Squirrels nest under hood

Don't get to drive my truck as much as i would like. I drive my company car all week and really only drive my truck on the weekends or a quick run to the store during the week. Yesterday i watched a squirrel crawl into the engine and not come out. I popped the hood and found a nice nest behind the battery (see picture). I removed the nest and squirrel left too. Doing some inspection I noticed some wires had been chewed on the other side (see other stock picture with green circle). I can see bare metal on the one wire. I didnt take an actual picture of the my truck but can tonight when i see if hes trying to come back. I have a scheduled service for my recall on May 31st, and will ask the dealership to look at it then. I didnt notice any other damage to wires, just shielding. Is this something that needs to be fixed immediately before driving? Thanks for any help. Oh, and i bought some squirrel repellent in the meantime, and sprayed some jalapeno and garlic water on it last night.

 

Looks like it took that little thing a while and a lot of work

 

He had a Mobile Home!

 

That's your Mass Air Flow Sensor wiring you had circled. That is a pretty critical part of the system in terms of fuel mixtures going into your engine. If not chewed through/broken, look to maybe at least de-pin the connector and run some heat shrink tubing with dielectric grease. If chewed through; doing some good quality splicing and again running heat shrink.

Only other option is to replace entire harness which is $$$$.

Any closeup pictures of the damage to wiring?

 

Thanks. Ill grab a close up tonight.

 

Damn man, I might even sleep on that if I was tired.

 

SAME

 

Peppermint oil- spray it all over the engine bay and your tires or wherever you think they get access.

 

Be prepared to contact your insurance company. Depending on what that little bastard got into that repair bill can escalate quickly...we're talking several thousand.

 

I just went through this type of SHc*T . Dang varmits chewed up sensor wires on the 4 runner. I made repairs. Even used some of that fancy Honda capsaicin tape.

 

Have .22 rifle with scope, will travel.

 

Good grief!! Rats with tails is all they are.

 

Here’s the only damage that I could find so far. Thanks for the help and yeah I have heard the horror stories of mice and rats, now squirrels. Hopefully only minimal chewing. @Smacky2020

 

It'd be super sweet if the dealer could de-pin that and throw heat shrink over that.

 

Honda Rodent Tape works wonders. A lot of companies are using "soy based" wiring insulation products, which is a terrible idea, unless if you're a tech at the dealer (job security).

 

Any codes/CEL? That sucks man. I just went through a similar ordeal to the tune of $6200. Thank god for insurance. I'm always a little paranoid now when I get into my truck that the little bastards got bitey again.

 

Ouch, that pink one is not in good shape. Correct repair would be snip all of them and remount into pins... or replace harne$$. I'd be afraid of that slowly fraying more and eventually breaking. Definitely get dealer opinion. You'll at least want to reinforce it and put dielectric grease/heatshrink so you won't start getting corrosion.

 

As a card carrying member of the Eastern Oregon Raptor Feeding Society I would be happy to shoot your squirrel for you

 

Nothing yet. Hopefully nowhere near the damage you had, fingers crossed. Thanks again

 

good luck....

I'm getting my truck back today due to a chewed up harness....