Sponsored

New truck owners beware of squirrels / rodents chewing on wire harness

NB64

Well-known member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Aug 18, 2022
Threads
6
Messages
97
Reaction score
87
Location
Howell NJ
Vehicles
22 F150 Screw 3.5EB max tow
Occupation
Tech
My buddy just picked up his 23 F150. About a week later the truck started running like crap. Misfiring and shaking badly. I followed him to the dealer who pulled some codes. What they found was a squirrel was chewing on his wire harness that’s coated in some sort of soy bean oil. Not one hundred percent on that description. The squirrel was electrocuted and found at the seen of the crime. Dealer warrantied it and fixed the harness.
Sponsored

 

HammaMan

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 7, 2022
Threads
72
Messages
4,226
Reaction score
4,378
Location
SE US
Vehicles
2022 302a PB, Mach E GTPE
For decades now they've been using soy based wire coatings of a particular flavor rodents love. Curious what got the squirrel, there's no voltage high enough in there to do one in. Crazy to hear of it being a squirrel --- oh well, guess they're not called tree rats for nothing.
 

powerboatr

Well-known member
First Name
Robert
Joined
May 9, 2022
Threads
133
Messages
2,923
Reaction score
3,252
Location
North East Texas, Piney Woods
Vehicles
2022 F150 King Ranch 4x4
Occupation
Retired Navy Senior Chief
well the insulation is made form soybean oil yes
but they were using capsaician (spelling) oil form peppers in the mix to prevent said events.
i guess the hot sauce was a DELETE due to covid as well
you can buy the stuff to spray on the wires that has the hot oil essence but i have not seen it in a while (covid ) most likely

it sucks, them critters can flat ruin a vehicle in a minute
 

mugwa

Member
First Name
Shawn
Joined
May 28, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
12
Reaction score
8
Location
Rural Hall NC
Vehicles
2021 F150, 1999 F150, 1979 Bronco
Occupation
Engineer (Retired)
My 2021 XLT has suffered the faint in December 2022. Rodent chewed the injector harness (not warranty) witch according to the dealer shorted the PCM. The dealer has been installing PCMs for the last 3 months, with no resolution to a miss fire in cylinder 1 and 5. Dealer Service Writer claims all 4 PCMs have been failed to connect , program or were DOA. My truck truck has been at the Dealer for 6 month.
 

My 2ND Ford

Well-known member
First Name
David
Joined
Jun 28, 2021
Threads
14
Messages
424
Reaction score
361
Location
Ny
Vehicles
2021 f-150 Platinum, 2014 BMW R1200RT
Occupation
Retired
Three months into owning my last Volvo , I had a severe misfire when I started the car in the morning. Found mice had chewed thru two injector wires. Not fun at all. Fixed it myself as it was not a warranty issue. The little bastards.
 

Sponsored

JExpedition07

Well-known member
First Name
James
Joined
Feb 14, 2023
Threads
41
Messages
1,437
Reaction score
2,226
Location
Buffalo NY
Vehicles
2023 F-150 STX 5.0L V8
I have heard a lot of similar stories to this
 

UNIKRN150

Banned
Banned
Banned
First Name
Bob
Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Threads
9
Messages
695
Reaction score
814
Location
Pacific North West
Vehicles
Pinto SE 4x4
When I bought my tractor I was warned about this. I asked my Farmer neighbor about it and he said “YES, it’s a big problem!
Especially with a tractor that tends to sit unused for long periods of time.

He recommended a particular brand of Rat Bait that he used to protect his farm equipment. Unfortunately, they don’t sell this brand in California.

FORTUNATELY… I go to Nevada from time to time.

I’ve kept it in my tractor ever since and have had to replace it when the Rats gobble it up. Now I have it in my truck.

Worth noting… my Dog ate some once! We took him to the vet & showed the vet what he had eaten. The vet knew exactly what it was and said “don’t worry, it kills small animals, not big ones”

My Dog was fine. Never even got sick.

