I live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, in a suburban area, my home is on 1/2 acre lot, I have many trees, and most of my neighbor’s properties are similar.
Last fall, I found nut/acorn/etc debris on top of the engines of both my 2019 Toyota and 2020 Honda. Some of the wire harness wrap was chewed on but no other damage. The “Scat” (rodent droppings) was larger than a mouse and Googled research suggested squirrels or rats. I have never seen any rats in the area, but there is no shortage of squirrels. I have been told (with tongue in cheek…) that I should taste the scat, I was told that squirrel scat has a distinctive nutty flavor. I passed on this…
I’ve read that modern wire insulation is often made from a plant based derivative and they may be drawn to car wire insulation made of soy, peanut oil, rice husks, and various plant-based materials. The insulation can produce a faint vanilla aroma when it is warm, which may make car wires appealing and appetizing for rodents to chew.
After experimenting with various rodent repellant sprays and various exotic oils (including peppermint oil, lemon oil, citronella oil, and eucalyptus oil), I finally decided to place a small plate on the battery when the cars are parked. The plates have mothballs and inexpensive dryer sheets on it and since I’ve done this, I have had no more issues with these “visitors.”
Admittedly, this precaution is a royal pain. Before using either vehicle, I have to open the hood and remove the plate. When returning and parking the vehicles, I have to again open the hood and place the plates back on the battery. I have also made a small sign that I put on the dash to remind me to remove the dish before driving off…
The expense associated with replacing the wiring is outrageous. My car insurance agent says the policy would cover the repair, but I imagine that would only work once or twice before I had to look for another insurance company… Besides, the alternative is even more bizarre (See Below…)…
