How to prevent rodents from chewing wires

[busmania]

So, my wife called me yesterday from the road. Her new (10k mile) hyundai had all sorts of warning lights going off. Took it to the shop and tehy just called me telling me that rodents had chewed the wheel sesor wires. I have never heard of this but I suppose it is possible (I told them I want to see the sensor). How do I prevent this in the future? Is there something I can spray down there so that it turns the rodents away? anyone experience something like this?

[EverettB]

This happened to my wife's car a few years ago.
We have little mice on our property that I think were living up in the engine compartment too. They also ate through the windshield sprayer hose, always a nice pallet cleanser.

We got a bunch of little mice poison blocks and set them around the house.

I found a bunch of dead mice later.
It didn't happen again.
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[busmania]

[tncsparky]

Bitter Apple is supposed to keep animals from chewing on things but I don't know about mice. She should try "Feeding" them at work
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scotth17
I think you are just waiting around for a high-five from a unicorn so you can feel better about yourself

[KTPhil]

[crofty]

[Hugo Stiglitz]

[atmellovw]

This happened to me as well...pretty costly repair...check with your auto insurance to see if any the cost will be covered.
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[Jon65]

A similar story, ecxept it doesn't involve chewed wires. My relative had rats in her garage and what ended up happening is that the rats somehow got into the hubcaps and decided to store a nice supply of dog food in them.

After driving for a couple days, she went to find out what was causing the rattling sound in her wheel. After popping off the hubcap, a big pile of dog food fell out onto the pavement. At first we thought someone was playing a prank, but we were wrong.

Still remember that happening to this day.

[Wideopen]

Though chore removing the possibility of rodents. Honda corp. has a bulletin about this in the V6 engines as it is a warm and comfy place to live for rodents. The TSB was issued because many folks have the problem of the Knock sensor wire being chewed and causing a check engine light. I have repaired a few of these cars, for that very problem. The replacement wire has some foil cover and (no joke) a sticker with a rat and a slash through it!
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[flemcadiddlehopper]

This is funny that this came up... today a truck came into the shop with a trans whine, when I opened the hood to check the fluid level a chipmunk was looking at me. Unrelated to the trans issue. But rodents are a real problem...mice, rats, packrats, even groundhogs have been found both dead and alive.
Anyone who has a car with a cabin air filter, check it...we find mice nests there all the time.

Gordo.
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[L378]

[mlhsquared]

I hate mieces to pieces! We used to have the little buggers in our vehicles all the time. They would get in the heater fan in an old Tracker that we have and we would end up cleaning out parts and pieces.
I also had a smell in a Sonata that was only a few months old. Took it to the dealership and they cleaned a dead mama and her babies out of the H/AC air ducts.
I've cleaned several thousand acorns out of air cleaners and off of manifolds and such.
We now have a big Main Coon tomcat that takes care of the problem with a good deal of sadistic glee. Best damn mouser that I have ever seen.
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'67 Ghia Coupe

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

Tis the season.. We (in the auto repair business) see several rodent issues in our area from Fall to Spring. Wires are an easy fix... Have a rodent die at the heater core or evaporator... and you then you have problem.

Bait traps outside the cars help. You're asking for trouble using poison.

or this...on a VW

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[Hugo Stiglitz]

I still think this is the best way to stop it from happening

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[hitest]

I can't believe this topic came up again right when it was on my mind. I"ve got mice in the shop again this fall. I've wondered if animal urine of some sort (available at Cabelas or perhaps by questionable dating practices) would do the trick? Anyone care to try for us?
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[Dave24]

A friend's wife's Mini had this happen twice on the same wires within a month, and once on his Ram truck. We zip-tied some Tomcat hard baits to the wires that were affected. The baits (but not the wires) were gnawed and a few dead rats showed up in and around the driveway. New baits have since been put in place for the future vermin.

[notchback]

[tncsparky]

My Chihuahua has caught a rat and a mouse this year.
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scotth17
I think you are just waiting around for a high-five from a unicorn so you can feel better about yourself

[KTPhil]