car makers not only know about the problem but have not notified buyers of a potential problem….my situation could have been brakes instead of windshield wiper lines…now I have worried myself…are my brake lines made of the same environmental friendly material and to #×!! With human lives, now I will be researching this question too!!! How do I join a class action suit??? And does it help???

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    1. Hi Patricia! Dang I’m sorry to hear about your Rav 4. It’s strange how many comments I have been receiving lately specifically about Rav 4’s being damaged. Anyways, yeah Toyota is well aware and they are making $$ off of the situation (see article: How Car manufacturers benefit from Soy Based Wiring). As to how you join the class action lawsuit I am not sure how. I did find this website where you can ask a lawyer more info about the lawsuits: http://www.kbklawyers.com/advocacy/toyota-class-action/
       I hope this helps! RKD

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63. Thank you for all the great information. I had the same issues with my 2013 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, it was totaled by my insurance company due to rodent damage. Can you tell me if Toyota is still manufacturing their vehicle after 2016, with bioplastic materials? I can’t seem to get a direct answer from service, sales, or management? I would love to purchase another Toyota asap, but can’t get an answer, thank you

    Reply

    1. Hi Stephanie, I believe they have not stopped using the soy based wiring, but if you are not getting a direct answer, remind them that you are protected by the Lemon Law for them to disclose this information. If that doesn’t work walk into a dealership or email a dealership and pretend like you want to buy a new Toyota. Tell them you are very interested in purchasing and according to the Lemon Law any car sales company is required to disclose any material facts about a car that may affect the Buyer’s decision. Then pose your question about soy based wiring. The Lemon Law is different for each state so this won’t work for every state but certainly worth a shot! Hope this helps! RKD

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64. My 2017 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was attacked and disabled by squirrels the first night I had it in my carport. Fortunately, the dealer gave me a new car, no questions asked. However, I am now afraid to park in my carport. I have tried the Tomcat Rat Snap traps you recommended, but they do not catch the squirrels, or even injure them. They triggered the traps every day (I put 4 out with the car parked somewhere else), and even dragged some of them away. I finally bought an Eliminator electronic rat trap (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VVD2R8H/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and that was very effective in catching squirrels.

    Reply

    1. Hi Martin, Thanks for the comment. Thats great that the dealer gave you a new car! Wow! For the squirrels, I’m not surprised to hear that the snap traps aren’t catching them. I would use them as more of a tactic to try and scare them off, but to be honest I am going to be updating the site and articles soon that have reference to squirrels and rabbits. Initially, in an effort to wanting to help as many people as possible, I have gotten ahead of myself when talking about squirrels and rabbits. I personally have never dealt with squirrels or rabbit damage to my car and I should have been more up front about that in my articles. I apologize if I steered anyone wrong. I used the same research method to creating a strategy for rabbits and squirrels that I have for mice and rats, but I need to make it clear that I have never dealt with those Vermin. Alright, back to your comment, I hope that electronic trap is working for you. Be sure to check with your state guidelines to make sure it is legal to catch squirrels. Thanks for the comment! RKD

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       1. Dave,

          Thanks for your reply.

          So far, I’ve been using peppermint spray in the engine compartment and on the front tires, and that seems to have kept the squirrels away from my new Sonata. Though I hate to do it, I also have an electronic trap in my carport for the aggressive ones that keep coming into the carport. The snap traps were just attracting them so they could eat the bait, and I did not catch a single one.

          Only a few have been that aggressive, and there are literally dozens (scores? ) of squirrels in my 1 acre yard.

          My neighbor feeds the squirrels and his feeding station used to be right behind my carport, but since he has moved it at our request, we have fewer squirrels in the area of the carport.

          — Martin

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          1. Hi Martin! Glad to hear that the peppermint spray may be working for you. It’s also nice that your neighbor was ok to move that bird feeder. I’m sure that wasn’t helping the situation! Feel free to keep us updated on your situation and let us know what is and isn’t working for the squirrels! Thank you! RKD

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65. I have a 2017 Ford fusion and I’m having this problem. Cost me over $300. to replace wiring. I think Ford will be the next one to have lawsuits filed against them. Nothing seems to be working for me, why don’t the wires have a cover over them, there out in the open right on top of the engine. Unbelievable.

