We live in a rural area, and rodent damage to cars is pretty common. This summer we returned from a vacation, and I noticed my new Honda Fit’s windshield fluid needed filling. When I opened the hood, the engine compartment was full of nesting material like grass and leaves and cracked acorn shells. I took it in to the dealer for its regular service and asked them to check for any damage - it cost $300 to repair the turn signal wiring harness. But that’s not what my question is about.
Later that week, my husband found nesting material in his new Ford Fusion hybrid and had made an appointment at his dealer - but it was too late. One evening when he came home from work, his car burst into flames in the carport and almost burned our house down. But that’s not what my question is about.
Someone advised us to keep our cars’ hoods open when they are parked at home. The idea is that rodents will not feel safe nesting in an exposed space with the hood open. So we’ve been doing that and so far it seems to work - plus it makes us have to look at our engine each morning to see if there’s any trace of rats like droppings or acorn shells or nesting material.
But we’re going into the rainy season, and only one of our cars car park under the shelter of the carport. Is there any problem with leaving a car’s hood open in the rain?