Squirrels decided to feast on my wiring

Pretty much what the title says. Last time I drove my truck was Thursday morning, and then yesterday morning I took my Jeep. The lady and I were going to take the Taco last night to meet some friends for dinner and when I started it the dash was a Christmas tree so we took the jeep. On they way home I stopped at autozone to get a scanner because it would drive me crazy. So I plugged in this new bluetooth scanner and couldn't get the stupid thing to connect so I I popped the hood and found basically all the wires to the headlights trashed as well ass the TSS wiring, my front camera wire, and I think the MAF wiring. Near the firewall on the passenger side there was a pile of wires that for whatever reason they piled up there, and somehow they even managed to pull a bulb out of the driver's side headlight and drag it with a bit of wire still attached over to the passenger side. If this has happened to you before, was the truck ever right again after getting it fixed? And does anyone have recommendations for future prevention? Honda makes some electrical tape that's like lined with capsaicin as part of their TSB for this situation that I'm considering investing in, although it's apparently about $40 a roll.

 

They straight up fucked your shit up

When I parked my vehicle for long periods, I grabbed a dollar store spray bottle, some peppermint (rats hate it) cayenne pepper, and vinegar and sprayed down the tires and around the vehicle and some light on the engine bay.

Parked my vehicle 4 separate times for 3 to 4 months each time and haven't had problems

 

This has been happening lots unfortunately

Hopefully someone that's been through it can give you some advice, you'll have no trouble getting opinions on how to prevent it and how to get it fixed - some will say fix it yourself with butt connectors, some will suggest full harness replacement and an insurance claim.

Hope you get it sorted out, sorry about your luck.

 

Man, that is some serious wire damage! This just might be worthy of an insurance claim if that is even possible.

 

Damn man! Squirrels eating your wires like their in the great depression! That's wild

 

Seems odd to me..... The wires are neatly severed so close to the connectors.

You could probably fix yourself.

Gonna need more than butt connectors.

 

That really sucks! Insurance... its a comp claim so your rates wont go up. FWIW, If I store the truck for a few days, I have to park where my dog can protect the truck from rats. I also bought a $25 rat and mouse sonic thing and have had no problems since.

 

That is going to be expensive

 

Revenge.

I’d go hunting.

 

I just had a frame harness replaced under comprehensive.

Not for tree rats, but the toyota part is around 1200 bucks and it was 20 hours of labor.

My truck works great.

 

That sucks big time! Similar thing happened to a Range Rover of ours. Came home one day and it was sitting catty-wompaus (technical term)in the driveway. Powered up and dashboard full of warning lights. Under hood damage not as visible as yours, most of the yummy stuff was under it!

Took it to a local shop and sure enough, rodent damage to wiring, air suspension tubing, and even the suspension bushings!

Long story short... comprehensive insurance paid the damages ($3500+) and we paid the deductible.

I have a couple rodent repellent devices sitting in a box in the garage... you have awakened me to the fact that they are doing the truck absolutely no good... in the garage! I've also been using a peppermint oil spray around the tires and shrubbery around the truck to help ward them off!

Here are the links to the above mentioned products...

$30 Car Rodent Repellent Ultrasonic Under Hood Animal Repeller Mouse and Rat Deterrent with LED Strobe – Engine Bay Pest Control Device for 12V 24V Vehicle, Automobile, Truck, RV

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JG4V1ZP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8

$20 Rodent Repellent Spray for Vehicle Engines and Interiors - Cars, Trucks, RVs, & Boats

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BTRQRBM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8

 

Every year I pop 3 or 4 in our fruit trees.. Little bastards gotta go.

$228 Gamo Whisper Fusion Mach 1 Air Rifle, CAT air Rifle

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01APG0VUC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8

 

Irish Springs soap, rodents don't like the smell.

 

Many people don't like the smell either.

If you have a dog, then let the dog "mark" the tires. Squirrels consider dogs as predators.



<edit> Another thought. Have your dog piddle on some rags. Tear the rags into strips. Tie the strips to different spots in engine bay, under truck, near any wiring........

 

Thanks for the advice y'all. I started a claim under comp and it won't bust my rates. On a truck this new and nice I don't want an engine bay full of butt connectors. I'm kind of leaning towards taking it to the dealer and much as it pains me to say that but it seems like this repair would be best suited to them.

 

Damn that’s pretty bad wiring damage

 

Dealer. Depending on how much is damaged, you will likely get a new harness. Toyota has required specs on wire repairs, so they wont just be wire nutting them all together.

#1 way to keep them out of the engine bay is leave your hood up. Use fluid film all over your fuel tank wiring and vent lines as they hate the greasy feeling and wont touch it. I have seen rats/mice make nests inside cars ontop of irish spring soap bars and fabric softner sheets.

 

Initially I just used Honda’s rodent tape and ziptied mouse traps everywhere. Caught quite a few over last spring and summer. Once I started leaving all my hoods up they have left all my cars alone and have moved on to my covered stuff like snow machines.

 

Where'd u get your tape? eBay?

 

WOW, I was wondering about FF and rodents, the question is what isn't helped by using FF!!