2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Help Rodents chewing on my engine wires

[JIMMMDOG]

I either have rodents chewing on the wiring undr the hood or there is a chafing issue with my 2002 Dodge pickup. Over a year ago my ABS light came on in the dash. I brought the truck to dealer and they say mice ate the wires. They fixed the problem ,I am doubtful about the cause but pay several hundred dollars because no warrenty for rodent damage. Over a year goes by, I take the truck in for fluid changes and tire rotation on Monday. I drive the truck 180 miles on Tuesday with no problems. I start the truck on Wednesday {last night} and ABS light again. I look under hood, wires are either chewed or somehow cut in the exact same location {drivers side wire cluster in corner near fire walll and no where else. The truck is not a daily driver but I have been using it to carry my slide-in almost every weekend for months. I don't park truck in same garage as I did first the occurance.

Anyone out there hear of wire issues caused by chaffing to ABS wires? If it is rodents how can I keep them out of truck, and how can I kill them without using poison that may endanger me or cause them to die inside and smell.

I am out probably another $200, I need your help. I like my brakes to work.

 

[Alan Reagan]

That happened to my tractor. I thought it was squirrels but it turned out to be field mice in my case.



You can use DCON. They eat it and then go to find a water source. When they drink, they die. They won't make it back to the truck. They will smell but only for a couple of days.



A second alternative is a trap that comes in the form of a glue like substance in a small container. They get in the "goo", get stuck and then you have to take them out of the stuff. It works pretty good. I don't know the name of it but the pest control provider where I work uses it.



Finally, you can set a trap. Put in on the harness. Also, put one or two under the truck. No poison but very effective. Since I set the traps, I haven't had any more problems with them around my tractor.

 

[fox]

You need some cats. Don't feed then very much.

 

[Ron Bissett]

food for thought.

You can get some spray that is used to keep pets from eating house wires make the wires bitter to taste this may work for you . Get at pet supply store or wally world. As to two hunderd for wires ,I would splice and sodder new wire same color and gauge in place one at a time . cost a few dollars and you will have plenty wire left over. after splice and solder cover with shrink tube that you slid on the wire before twisting to prepare to solder . Or use liquid tape ,or tape then cover with goop ,or silicone ,etc. Ron Bissett In Metro Louisville KY

 

[Joe Mc]

They love peanut butter, put it on the tip of the trap and they have to pull it - snap! Peanut butter what's in the center of the glue boards refered to earlier. Man that stinks. The thing that gets me is why the same wiring in the same area is the "rodent" employed at the dealer???

 

[24V-DSL]

I fight this more than I like. All the farmers around me use clothes dryer sheets, like Bounty, etc. The stonger the fragrance, the better. Stuff them in nooks and crannys in the engine compartment. They lose their potency after a couple of weeks, but they do seem to work. I'm talkin mice here... dont' know about other critters.

 

[Todd T]

I had a heck of a time this winter with rats getting in the garage. they kept nesting on my wifes 05 Magnum :--) and chewing the wires and insulation to make the nests with.





I just kept after them with traps and poison. one i got with the 22 pistol once i got him cornered

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Mothballs are commonly used to keep rodents out of classic cars while they are in storage. Put some in a number of spots under the hood - should solve your problem assuming it's rodents.

 

[TRLRTRSH]

Mice/Rats

JIMMMDOG, When we go to Montana (Northwest corner) Libby to be exact the RV park we stay in has forest rats. To keep them out of the engine compartment we put a bright light on the engine and LEAVE THE HOOD OPEN. It's kinda funny seeing all the full timers at night with their truck hoods open and the engine lit up, but it works.



Bill

 

[mdepot]

Mothballs are commonly used to keep rodents out of classic cars while they are in storage. Put some in a number of spots under the hood - should solve your problem assuming it's rodents.

If you use moth balls, don't let them touch anything made of plastic, as some types (paradichlorobenzene) can react with some plastics causing a melting effect.

 

[R-N-R]

Pretty strange that your rodent has a preference for the same wire...

 

[10-9jc]

There's field mice, roof rats,

forrest rats, and the crafty

bowtie rats and blue oval mice!



They try to attack Dodge CTD's

anyway they can!

 

[RGardner]

You can get a spray called mouse out that seems to work pretty well. It seems to me an oil with moth ball type substance dissolved in it. Moth balls are cheaper tho.

 

[magothy1]

Those fabric softener sheets work well but you need to keep fresh ones to keep the smell lively. Moth balls will help, too, but I hadn't heard about the problem with them reacting to plastics. Cats are real good preventive medicine. We have rat problems on the boat and in my net storage area all the time.

 

[ATClark]

Last spring I found some rodent had made a nest in my air cleaner and I live in town. Chewed up the foam prefilter and the filter paper and made a real mess. I put some hardware cloth over the air inlet to the filter housing from the fender. That should slow the buggers down a little (I hope!!).

 

[DFerverda]

I had rats in my barn, eating the feed and chewing up boat motor wiring and everything else that is covered in plastic. I fed them rat posion,about 60 bucks worth,they really enjoyed it, they would stand around at nite and watch me put it out and run up and eat it before i even left the barn. Nothing happened to them, not 1 died that i found. So i took a big paint lid ,and cut some holes in a big tub,(about 2x2inches) put the big paint lid on the ground and filled it with antifreeze and covered it with the big tub and put a block on top to keep cats and dogs away. 2 days later no rats left. all dead. put all the grain in containers with lids. been a year and still no rats. antifreeze cost . 25

 

[AlSmith]

Spearmint Oil

Campers use spearmint oil. The tiny bottles pack a powerful punch. Just use a cottonball and dab it around the problem areas. Works for me!