Squirrel Chewed Through Charging Wires

[Skidrowe]

The other day, I walked out to my truck in warmer (40 degree) rain after a week of sub-freezing temperatures. I saw some chewed up acorns on top of my rear passenger wheel. I instantly had murderous thoughts about rodents. The first few months I had my truck (Sept '22), I had found a mountain of acorns and shells on top of everything behind the access panel in the back of the frunk. A shop vac had cleaned up most of that with no adverse consequences. Well...this time was different.

I got into my truck and started driving and about 5 minutes from home, my watch buzzes at me that I have a message. It says something about powertrain failure as a message from the ford pass app. I didn't have any reduced power according to the dash gauges and the truck drove just fine. I had already forgotten about the squirrel nuts on the tire. I drove it the rest of the day with no issue other than the wrench icon and request that I take it in for service as soon as possible. So I took it in the next morning.

The service advisor told me that they wouldn't be able to look at it until the next day, but because I pointed out some recall work that it needed, he wouldn't have any problem providing me with a loaner.

NOTE: Prior to them determining whether a problem you're having is covered under warranty, they're gambling providing you with a free loaner. I think I'll save up my non-critical recalls for visits like this to ensure I have the best possible chance of being put in a "free" loaner truck.

Last night I got the email from the dealership that it's rodent damage to the charging wires. It's a little over $1100 in estimated cost for them to manually repair the damage (they're not planning on ordering a new harness and believe they can repair it). Once it's repaired, they'll run diagnostics again to determine if there are any more faults contributing to the "powertrain malfunction" and will submit them to Ford if applicable.

For some reason, I decided to overpay for auto insurance 5-10 years ago and only have a $100 deductible. They cover damage caused by animals and it's a no-fault claim. So I'm starting with that route and they don't mind me using the dealership to perform the work. I'll update here as things progress. In the meantime, I'm going to incur the ire of my neighbors by killing some squirrels.

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[The Weatherman]

Been there done that with a brand new 2022 Maverick. Fortunately I have a great relationship with a local mechanic that found it and fixed it in about 10mins at no charge.

Good luck!

 

[jeff_h]

I worry about that even though my truck parks inside the garage.... I found the below a few years ago when raising the hood on my wife's Equinox after it had been parked inside her mother's garage for the weekend (they used to buy corn by the bag to feed the deer out in the backyard), so those little buggers get everywhere!

I just checked the 12V battery area of my truck a couple weeks ago, as I'd seen another post like the OP made here, and thankfully the platform where the 12V sits was nothing but a big layer or dust with no critter tracks or disturbances at all (and hope it stays that way).

 

[Maineiac12]

 

[farmtruck]

Bet I know someone who just bought a BB gun and a squirrel feeder

 

[evowner]

My understanding of the problem is that they are using plant based material for the insulation. We had a big problem in our area with our new fiber optic cables being eaten by squirrels.

I don't know. I am torn on this one, good for the environment, really bad and expensive for the consumer. I am leaning towards go back to rubber.

 

[MountainAlive]

Damn squirrels and rodents. Is there something we can do to help prevent this? I’ve heard peppermint spray sometimes works?

 

[Skidrowe]

Bet I know someone who just bought a BB gun and a squirrel feeder

They run along the fence outside my home-office window where my dog chases them back and forth. I'm going to start with rat traps that I'll to tie a 1-foot string to and secure them to the top of the fence. No point in maiming them and letting them get away with the traps. This should also minimize the evidence that might be discovered by other neighbors. Other people have much more fragile sensibilities when it comes to wildlife than me. No point in causing them distress. Maybe I'm a monster.

BB gun will be next. My boys are almost old enough to use one anyway.

 

[Skidrowe]

My understanding of the problem is that they are using plant based material for the insulation. We had a big problem in our area with our new fiber optic cables being eaten by squirrels.

I don't know. I am torn on this one, good for the environment, really bad and expensive for the consumer. I am leaning towards go back to rubber.

I think they also need something to grind down their teeth since they continuously grow. Metal wires are the right size and hard enough to help with it. I'll buy some pepper spray and/or peppermint stuff and try coating the underside and insides of my truck when I get it back if I haven't eliminate the squirrel problem in other ways by then.

 

[queuewho]

I once found some mouse droppings in the bed of the truck from one I picked up at my cabin. Luckily, he decided to find a way into my house from the garage at home, where he was promptly stopped.

I've coated everything on the underside with Tomcat repellent, hopefully they never spend enough time there to get through some wires or wire harnesses, which I hear they really enjoy.

 

[farmtruck]

The peppermint oil does work. I use it in the cabs of my tractors when I store them. The caveat is that it is most effective Before you have a problem. Once the rodents find your vehicle and mark it, they will try to ignore it. Apply often.
On the trap with a string tied to it, make sure your dog can't reach it. You might have more entertainment than you want.

 

[21st Century Truck]

After Sonny Boy had a damaging invasion of mice into his Ford Fusion (them Kentucky mice are a tough crowd!) we both invested in this device, available at Amazon:

Loraffe 2 Pack Under Hood Animal Car Repeller Rodent Electronic Repellent Device 12V Rat Ultra Sonic Strobe Light Get Rid of Mice in Car Automotive Vehicle

Although not proof of anything, neither vehicle had another sign of damage or four-legged visits since.

Another rodent trick I use in my garden to funnel rats into traps is copper woven wire mesh, available in small rolls through industrial and scientific web sites. The galvanic reaction of copper on wet teeth works to channel rodents into kill zones during their travels, and can also serve as a decent and very flexible barrier to entry into small spaces like vehicle cavities.

 

[Revenge]

Those don't look like high voltage/amperage wires from the pic. The dealership really wants $1000 for 3 wire splices? Am I missing something?

 

[bmwhitetx]

I used medium animal traps with raw nut bait and caught over two dozen once over a period of 2 weeks (4 in one day). I released them about 2 miles away across two small creeks. Started suspecting they were making their way back so I started spray-painting their tails white.

Might consider a trap under/near the truck as a last line of defense.

 

[21st Century Truck]

For those with a garage, the best trick I've ever seen / read about is the ol' water bucket with a wire from edge to edge and a soda can or plastic water bottle or a similar round cylinder placed on a horizontal axis in the center of the wire, smeared with peanut butter.

The rat smells the peanut butter, climbs across the wire onto the can, the can rotates and rotates, the rat falls into water in the bucket, can't climb out...

...and the garage owner can count the harvest.

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