Posted on 04/25/2024 6:44:06 AM PDT by Omnivore-Dan
I'm not sure if car and truck manufacturers are still using soybean based coating for the myriad of wires in vehicles with sensors all over them. A friend just spent over $3k on two vehicles because of squirrels eating the wires. Both vehicles required complete re-wiring, entire harnesses were chewed through. Their pickup truck is only a few years old, the suv a bit older about 4 years. The insurance would not cover the damage, and the manufacturer would not either. Trying to find out if our 2022 Buick Encore has soybean coatings, lots of squirrels, mice and other critters around here.
Lol
It is happening with Airbus aircraft also. Many aircraft that fly into LGA and JFK pick up rats from the catering trucks, not to long ago rats the size of a small dog are retrieved ( by the exterminators) when the planes are laid down for days ( sometimes weeks) to repair the wiring and ducting made of environmentally “ friend.y” rat food.
If I was willing and able to post pictures I would, ( I won’t), you would never fly an Airbus again…..
Yes, I assume law suits will arise and after it costs vehicle manufacturers a bundle, they will switch back to petroleum based coatings. Their foolish attempt to save a few bucks is going to cost them big time.
Friend of mine just bought a new Ford Ranger and after a month, he smelled gas so he took it to the shop. The smell was so overwhelming, the vehicle had to be removed from the indoor shop. A rat had chewed through the fuel line!
The truck was still under warranty so that was no problem but it was a major fix. He had been leaving it out on the street in front of his house in town.
I keep my garage and basement well supplied with rodent bait and every so often, one turns up dead on the floor but no problems, otherwise.
My problem is I retired a 2003 vehicle and found out later it was rodent eating the wires. No plates on it so no insurance on it. Sentra
Supposedly, rodents don’t like the smell of vinegar and you can pour some around the area and they will avoid it. If no pets are around something like Tomcat rodent killer might entice a tree rat.
I’m not flying in any thing. Not afraid to fly, just don’t like airports. But this is just crazy. Rat smorgasbord.
I will add the airline exterminators use the old fashioned method to kill the rats- mouse traps with peanut butter- the one I saw measured in at 16” from head to tail….
On your next flight when you hear the litter patter of tiny footsteps from the overhead and sidewalks, realize you are not imagining things….best to report it to the senior FA and get the pilot to make a logbook entry.
I’ve always heard it was a corn-oil base.
And I always have had cats around.
I heard 90s Mercedes and 90s and up fords use this. There are likely other examples as well. I’m looking at a certain Mercedes and it has this problem that is relatively easy and “cheap” to fix. But who knows
I’m not sure that they are attracted to the wire itself as they just need to chew on something to care for their teeth and the wiring harness is just appropriate size and hardness. I’ve had other rodents destroy harnesses from the’60’s up.
Comprehensive coverage on a call would not cover that?
Eh, that sounds like not very good insurance.
Squirrels and chipmunks all over New England. Here in north west Jersey too.
I believe he has All-State.
Yes, I know, but any animal that eats a dead mouse that’s poisoned will also get poisoned. Traps are maybe a better idea.
They have begun to add things to the soybean polymers to make it unattractive for rodents.
Cats are the best rodent deterrent. Didn’t have any mice around when we had cats. Coyotes ate the cats.
Does he have Comp?
I had a White-tailed Deer (buck) rub aggressively against a rear bumper that damaged it. Comp covered it.
We had the dealer install a device that repels these critters after having wire damage. No more problems.
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