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    1. I completely agree. I am super surprised that Ford doesn’t have a lawsuit against them yet especially since they came out with a cook book that uses the same ingredients that they use for their car parts! ( see article: “Are bioplastics in cars leading to more rodent damage?” for copy of the cook book!). And sorry to hear about your rodent damage. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Thank you! RKD

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66. i have had this problem on my Chrysler 300 shredded the wires on top even opened my hood one morning to a rat sleeping with leaves it brought under the hood along with the wires it chewed and I drive this care every day so its not like it says in one spot for ever it really sucks but I don’t even see Chrysler on the list of cars that have this problem so why am I 😢

    Reply

    1. Hi Natalie, The list above is certainly not all inclusive. I’m sure Chrysler is in on this as well. It’s pretty much every large car manufacturer. To test this out, you could call a dealership and ask ask about soy based wiring in the Chrysler 300s. The Lemon Law requires car dealerships to disclose any facts that could be considered material to the person who is considering purchasing. Separately, I highly suggest you follow the steps above for prevention! Hope this helps! RKD

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67. I have a 2013 Honda Accord that I just recently had to spend over $4,000 to repair the engine, harnesses, wires, etc., because of either rats or mice. First my seat bag light stayed on, then another light telling me I’m driving either too close, either the car on the right or left side, or in front of me. That’s when I decided it was time to go to the Honda dealership. They notified me that my car had been vandalized by either rats or mice and would require all WIRiNG to be replaced. (This is how intellect they are: it was replaced with the same type of wiring, which is now made out of soy). The manufacturers of probably 99% of electrical wiring is being made in
    China and shipped to us for just about every car now being sold. I think this started around 1990. I just placed some cotton balls with peppermint in various places in the engine, sprayed a rat deterrent around the perimeter of my car, and will place T-Rex rat traps next to the tires. After spending many hours on the web I found out the because of “environmental” issues, all wiring now is made of soy, with other edible components. How stupid. Basically because it’s cheaper than making these wire insulators with a “petroleum” product. Who cares if the consumer must spend a lot of money on repairs let alone the aggravation and no car for a period of time when being repaired. I had a 2004 Kia Avanti parked here for 7 years and never had a problem. I don’t know who but something needs to be done about this issue with cars in the U.S., and who knows where else. Car insurance companies are going to stop paying for this problem at some point. Not everyone has thousands of dollars to fix their vehicles. Maybe Ralph Nader should get involved??????

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    1. I have gone through three passes at the garage with my 2007 Camry in the last three weeks at just over $500 a pass. My car was garaged and is now sitting outside in the 15 degree temperature to freeze them out. I have 12 sticky traps, 8 snap traps, and poison in the garage and moth ball bags both the garage and the engine compartments. I have sealed up the garage in every way possible and have 2 ultrasonic noisemakers to install in the engine compartments. And we have not caught any mice. None of this seems to matter and the mechanics are afraid that the mouse is living in the car. Other than getting a cat and having it live in the garage, I don’t know what to do.

       My insurance company considers each repair a new incident so a new $500 deductible kicks in.

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       1. Hi Bob, I apologize I didn’t respond sooner to this! Sounds like the d*mn rodents are running you through the wringer. The problem is that your car was marked as “safe” (i.e. it was urinated on) and now other rodents think it is a legit place to go. Do you have the traps placed in the formation along the tires as described above? And do you have a bright light you could shine on the tread of the tires and one you could shine into the engine compartment at night. Even if you Car is in the garage or parked outside, I would still leave your hood up. I fear that keeping your car outside is just giving the rodents easier access to the car and makes it an even more attractive place especially if you are not leaving your hood up. Leaving the hood up takes away their shelter and can be super effective in its own. Please let me know how your battle is going and let me know if you have any more questions. Hope this helps! RKD

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    2. Let’s get Ralph in the house!! Yah know the car manufacturers and dealerships actually benefit significantly by continuing to use the soy based wiring. Believe it or not, car dealerships actually make more money from their repair shops than they do from selling cars. As you (and I) unfortunately know, rodent damage is expensive to repair because it is very labor intensive. To your point about replacing the wires, the fact that they replace with the same factory parts is a requirement by the insurance companies. It’s unfortunate that the wiring is faulty to begin with.. ugh. In regards to your strategy I agree with the steps you are taking, but also consider leaving the hood up as well at night. Please keep me posted on your progress. Thanks for the comment!

