CR140 Rodent damage

[Googolplex]

I've just put my TDF in for its first oil change 9k miles, 9 months old. Ex demo, purchased from main dealer at the end of December, so I've owned it for less than 3 months. The visual health check showed rodent damage under the engine cover. The little buggers have gnawed some of the injector wiring - the advisory says 'injector wiring harness gnawed by rodent'. They've also had their way with the some of the sound insulation on the underside of the cover. Replacement wiring £210. New cover £54. Not under warranty, since rodent damage apparently isn't mechanical failure...

Needless to say, really annoyed with this. I will try and pursue some sort of goodwill gesture from the garage but realise that's all it will be. Whilst they sold the car with a piece of paper saying they'd checked such things, so it could only have happened under my ownership, who knows what really happened.

Why design something that provides the ideal nest for rodents? That has to be a flaw? It's only ever parked in paved driveways, roadways and car parks.

Has anyone else come across this sort of thing?

I've inspected the wiring loom and cannot see any bare wires. Is this the sort of thing I could wrap up with something appropriate and save the bother? I suppose that might invalidate the warranty.

If it is all replaced, besides a mousetrap, what else can be used to deter the beasts?!

Suppose I've just been unlucky...

[Shanco]

• I've only found two ways of dealing with rats - either shoot or poison them.
• If neither of theses options are palatable to you then you could try providing a food source away from your car.

Shanco

[Too Tall]

My Superb had this fitted under the bonnet. Works well from what I've been told.

http://www.kuk-marderabwehr.de/ultraschallgeraete.html?proddetail=1016

[boxer]

Have you checked to see if it's covered in your insurance?

 

Round here damage caused by Beech Martens (the "marde" as mentioned in Too Talls's link) is very common and is specifically mentioned in the insurance cover.  You can also buy sprays that leave a smell to convince the marten that it's on a bigger creature's territory, but I doubt there is such a thing for rats.

 

Design flaw? Not sure that making things rodent proof is possible at any price.  And the martens are in no way aware of the status of the car they are eating !  However they can be very discerning in other ways; they hit my old V8 Range Rover a couple of times, and always ONLY the no. 8 HT lead which is of course the longest.  They were expensive (but below the insurance excess) high performance leads that only came in full sets, so I had to buy all of them every time. 

Edited 22 March, 2015 by boxer

[Richf]

Had exactly the same on our 170 Superb , they chewed around the injector wiring and some of the rubber parts , luckily didnt go through or effect the running . also had a mouse chew through the gearshift gaiter and get inside the car , that chewed through the foam above the passenger footwell

 

We had worse on our Fabia where a rat chewed through the coil wiring , that WAS covered by warranty at least the labour element, I just paid for the wiring kit

 

The only way we have found to stop/reduce it is to put poison in bait boxes around where the cars are parked , perhaps thats possible for you

 

I use these guys

 

http://www.pestcontroldirect.co.uk/

[littleade]

Get them to show you the damage to the wiring then post a photo so we can see what damage has been done. There are a number of options from just using insulating tape if the damage is only superficial through to using rubber or self amalgamating tape if the insulation is damaged and conductors are showing to piecing out wires and using heat shrink if they've eaten the copper conductors. As long as you take your time and do each wire 1 at a time and make sure the wires are well protected to stop them corroding later there shouldn't be any need to start changing wiring looms if everything it feeds still works ok.

[Googolplex]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'm going to have a go at posting a few pictures. I fear they've been nibbling away elsewhere too but, for now, I've tried to suck out as much of the mess as I can. There are some exposed wires which I'll try and picture in due course.

Possibly it is covered on insurance but, like many of these things, there's a pretty hefty excess to pay first.

First port of call has been to pick up some mice poison... I will show no mercy...

[DGW]

This is the one mentioned earlier for martens. Maybe it works for other rodents too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-K-M2500-M-2500-Marderschreck-Marderschock-Marderschutz-Marderscheuche-/111192140841

[scottalej]

You need a cat. I live in an old farmhouse and was always bothered with mice getting into everywhere and causing damage. Lots of rabbits and a mole digging holes in the grass as well. Then I got the cat.

[Googolplex]

You need a cat. I live in an old farmhouse and was always bothered with mice getting into everywhere and causing damage. Lots of rabbits and a mole digging holes in the grass as well. Then I got the cat.

Would you believe it, I have two. They're next to useless. Spend their whole day asleep. Couldn't catch a slow worm, neither of them...

[bw10030]

Buy a Jaguar! That should be a big enough cat!

[M00k]

I've an old calibra turbo in storage (only 26k on it :-)) went to check on it and noticed wee droppings all across the cream interior, thankfully didn't chew any leather etc but they nibbled an ht lead end or two, but just superficial thankfully

Friends rs turbo required a rebuild after they ate his wiring looms and through silicon boost and coolant pipes, disaster!!!!

[scottalej]

Faulty cats eh, I've never had that problem. In fact I gained another two with the current GF who were indoor cats and have quickly turned into great hunters. Hilarious watching them venture outside for the first time.