Beware rabbits and other rodents

[JDMontana]

A rabbit crawled into my 2024 Gt and chewed into the wiring to the tune of $1700 in damages. Still under the hood when I pulled into the dealership with just over 5000 miles. Apparently the new environmental friendly insulation is tasty, recommend putting irish spring soap or other deterrents if you have rodents around.

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[Upacurb]

Yes...Ford went to a soy based wiring .....so it tastes good to critters

Some great sprays on Amazon to try and prevent it and they smell great too

 

[RLE55]

I began using mothballs in engine compartment after my F150 got violated a few years ago. The sprays (peppermint) were too messy.
To the OP, insurance cover the damage????

 

[HeyMoe!]

Someone on the BMW club forum that I follow recommended a product called "Fresh Cab." It comes in little pouches that you can distribute around the garage. Though the aroma is like Christmas trees, apparently it is noxious to rodents. I store my BMW during winter, and so far, so good with the Fresh Cab I have six pouches in the garage, and I replace them monthly during the winter months. So, it costs me around ten bucks a month. Most modern cars have soy-based insulation on the wiring, and the critters do find it tasty. Setting traps is an option, but you wouldn't want to do both together. The bait on the traps would attract rodents, and I would prefer to repel them. Though, if I gotta go nuclear on them, I will.

 

[9secondko]

Had this happen to my suv. Chewed through a transmission hose that was made of vegetable fiber.

zip tied repellent to a few hoses and no issues since.

 

[Alan Applegate]

Hurray for garages! Roswell, NM is surrounded by pecan trees, and the area produces more than any other state, even Georgia! As a result, squirrels abound, and they like soy-based products too. I prefer the peppermint oil, but in the pellet form. Less messy than the sprays and they just hang like a bag of sashay

 

[kinelisch]

A rabbit crawled into my 2024 Gt and chewed into the wiring to the tune of $1700 in damages. Still under the hood when I pulled into the dealership with just over 5000 miles. Apparently the new environmental friendly insulation is tasty, recommend putting irish spring soap or other deterrents if you have rodents around.

I've had a MASSIVE rat under the hood last week. Went to check the battery compartment and there she was. She was not even afraid or anything. After I freaked a little bit, she went somewhere else. So yeah, I agree that there's something that gets rodent attention under the hood. Maybe they love the 5.0 V8?

 

[kinelisch]

So how do you guys protect your engine bays? Do you spray the repellent? Or do you attach the pouches somehow?

 

[Skye]

I agree that there's something that gets rodent attention under the hood.

Sometimes, it's simply bad luck and a brief opportunity.

Often, undisturbed cover and protection from the elements, with a source of food nearby.

Along with suggestions on scents and other measures, if stored in a garage, clear it of food, old clothes, storage containers, etc. You don't have to empty the place, but make note of anything a critter would use, for food or bedding materials and remove those. Checking the area frequently, making noises or moving things around can also help, with dissuading and inspection.

 

[AdrenalDestruction]

So how do you guys protect your engine bays? Do you spray the repellent? Or do you attach the pouches somehow?

Just an opinion but I offer these in order, with great confidence: Lights (shop/trouble light), ultrasonic devices (Amazon), and as mentioned Fresh Cab pouches/peppermint spray.

I also use the monster black snapper traps (Amazon). They’re brutal but I can catch 1-3 rats per day, daily, when the weather is right. More than 1 night stationary, and the critters are in. 4 S2000 fuel pump harness, S650 transmission harness, Honda ABS, main harness, and even the foam underlay on an engine cover; it’s been a brutal few years. In our area, though, the prevalent critters are indicative of an (mostly) absence of rattlesnakes, so take the bad with the good. That can change over the course of a 1/2 mile around here.

 

[Dxm]

ahh, the environment-friendly b.s. strikes again. Next they will be making hoses out of string cheese...

I ordered this item. Anybody know of a safe place to stick this onto, so that it wouldn't get into the belts/fan? I was thinking on top of the battery?

 

[Dxm]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DJSCJW3D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?

 

[roket]

my dealer had 3 different escapes yesterday die out mid test drive, all with check engine lights, all for "ambient air temperature sensor" codes. they all had rodent damage. moral of the story is put a sacrificial Escape nearby. preferably one with the 1.5L so those terrible engines stay off the road

 

[Wiley Marmot]

Some good suggestions on how to keep the savage little rascals away from our Mustangs, but I'm not sure sprays or sachets would be enough for this species.

 

[SSuperDave]

I've seen at least one rodent damaged vehicle a week for the last 20 years, seems like that when it got really bad. Lexus used soy based wiring a long time ago. I've found air cleaner boxes full of nuts before as well.

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