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68. 2017 Ford Expedition Limited – Over the past 60 days, we have had to replace a wiring harness twice after the “check engine” light came on and the dealership found rodents had chewed through the insulation on wiring. $440+ each time! Now the check engine light is on again. We’ve tried putting rat poison stations under the car, and taping rat poison inside the engine compartment. But we really don’t know if its rats, squirrels, or something else. Seems to us that Ford ought to be armoring the wiring harness. Once is bad luck – three times is a design defect and Ford should be paying for the repairs… (fat chance, I know). Seriously, after driving Ford products for nearly 30 years, this is the absolute last time we’ll buy a Ford.

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    1. Wow Owen! I apologize the delay in my response. This sounds like an absolute nightmare! I hope you have been able to figure out a way to deter the rodents. Have you taken a look at the step by step instructions at the bottom of this article? I would highly suggest taking a look and implementing the methodologies suggested there. These are the steps I used and continue to use to keep rodents out of my cars. Please let me know how the progress is going! I promise to respond more promptly if you have any more questions or comments!

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69. Add me to the list. I have a 2007 Camry which has been garaged and I just had over $500 to repair the mouse damage. The dealer wanted $1500 for a new harness but my mechanic got a new plug and spliced it in. Before we could get the Camry back, its 2008 Sienna stablemate had the same symptoms so I expect it is the same problem.

    I have put porous bags of mothballs in the both engine compartments and set mouse traps all around the garage.

    The garage I have been going to for 30+ years indicates that they are having a large number of these kinds of problems.

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    1. Oh man Bob! That’s the worse feeling in the world when you have one car in the shop for rodent damage and then you realize that your other car has been under siege as well. Ugh. I would say in addition to the moth balls, pop your hood up and shine some bright lights into the engine compartment. If you have a shop light that would be perfect. Also for trap placement, try placing them at the bases and tops of the tread as shown in the video above. Hope this helps! Keep me posted on progress! Thanks!! RKD

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70. Friend just forwarded this information to me. I have a 2007 Audi TT and have had some critter issues under the hood, but, to my knowledge, just since last year when I started letting it sit for longer periods of time in my garage. Do you know if 2007 had soy-based wiring ( I think the article said after 2008 )? Also, if I’m going to let the car sit for long periods of time is it OK to leave the hood open indefinitely? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Bobbi! I don’t know at what point Audi started using soy based wiring. The 2008 year I got was based on damage reports I had seen in my research. We could ask any Audi dealership if they know. In some states the Lemon Law requires car sales persons to disclose any information that might be material to the customer’s decision as to whether or not to purchase the car. So if we can find a dealership that has a 2007 Audi TT for sale, then they might have to disclose this to us. Let me know if you want assistance with this and I can open up some inquiries with various dealerships across the country. Separately, in regards to the hood up, I took that question to a group of mechanics and the general consensus is that you should not leave your hood up for extended periods of time due to the UV damage that might be caused to the rubber parts and electrical system. You would be much better off leaving your hood up every once in a while at night and continuing check under the hood often for signs of a rodent intrusion. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have more questions! Thank you! Rat King Dave

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71. I found a dead rat in my Toyota Prius. The dealer has to take the entire dashboard apart to get the rat out of my car. The cost to date is $1,000. I have a 2015 Prius. This is shocking and very disturbing. Please advise.

