[RainDance313]

My four week old RAV4 Hybrid has died ! No life at all in the motor ! The garage (main dealer where I bought it) sent photos of an engine with a harness that has been eaten by mice !! I am waiting for a price to get it back on the road, and I'm expecting a huge estimate ! I've read that there have been similar problems with Toyotas,and that the harness these days compose mostly of soy, otherwise an invitation to any mice in the area to enter the engine to have a picnic!! I do not consider this situation to be my fault. Our Renault Traffic and VW Transporter have been parked in the same place for years and they have NOT been attacked by mice ! My insurance agent, who told me that every motor insurance policy in France has exclusions on animal/rodent damage, asked if the mice might have entered the engine at the garage ?! I can't prove that they did and I don't expect the garage can prove that they didn't ! Has anyone had a similar problem with a brand new Toyota ?

 

[Variman]

I have heard of similar stories with Priuses.

 

[crazyhorse]

My niece's Honda has a mouse problem this year. She parks on a city street and drives everyday. The mice ate the cabin air filter and made a few nests. We don't know yet what other damage may have been caused. We glued two mouse traps down inside the engine compartment and set a couple more inside the the cabin. It is very important to get the mice out. Once they start urinating inside the car you may never be able to get the odor out. Do whatever it takes and good luck.

 

[Blogson]

Quite a number of Toyota owners in North America have reported having rodent damage to vehicle wiring. Soy based insulation attracts rodents. There are suggestions about trying to prevent this on this forum - suggest using the Search Community function at the top of this page.

 

[Scubanero]

Not just Toyotas either.

 

[RAVDoug]

Not just Toyotas either.

Yeah, this is an industry-wide problem:

Does Your Car Have Wiring That Rodents Think Is Tasty?

Soy-based insulation in cars may be better for the environment, but it can also attract hungry vermin.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[jrav11]

i hate rats! snitches get stitches!

 

[VladR]

Just spray inside the engine compartment with peppermint. Repeat as needed. The mothballs work too but I prefer peppermint smell.

 

[RainDance313]

Just spray inside the engine compartment with peppermint. Repeat as needed. The mothballs work too but I prefer peppermint smell.

thank you, will try it !

 

[RainDance313]

Quite a number of Toyota owners in North America have reported having rodent damage to vehicle wiring. Soy based insulation attracts rodents. There are suggestions about trying to prevent this on this forum - suggest using the Search Community function at the top of this page.

thank you for your reply, I'm still waiting for an estimate ........

 

[Variman]

After I vacuum, I sometimes dump the contents (mostly cat fur) outside. So far, so good.

 

[crazyhorse]

After I vacuum, I sometimes dump the contents (mostly cat fur) outside. So far, so good.

Sounds like good mouse nesting material?

 

[mycoma]

This has been reviewed a lot on amazon
Amazon.com : Rodent Sheriff Pest Control - Ultra-Pure Peppermint Spray - Repels Mice, Raccoons, Ants, and More - Made in USA (2) : Garden & Outdoor

 

[Variman]

Sounds like good mouse nesting material?

To make a mouse burrito!

 

[kenward]

I am in the pest control industry, I started seeing these types of issues 10 or 15 years ago. When this first started happening it was on Mercedes cars. One customer had $8,000.00 worth of damage to her Prius.

 

[RichB20]

I don't understand...why is it the problem for the vehicle owner to solve? If this has been an "industry-wide" problem, why aren't there steps taken by the manufacturers to prevent this? A recall should be issued.

 

[jrav11]

I don't understand...why is it the problem for the vehicle owner to solve? If this has been an "industry-wide" problem, why aren't there steps taken by the manufacturers to prevent this? A recall should be issued.

case by case situation all depends on where owner park the car. should manufacturer be responsible for each owner's vehicles maintenance/up keeping? this where insurance comes in...in case shit happens depending on coverage. most people are too cheap to pay for additional coverage and complain when shit does happen.

 

[RainDance313]

case by case situation all depends on where owner park the car. should manufacturer be responsible for each owner's vehicles maintenance/up keeping? this where insurance comes in...in case shit happens depending on coverage. most people are too cheap to pay for additional coverage and complain when shit does happen.

If you can get insurance cover wherever you are, think of us in France where NO insurance company covers for animal or rodent damage ! Paying for additional insurance is not the problem, it is NOT available here !

 

[jrav11]

If you can get insurance cover wherever you are, think of us in France where NO insurance company covers for animal or rodent damage ! Paying for additional insurance is not the problem, it is NOT available here !

think outside the box. push off cliff stolen claim.

 

[mikefocke]

I am in the pest control industry, I started seeing these types of issues 10 or 15 years ago. When this first started happening it was on Mercedes cars. One customer had $8,000.00 worth of damage to her Prius.

Sometime price wiring harness replacement on any car. Parts alone can be really really expensive. Think $4k.