Ford F-150 New truck owners beware of squirrels / rodents chewing on wire harness RATS
 
OP
OP
NB64

NB64

Well-known member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Aug 18, 2022
Threads
6
Messages
97
Reaction score
87
Location
Howell NJ
Vehicles
22 F150 Screw 3.5EB max tow
Occupation
Tech
Wow! This was the first time I’ve heard of this. Years ago my neighbor’s cat got his leg caught in my fathers car fan belt. We had no idea it was sleeping on the warm engine.
 

Natetroknot

Well-known member
First Name
Nate
Joined
Feb 12, 2023
Threads
5
Messages
213
Reaction score
243
Location
Dubuque, IA
Vehicles
2022 XLT 3.5 302A
Honda sells an electrical tape (expensive) that has some sort of ingredient that deters rodents. I came from a Tacoma and for one reason or another, the tree rats got into the engine bay all the time of those trucks, a new post at least every week it seemed like. Most of the time it resulted in an insurance claim, as Toyota dealers had an aversion to repairing/splicing a harness.
 

Sponsored


bushpilot

Well-known member
First Name
Don
Joined
May 13, 2023
Threads
0
Messages
94
Reaction score
75
Location
Houston, Tx
Vehicles
‘23 F150, 4x4, 3.5L, PB 7.2KW, Platinum
When I bought my tractor I was warned about this. I asked my Farmer neighbor about it and he said “YES, it’s a big problem!
Especially with a tractor that tends to sit unused for long periods of time.

He recommended a particular brand of Rat Bait that he used to protect his farm equipment. Unfortunately, they don’t sell this brand in California.

FORTUNATELY… I go to Nevada from time to time.

I’ve kept it in my tractor ever since and have had to replace it when the Rats gobble it up. Now I have it in my truck.

Worth noting… my Dog ate some once! We took him to the vet & showed the vet what he had eaten. The vet knew exactly what it was and said “don’t worry, it kills small animals, not big ones”

My Dog was fine. Never even got sick.

RATS.jpg
RAT BAIT is completely ineffective on squirrels!
SQUIRRELS and CATS are completely immune to rat bait.

I have my own way of dealing with the squirrels....
the sound of the trap slamming shut NEVER gets old!

https://ring.com/share/6071d0ce-cf06-430d-be9d-fdd363645ada

https://ring.com/share/11133ec4-0001-4274-8d31-ef06fe0c0950
 

powerboatr

Well-known member
First Name
Robert
Joined
May 9, 2022
Threads
133
Messages
2,923
Reaction score
3,252
Location
North East Texas, Piney Woods
Vehicles
2022 F150 King Ranch 4x4
Occupation
Retired Navy Senior Chief

JIMFOUNTAIN

Well-known member
First Name
Jim
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Threads
6
Messages
338
Reaction score
436
Location
Austin, Tx
Vehicles
2021 F150 SCREW PB 6.5' 701A
Squirrels can mess up more than wiring. I installed a cold air intake on my 2008 Tundra. Critters climbed through the fender opening and pushed the filter to the side to build a nest. Started it up and idled fine. Drove thru the neighborhood with no issues. As soon as I tried to jump on the highway the larger opening of the throttle butterfly allowed corn to fall... jamming the butterfly open. Yee Haw!

Fortunately the PCM threw a code and killed power pretty quickly. Almost called a tow truck and sent to the dealer since it was under warranty... but decided to take a quick look. This is what I saw:

Ford F-150 New truck owners beware of squirrels / rodents chewing on wire harness 1684941194113
 

HeadBanger

Well-known member
First Name
Ron
Joined
Oct 28, 2022
Threads
0
Messages
127
Reaction score
96
Location
Finleyville, PA
Vehicles
2021 F150 XLT 5.0

WhiteLightningnshitshadow

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Threads
46
Messages
538
Reaction score
313
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
2004 F150 4.6 SCAB 6.5 and 2022 2.7 SCREW 5.5
Occupation
Lead Engineer
Tabasco sauce. Just a pain to keep reapplying. I tried some Repels All from Walmart, but judging by the rabbits and dogs that still come around, I don't think it does shit. Ended up sprinkling some mouse and rat poison around.

Never had an issue before, but my place backs up to a field so I do occasionally see rodents around.
Sponsored

 
 




Top