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    1. Hi Michelle! Oh man, well the good news is that you probably have comprehensive coverage on your insurance (most banks and leases require this on newer cars) so your max out of pocket should be $500. And I totally agree with the initial shock of learning about this. I was the same way (see My Story page). Please understand that even once you get your car back from the shop, you need to take preventative action to avoid this from happening again. Now that your car has been visited by a rodent it was most likely marked as “safe” and other rodents can detect this. Unfortunately, your car is now more at risk of another rodent intrusion. So, I highly suggest you visit the Home page which covers Norway and Roof Rats, which are the most common in the US. Essentially, I would leave the hood up of your car at night, spray a peppermint spray into the engine compartment a few times a week, shine a bright light under the car at night, and place snap traps on the tops and bases of the tread of the front two tires (exact placement of shown on the video on the Home page). I hope this helps! If you have any questions about my response or anything else on the website, please don’t hesitate to ask. Please keep me posted on the progress! RKD

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72. My mom purchased a 2017 Honda CRV earlier this year. She’s already had to replace 1 wiring harness that costs $400. She is having similar issues again. They’ve used some contraption which sends noises that are supposed to deter squirrels, but it hasn’t worked. They also used a spray that contained chemicals to deter them, however it also has not worked, as she has witnessed squirrels running underneath her vehicle. I have a 2017 Kia Cadenza, and am worried a little. Although I don’t see many squirrels in our neighborhood.

    Reply

    1. Hi Steve! Please see the article I wrote about squirrels. This information will help you!
       https://www.howtopreventratsfromeatingcarwires.com/2017/03/21/prevent-squirrels-eating-car-wires/

       Please let me know if you have any questions about the content. Thank you!

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73. Please let me know about the class action suit, my engine wires were chewed up in my 2016 Hyund Genesis

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    1. Hi Richard, I am not aware of a class action lawsuit for Hyundai (unfortunately since my Hyundai had over $9k in damage!). I wouldn’t be surprised if there is one that will come out soon. The only ones that I know of are posted in this article against Honda and Toyota. This essentially means that we need to take matters into our own hands and implement prevention methods asap. Please read through the articles on this website let me know if you have any questions! I’m here to help you win this battle against the Vermin!

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74. 2014 Sq5. Picked it up on July 19th 2017, the same day I left for a 3.5 week vacation to Europe. A family member drove the new vehicle home and drove it a few times to make sure the fluids were circulating etc while I was away. I returned from my vacation and the second day back I had a warning light come on indicating my front right indicator light was out. I booked an appointment with Audi to have the light repaired **which I was told it would be free of charge because they knew I was away and not being regularly driven. When I went to have it repaired, upon waiting a member of staff had come over to tell me they had to keep my car and they were giving me a loaner vehicle in the meantime. All due to an animal making a nest near the light. They have since left me a voicemail telling me that wires were damaged and I will have to pay for the repair since it was due to an animal. I have not talked to them directly, but will tomorrow. After researching everything I could find, it makes me even more frustrated now that I know it’s contributed to the materials they use. Again, if I knew this I would not have purchased! I have had other cars parked in the same area for over 15 years, and never an issue!

    Additional notes:
    -They hadn’t disclosed a 6,000 dollar accident/repair until after I had signed the paper work.
    -Purchased the vehicle with existing ski rails on top of the car. Asked them to remove them for me and put them in the back of the vehicle to take home. Upon getting home I had realized the rails were not there. Upon contact they had informed me they had been “misplaced” and still haven’t received them. I have been told they will be in the car when I pick it up after having the present wire issue fixed.

    Reply

    1. Wow! That’s sounds terrible, Holly! Thank you for sharing though. These newer cars with the soy based wiring are certainly attracting rodents and since the car manufacturers won’t do anything about it, we need to take matters into our own hands. Please be sure to hit up the Home page here and put in place some preventative measures to avoid this from happening again! I would certainly consider leaving the hood up at night just to start. I would also suggest implementing a few other method as well such as rat traps around the tires and potentially a peppermint spray in the engine compartment. If you have any questions or need any specific advice, please let me know and keep me posted on the progress! Thank you!

