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Animal/Pest Problems

52 messages,  Last post on May 19, 2010 at 8:13 AM

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What is this discussion about? Car Safety, Electrical, Engine

Messages Page 4 of 6

#23 of 52 Help!!!! by skeezix

May 16, 2005 (8:41 am)

Pack Rats are ruining my car. The rats build their nest under the hood, crap and piss all over the engine, and they are relentless. I cannot put this car in the garage. I am presently trying to use Gopher Bait, which is several years old. I'm wondering if the Gopher Bait has a shelflife, as the rats don't seem to be dying now, as they've done in the past. The last 5 mornings, there has been a new nest and the bait is knocked all over the engine. I vacuum everything off the engine, put out new Gopher Bait, then the next morning, the same thing all over again. I tried to use a Rat Trap, but I killed a chipmunk, so no more of that. Mr. Shiftright, what can I do? Have you ever had a problem like this?

#24 of 52 Call an exterminator by isellhondas

May 16, 2005 (9:31 am)

To rid your place of rats. If they aren't around, they won't be able to get to your car.
 
For some reason, we have been getting quite a few cars with rat chewed wiring under the hood. They can cause a lot of trouble and expense.
 
A buddy had his intake system stuffed full of dry dog food recently.

#25 of 52 Mice in Kia Sedona - we live in oak woods by mayfly1

Jun 03, 2005 (3:48 pm)

Ever since a guy smacked into my 2002 Kia Sedona van, and the dealer left it sit next to an open field for a month until the parts came, we've had mice working their way through the car. They got inside the ductwork and clogged the vents, burning out the blower motor. Dealer cleaned it out, replaced the blower motor. Within three months, same thing. Did it again. Less than a month later, same thing.
 
We've lived at this house since 1967, in the middle of oak woods. The usual advice about removing food sources doesn't work very well (ever try to rid an oak woods of acorns and other food for mice?) We set traps and poison and everything else.
 
We've had more than 2 dozen cars, and none of them has ever had this problem. The dealer says there's no way to prevent the mice from getting inside the HVAC ductwork again. I find it hard to believe there isn't someone else who has had this problem, and figured out a way to deal with it, beyond blaming the victim.
 
I can't keep going through this drill. Somebody somewhere knows what to do.
 
Any advice, short of selling the car to someone in the city?

#26 of 52 Re: Mice in Kia Sedona - we live in oak woods [mayfly1] by richardson

Sep 11, 2005 (8:21 pm)

Replying to: mayfly1 (Jun 03, 2005 3:48 pm)
We have a 2004 Sedona. Last winter at our Florida home, we had the same problem with rats. I tried various cures, but the only thing that seemed to work was one of those battery operated air fresheners sitting on the engine every nite. Kind of a pain to do, but I got tired of taking down the havc fan and cleaning the crap out. Next month we go back down to Florida and we will see if the problem returns. Jim

#27 of 52 Re: SQUIRREL PESTS [spudman] by durango3

Apr 22, 2006 (1:05 pm)

Replying to: spudman (Oct 20, 1999 12:31 am)
I can relate!!!! This past summer, I had to have a wiring harnes replaced thanks to squirrels. I have on countless ocassions tried the professional repellents, mothballs and even vinegar. I had to have my 2003 durango towed to the dealer today because the darn pest chewed away at wiring on the passenger side after I cleaned the engine compartment 4 times yesterday.
 
I can't afford the repairs not can I aford to get rid of the truck and it seems like others in the neighborhood are having the same problem.
 
If I find a solution, I'll be sure to let you know
 
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
 
Brian

#28 of 52 squirrels nesting.... by asa805

Jun 29, 2006 (10:21 am)

I had this problem with my 2002 Accord (that was on lease). Thankfully the squirrel didnt do any major damage. I parked my car in a lot with about 20 other cars. She nested in two cars. The other was also an Accord (damn squirrels have good taste). Anyway every morning i would check under the hood and that damned squirrel would scare the bejesus out of me and run off leaving behind a disgusting nest consisting of garbage, grass, leaves, branches and the insulation from under the hood (which she absolutely destroyed). I would have to clean it all up just so she can do it again the next morning.
 
One time i actually drove her to work and back. Didnt realize she was in the car till i got home. She had a couple babies in their with her. Dont have any clue how they survive teh 30 mile trip. (we just left the babies in the grass and she mustve gathered them up at some point because they were gone when we checked back).
 
We sprayed with pepper spray and that seemed to solve the problem. What also helped was that we found a dead squirrel in teh street, hit by a car. We think it was her.
 
I did a bit of research. Apparetnly the squirrels lay claim to certain trees. They only have one or two nests in each tree. We think this squirrel was an outcast. Perhaps was alittle insane (hence getting hit by a car). Since she didnt have a nest to go to in the trees (and all the garages were squirrel proofed) she became very resourceful and found shelter in two Honda Accords.
 
True story.

#29 of 52 Holding pattern w/insurance and service dept. by lsufan6970

Oct 31, 2006 (2:06 pm)

Land Rover has had my 2006 Range Rover Sport for 17 days now after the vehicle reported multiple failures and warnings and would not shift out of first gear. I had it towed to the dealership and awaited the diagnosis. A couple of days later, the verdict - some sort of rodent had turned my undercarriage and all the wiring into a buffet. At first I was told only one major harness was ruined, but after trying to repair that one, things went downhill and more damage was found. They've tried hooking up a new CPU to the car and it still reports other failures. The service department called Land Rover in the UK and was told to explore into the dashboard for more damage. After this recommendation the service department then informed me to make an insurance claim because the warranty wasn't going to cover the damage anyway and diving into the dash was going to be expensive. I filed a claim and my agent went to inspect the service department's rodent damage claim and obviously they were right because my agent told them to procede and that my comprehensive coverage would cover the damage. I've heard a few stories of insurance companies totalling a vehicle once repair damages get out of hand. I am still at the mercy of my service department and what they find in the dash and report to my insurance agent.

#30 of 52 Mice by ewe2

Jan 05, 2007 (9:51 am)

This might seem odd to some of you but it's a problem. We have a 2006 Camry CE. We live in upstate NY. I decided to replace the cabin filter behind the glove box yesterday and when I pulled the filter out. All this chewed up stuff came out. It's a mouse nest. What I was wondering was, does anyone know how the mice get in there and what can we do to stop them from doing so? I've had traps set with peanut butter ( clever little devils, they eat the PB off the traps without tripping them ) and we've thrown moth balls every where.
Any suggestions?
 
D

#31 of 52 Re: Mice [ewe2] by richardson

Jan 07, 2007 (7:40 pm)

Replying to: ewe2 (Jan 05, 2007 9:51 am)
Whenever we are at our place in Florida we have a problem with rats getting into the engines. The only thing I found that keeps them out is one of those air fresheners with the little battery operated fan. Every night I lift the hood of the vehicle that's not being driven every day and switch it on. You can find these at Walmart. Jim Richardson

#32 of 52 Re: Mice [richardson] by ewe2

Jan 08, 2007 (12:50 pm)

Replying to: richardson (Jan 07, 2007 7:40 pm)
I'll see if that will work. Thanks.

D

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