Another Soy Wiring Mishap

Driving today and the heater wasn't blowing any warm air after a 20-minute ride, so I glanced at my water temp gauge. Notice I was quickly approaching the red zone. Felt it prudent to pull over and take a look-see under the hood for anything obvious....
Found a pretty big nest between the battery and firewall, so naturally, I summoned my girlfriend to check it out. She was convinced it was a mouse nest, while I noticed the full-size leaves and figured it was something larger. So I started to grab a clump of leaves, when out came a startled squirrel and it scurried away like that Christmas tree scene in Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation movie.
After he/she departed and my girlfriend stopped screaming, I removed the rest of the nest remnants, and I noticed some of the wiring insulation had been gnawed on.
This nest had only been built within a week.

Other than that wire exposed (dealt with some electrical tape), and some squirrel pee, there was no other damage. I'm guessing the overheating issue was probably caused from the lack of proper air circulation in the engine compartment. But I'll keep an eye on it. No overheating issues since I removed the nest. I've seen some of that special hot sauce tape, but I don't think I'll be doing that just that--I'm hoping this was just a one time issue.

 

2017s don’t have soy wiring

 

Replace the wire and wash the engine bay very well to get rid of all urine. Then try scented dryer sheets. I have had luck keeping squirrels out with bounce and walmart brand dryer sheets.

 

https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/toyota-soy-wiring-class-action-lawsuit.shtml

Rodents will chew wiring regardless, but Toyota changed the Tacoma wiring for the 2017 model year.

 

My cat likes to sleep in that area sometimes, any rodent would be making a huge mistake going under the hood.

 

How long does it take for something like that to make a nest?

 

Dude, rodents chew anything, not just wiring and especially soy based wiring. Back in th 1970's rodents were chewing vinyl wiring just as much as they chew wiring now. Get some cat food, attract some neighbor cats and *poof* your rodent problem goes away.

 

Until you turn it on one day and hear massive squealing from the belt, then see blood and fur all over the place because the cat decided to get cozy with the cooling fan or the serpentine belt area.

 

Never heard of a squirrel making a nest in engine bay like that, weird but I suppose they do. They usually nest in trees around these parts.
The Squirrel Scene from that movie, lol, second in laughter only to the special saucer wax and the cousin with a metal plate!

 

When was the last time you opened up your hood?

 

Or wonder how long it sat w/out being moved?
Mice are the only rodents I have trouble with, home is pretty much surrounded by corn/bean fields and in the winter months they like to try and come indoors. Never had one in the house but the garage is another story. The last two years I used combination of poisen in one garage where dogs don't have access, and inside I used some botanical repellant that seems to work pretty darn good. Expensive but worth it.
Few years back mice got in cousins garage and chewed back half of wiring on his ZX12 MC so bad it wouldn't even start.

 

My son's Subaru did that only with a squirrel lol. Had to buy a new serpentine belt.

 

That guy looks like he was setting up for some serious business

 

I'm thankful for having an abundance of hawks, falcons, and owls in my area. I've lived here for almost two years and haven't seen any squirrels... Or cats.

 

My cats sleep under the trucks at my house .. unless the garage is open, then they sleep under my Dodge.

 

Ally cats got me covered. The alpha lives next door to me in the dilapidated shed my 103 year-old neighbor owns. They still piss from the trees onto my hood though The raccoons that live in the other parts of his backyard however did this one night I left a baggie of dog food in the bed of the truck after a hike.

 

Damn they were seriously after that dog food

 

Doesn't look like 16's do either according to the class action suit.

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit...class-action-says-rats-chew-soy-based-wiring/