Hard to believe that a rodent can do so much damage. Apparently doing a few searches I find that this is a common problem amongst new vehicles that use a more eco friendly soy based wiring.
The area the picture shows is UNDER the engine cover and there is almost no way to know there is a rats nest under it without unbolting it. Now the dealer is probably going to replace the entire wiring harness with the same yummy wiring covers and the rats will be back. The area under the engine cover is a perfect place for a rodent to stay warm and cozy.
I would hope that the manufacturers would address this problem by covering the wires with something the rodents won't be able to chew through (carbon fiber, etc.).
Why does the engine need a cover anyway? I think it is just dressing.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Hard to believe that a rodent can do so much damage. Apparently doing a few searches I find that this is a common problem amongst new vehicles that use a more eco friendly soy based wiring.
The area the picture shows is UNDER the engine cover and there is almost no way to know there is a rats nest under it without unbolting it. Now the dealer is probably going to replace the entire wiring harness with the same yummy wiring covers and the rats will be back. The area under the engine cover is a perfect place for a rodent to stay warm and cozy.
I would hope that the manufacturers would address this problem by covering the wires with something the rodents won't be able to chew through (carbon fiber, etc.).
Why does the engine need a cover anyway? I think it is just dressing.
Bad design.
- Jeff N., Santa Monica, CA, US