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75. A bout 3months ago my 2016 Nissan Murano that we had purchased in Sept of 2016 stared making a knocking sound in the AC unit. By the time we got home the AC had quit. I called Nissan and got an appointment for the coming week to have it checked since I his happened on a Friday. We didn’t drive it until the day of my appointment to have it checked. Now when I got in it I notice a smell, but we had the windows down and it was not to bad. After waitin half the day to get it fixed I go ask what was going on and she hey told me they were waiting on an estimate of charges. I asked why because it wasn’t 6 mo. Old and they told me a rat had got n there and died. We have to leave it 2 weeks, I had insurance that paid for it and furnished me a rental, but the day I get it out , about 10 miles from the dealership a warning light comes on so we go back and they tell me it was a sensor for my breaks that had to be reset. They reset it we leave and about a week later 3 different warning lights came on. We go back and they take it back and start checking it again. This time the dealer ship gives a loaner car. When we go back we talk to a salesman and he sold us a 2017 Murano that was cheaper model than the one we had but we were afraid we had a lemon.we wound up losing ever penny we paid on the 16 and got a less options because a rat was attracted to our car.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ann! Wow sounds like a nightmare (I’m sorry to hear!) and pretty lame that the car dealership then pushed you to purchase another car. It is super important that you understand that the rodents are going to be just as attracted to the new car as they were your old car as a potential nesting grounds. It is important that you implement some prevention methods to make your engine compartment of this new car an undesirable place for rodents before they get a chance to get in there and mark it as “safe” (i.e. Pee on it). I would highly suggest that you implement the 5 minute check (link here: https://www.howtopreventratsfromeatingcarwires.com/2017/02/12/the-5-minute-check-that-can-save-your-car-and-your-sanity/ ) at least a few times a week to make sure that you aren’t seeing any signs of a presence of rodents and then leave your hood up a few nights a week. Please let me know if you have any questions!

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76. I have a 2012 Honda CRV. I’m in rural Washington state. Rabbits chewed wiring under the air-intake. The mechanic said rabbits are the most common but certainly the other vermin are culprits too. I was lucky this time around only $235 more. I use capsicum spray on wires, coyote scent, mothballs, and pour ammonia around car on gravel. Must keep ammonia far from car as it will effect paint sealant. I’m beyond upset that I have to do all of this and it still may not work…remains to be seen. I bought a co2 cartridge bb gun and I’m sorry for their suffering….just not sorry enough.

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    1. Hi Kathy! Oh man. How did you know it was rabbits? Did you see the little circular poops? If it is in fact rabbits, then be sure to check out the article I wrote here for how to prevent rabbits from eating your car wires. I would suggest purchasing a physical barrier that you can wrap around your car as mentioned in the article. Here is a link (this is an affiliate link and I will receive a commission if you purchase through this link though there will be no additional cost to you, FYI) to a portable fence on amazon. When I first met my wife she owned a rabbit and these fences do the trick in keeping them out of places you don’t want them to go. This would be your best bet for keeping them out, though you would need to buy at least two (enough to wrap around your entire car). I would also leave your hood up at night incase the damage was not caused by rabbits. This will deter other types of rodents from going into your car’s engine compartments. The smells and the capsaicin that you are implementing should help, but you also need to implement a few other techniques, such as a physical barrier, leave your hood up, and shine some bright lights under the car at night. I think the mothballs + the ammonia + the coyote scent might be a bit overkill. I would choose only one. And in regards to the bb gun haha! I am a terrible shot so that wouldn’t work for me but good luck! I don’t blame you for not being sorry about their suffering. Once they started chewing on those wires, the war was on. Time for some blood shed. Keep me posted!

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77. Squirrels are ruining my 2016 Infiniti QX50. Help

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    1. Wow, more squirrel damage. I’m really sorry to hear Susan. There was a comment on the home page from Carol that had a squirrel issue as well. I promised that I would scrub the internet for a good resource on deterring squirrels, but to be honest I haven’t found one. I am not super familiar with squirrel psychology and deterrents specific to squirrels as this website is specific to rats. Though, given these two comments and my research on the web, I see that there is a need for guidance on squirrels. I am working on an article that is specific to squirrels as well as one specific to mice. If anyone is interested in being notified when these articles are published, please drop a comment below. I will have some guidance soon for you Susan!

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